Celtics Coach Ime Udoka On Playoffs Officiating: 'I'll Teach My Guys To Flop A Little More"

The referees came under fire from both teams after the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics' Game 3 matchup.

BYCole Blake
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Players on both sides of the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics' Game 3 matchup for the Eastern Conference Semifinal took issue with the performance of the referees after the game. The Bucks were able to hold off a 14-point comeback from the Celtics in the fourth quarter to win 103-101.

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka called attention to the late-game foul on Celtics guard Marcus Smart which he labeled a "poor call." Smart was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer but officials decided the foul was on the floor before the attempt was made.

Stacy Revere / Getty Images

When Udoka complained, he says refs told him Smart was making a sweeping motion rather than a shooting motion.

"Both feet set. You can't say that's a sweep. You're going into a shot. That's a poor call. Poor no-call," Udoka said.

He added: I'll teach my guys to flop a little more."

On the other side, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo hinted at being upset with the refs but admitted he didn't want to get fined.

“How much does it cost if I say something, a comment about the refs? Is it $20,000? It’s a lot of money. So, I should not do it. I’ll save my money. I’ve got to pay for diapers.”

The Bucks now hold a 2-1 series lead over the Celtics. Game 4 is scheduled for Monday at 7:30 PM, ET.

Check out Antetokounmpo's comments after the game below.


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About The Author
Cole Blake is currently an Editor at HotNewHipHop based out of Brooklyn, New York. He began working at the site as an intern back in 2018 while studying journalism at St. John’s University. In the time since, he’s graduated with a bachelor's degree and written extensively about a wide range of topics including pop culture, film & television, politics, video games, sports, and much more. He’s also covered music festivals such as Gov. Ball and Rolling Loud. You can find him publishing work for HNHH from Monday to Wednesday or on weekends. On the sports front, Cole’s a passionate NBA and NFL fan with his favorite teams being the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Lakers. He also roots for the Yankees whenever he finds himself at Yankee Stadium or the Red Storm when in the company of other SJU alumni. His favorite hip-hop artists are billy woods, Earl Sweatshirt, Cam’ron, MIKE, and Mach-Hommy.