Mike Budehnolzer and the Milwaukee Bucks suffered a heartbreaking OT loss on Monday at home against the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns had the final possession and the Bucks defended Devin Booker to perfection, with Jrue Holiday and PJ Tucker trying their best to put up honest defense on one of the league's most clutch shooters. And, they did–well, at least until there was 0.3 seconds left on the clock.
Booker was then bailed out with a questionable foul call on Tucker, who challenged the swingman as he tried to put up a prayer. The whistle was blown and Booker eventually broke the tie and gave the Suns a 128-127 win.
After the game, there wasn't a lot left to say from the Bucks camp. When Budenholzer was asked how the referees explained their crucial whistle in the game's dying seconds, the officials' response was pretty straightforward, according to the head coach.
“They said there was a foul,” Coach Bud mentioned, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
And for the final call, here is Mike Budenholzer's exchange with @ZoraStephenson.
Zora: How did the referees explain that last foul call to you?
Bud: They said there was a foul.
Zora: There was no further explanation?
Bud: No.— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 20, 2021
Budenholzer also added that there was no further explanation from the officials.
On the other side of the fence, Suns head coach Monty Williams knew that they caught a break on Monday. The Bucks put their best backcourt defender in Holiday to guard Booker on that final possession, which definitely made things extra challenging for Phoenix.
Williams mentioned that they did try to force a switch multiple times, but Holiday kept sticking to Booker like glue.
“He's one of the best on-ball defenders I've ever seen,” Williams said of Holiday, via Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
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