NBA says Giannis Antetokounmpo’s game-winner against Knicks shouldn’t have counted
Giannis Antetokounmpo sent the Milwaukee Bucks to a thrilling 104-103 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday, courtesy of the unguardable step-back jumper he hit as time expired.
https://youtu.be/5Tcz1r_nUnI
A day later, however, the NBA's Last Two Minute report said that the basket shouldn't have counted, because Antetokounmpo committed a five-second violation that should have been called with 2.8 seconds left — well before he was able to take that final shot.
[Detectable with stop watch] Antetokounmpo (MIL) begins his dribble with his back to the basket at 7.8 seconds, at which point the 5-second count starts, and then gathers the ball and begins to turn towards the basket for the shot at 2.2 seconds, thus ending the count.
It's a call the referees don't make very often, and it's one they almost never would make in an end-of-game situation like this. In case you're curious as to which rule Antetokounmpo violated, the league has a video example here, and describes it as follows:
An offensive player in his frontcourt below the free throw line extended is not allowed to dribble the ball with his back or side to the basket while being actively guarded by an opponent for more the 5 seconds.
