Bucks' Rivers fined 25K for criticizing officials

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers received a $25,000 fine for publicly criticizing game officials following Saturday's 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, the NBA announced Sunday.

Rivers made his critical comments after referees called a foul on Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo with 7.3 seconds remaining, rewarding Hornets guard LaMelo Ball with the game-winning free throws.

"I thought the final play was the ref blowing a call," Rivers said postgame, per Steve Reed of The Associated Press. "This is back-to-back games now where on the final play there has been an incorrect call made."

The game's crew chief, Curtis Blair, admitted the refs made an error by calling a foul on Antetokounmpo.

"During live play we called illegal leg-to-leg contact," Blair said, according to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer. "During postgame review, when we looked at the play, there was no illegal contact on the play."

The NBA said in a recent last-two-minute report that officials also incorrectly called the Bucks for a foul with seconds remaining in a tied game against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.

The Bucks sit 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 4-9 record.