BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics say they will make the traditional champions' visit to the White House on Thursday, when they will be welcomed by President Joe Biden a day before their game in Washington against the Wizards.
The Celtics won their NBA-record 18th championship in June, beating the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals in five games. They will be visiting Washington for the second and final time during the regular season.
The Celtics first visited the White House as champions in 1963 in the John F. Kennedy administration and last went in 2008, when they met with former President George W. Bush.
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Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) signals three after hitting an outside shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
NEW YORK (AP) — Doc Rivers was right. It still cost him $25,000.
Rivers, the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, was fined by the NBA on Sunday, a day after he publicly criticized the officiating that led to the deciding points in a 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Rivers argued Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t commit a foul with the Bucks trailing by one with 7.3 seconds left, saying Charlotte's LaMelo Ball simply slipped and fell. Ball made two free throws to give Charlotte the lead for good.
“I thought the final play was the ref blowing a call,” Rivers said after that game. “This is back-to-back games now where on the final play there has been an incorrect call made."
It wasn’t relevant that the referees wound up agreeing with Rivers.
“During live play we called illegal leg-to-leg contact,” crew chief Curtis Blair told a pool reporter in remarks distributed by the NBA. “During postgame review when we looked at the play there was no illegal contact on the play.”
Antetokounmpo’s jumper at the buzzer rimmed out and the Hornets escaped with the win. Ball was fined $100,000 on Sunday for using an anti-gay slur in his postgame remarks, when asked to describe Charlotte’s defense on the final play against Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks argued about late-game officiating this past Wednesday as well, when Antetokounmpo was whistled for a phantom call with a second left in regulation and the score tied at 111 against Detroit. Pistons forward Ron Holland II missed two free throws after that call, the game went into overtime and the Bucks prevailed 127-120 behind 59 points from Antetokounmpo.
“We were lucky in Detroit the kid missed two free throws,” Rivers said Saturday. “Tonight, LaMelo Ball made the free throws.”
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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts to a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
