In a nail-biting contest on Sunday night, Damian Lillard’s deep buzzer-beater secured a narrow 143-142 overtime victory for the Milwaukee Bucks over the Sacramento Kings. However, the game’s intensity reached a new level when Kings Coach Mike Brown, displeased with officiating decisions, was ejected and later fined $50,000 by the league for using a laptop to dissect referee calls at Fiserv Forum.
Brown’s ejection occurred early in the fourth quarter as he passionately confronted referee Intae Hwang along the sideline, requiring intervention from players to prevent further escalation. Undeterred, Brown took his critique to a digital level, compiling clips of perceived officiating errors that he presented during the postgame news conference.
Specifically, Brown highlighted a foul drawn by Bucks’ star Damian Lillard on a three-point attempt in the third quarter and a non-call on a play involving the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox in the fourth quarter. Despite maintaining composure throughout the presentation, Brown’s unconventional approach, coupled with his open criticism, resulted in a $50,000 fine from the NBA.
Despite the drama, the Kings showed resilience by overcoming a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter, forcing overtime, and briefly holding a two-point lead. However, Lillard’s stunning buzzer-beater ultimately secured the victory for the Bucks.
De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 32 points, supported by Malik Monk’s 28 points off the bench and Kevin Huerter’s 26 points, including six three-pointers. With two consecutive losses, the Kings currently occupy the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings as they prepare for a Tuesday matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
Lillard paced the Bucks with 29 points and eight assists, contributing to their three-game winning streak. Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Malik Beasley added 23 points to secure the Bucks’ victory.