Giannis' Foul at End of Game 2 on Jimmy Butler Correct Call, NBA L2M Report Says

The shooting foul on Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo against the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler at the buzzer of Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup on Wednesday was the correct call, according to the NBA's last-two-minute report.

Antetokounmpo's foul came with a tenth of a second left and the game tied. The call sent Butler to the line for two free throws, and he hit both, giving Miami a 116-114 victory and a 2-0 series lead.

"Butler is in the air in a natural shooting motion when Antetokounmpo makes contact with his midsection and affects his trajectory and balance," the report states. "The shot is taken before the expiration of time, and the foul occurred before Butler landed."

Butler finished with 13 points—going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line—while Antetokounmpo's 29-point, 14-rebound, three-assist performance went for naught. 

Talking to reporters after the loss, Antetokounmpo said he thought he made the right play and mentioned it's a defensive move he's made multiple times. Once he saw Butler had four seconds left he knew a shot was coming and tried to contest it. 

"I tried to make it tough for Jimmy," Antetokounmpo said. "The ref said there was contact. Maybe there was. ... It is what it is. I tried to contest the shot."

Whether or not it was a clear foul, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer hinted he was upset that the call was made with the game on the line, rather than allowing the two teams to battle for another five minutes in overtime. 

"I'd say we're disappointed with the judgment, the decision, the timing," Budenholzer said. "It's a tough job. I have a lot of respect for the officials. ... We have our way of seeing things. We're going to disagree."