The Big Free Throw Debacle
With nine seconds left in the game between Atlanta and Milwaukee, the Hawks had the ball down three after Khris Middleton nailed two free throws to give the Bucks that lead. Ersan Ilyasova missed a pretty good look at a three, leading to Mike Dunleavy Jr. intentionally fouling Giannis with 0.2 seconds left on the clock.
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Giannis missed the first free throw. Now, up three with 0.2 seconds left on the clock, Jason Kidd seemingly instructs Giannis to intentionally miss the second free throw. Giannis does miss, but it looked like he was trying to nail it.
The game ends–the Hawks don’t try to do anything with the ball literally across the court from the basket and no real time on the clock. Had Giannis made the free throw, Atlanta would’ve had to execute a full-court and-one tip-in three-pointer to tie up the score, if the Hawk who pulled that off made the free throw.
Who cares about this? Well, apparently Jason Kidd does.
As Paschke and Jonny Mac pointed out, with 0.2 left it didn't really matter miss or make, which is the weirdest part of this. pic.twitter.com/Fachx3izjs
— Behind the Buck Pass (@BehindTheBucks) March 25, 2017
The best explanation I’ve seen thus far comes from Jim Paschke, who suggests this was a teaching moment meant to prepare Giannis for games where the Bucks are up by only one or two points.
Not over-coaching. Just teaching for the night you only lead by 1 or 2 in same situation. BB IQ keeps no hours.
— Jim Paschke (@Paschketball) March 25, 2017
There is some merit in that, but the overblown reaction from Kidd and also somewhat from Khris Middleton feels over the top. Giannis carried the Bucks to victory and there was really no way Milwaukee could’ve lost after he grabbed that rebound.
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The experience could’ve been used as a teaching moment later on behind closed doors, but whatever. Aside from a bunch of Bucks fans on Twitter raising a stink last night, it really doesn’t matter going forward.