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‘Marc Davis is a disgrace’: Stephen A Smith leads Twitter in slamming ref over late Jimmy Butler foul call

Samir Mehdi
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Marc Davis is a disgrace

Stephen A. Smith calls foul “disgraceful” and condemns Marc Davis for calling such a soft foul on Jimmy Butler for last play of the game.

NBA Twitter has been set ablaze these past 30 minutes in response to the wild and bizarre ending to Game 2 between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Miami Heat take Game 2 against the Bucks in a nail biter, 116-114 win. However, the way the Heat won this ball game is what’s being talked about the most.

Also read: Jimmy Butler had stepped out of bounds before his costly turnover vs Bucks in Game 2

The game ended with Jimmy Butler taking 2 free throws with all other 9 players on the floor, being told to stay outside of the 3 point arc.

What was NBA Twitter’s reaction to this call?

The call on the floor made by Marc Davis was a foul on Jimmy Butler in the act of shooting. The foul was committed by Giannis Antetokounmpo with 0.0 seconds left on the clock. Giannis stretched out his left arm, grazing Butler’s body after Butler had let the shot go with 0.3 seconds left in the game.

Stephen A. Smith had some choice words for Marc Davis’s decision, calling the foul a “ticky tack,” foul.

Jimmy Butler’s former teammate Joel Embiid has been very active on Twitter regarding this series and even he chimed in with his own opinion.

Was Marc Davis right in calling that foul?

It is no question that Giannis Antetokounmpo had contact with Jimmy Butler upon release of his shot. Marc Davis called it a foul because he felt the contact Giannis created with Butler was enough to alter the course of his Jimmy’s jumper.

However, most of the reactions to this call by Marc Davis have been about how the foul was ‘too soft’ and that he should’ve let the foul go.

This is the first time in the Playoffs since Game 1 of the 1979 NBA Finals, that a game was decided based on free throws taken with the clock expired.

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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