Celtics make history with head-scratching free throw record in Bucks loss

Jayson Tatum couldn’t quite believe how his team etched a new record in the league history books.

“Another day in the NBA,” he said, shaking his head, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

The wackiness doesn’t end there, though, as the victorious Bucks only made one free throw on two attempts from the charity stripe. The two total free throws between the Bucks and Celtics are the fewest in league history, via StatMuse.

In 48 minutes of play, Milwaukee committed four fouls. This is also the fewest in NBA history, according to Basketball Reference.

League-leading Celtics fall flat against desperate Bucks

Normally, scoring under 100 points and having zero free throws would be cause for panic, yet that shouldn’t be the case for the Celtics. They’re now 62-17 overall and still 14 games ahead of the second-place Bucks in the Eastern Conference standings.

Even though this game was on during primetime, it didn’t mean much for the Green Team. The C’s already have the best overall record locked up and were essentially playing for nothing. Centers Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford sat out and no starter played more than 40 minutes.

Tatum and Jaylen Brown did end up playing regardless of the low stakes, but it’s worth remembering the NBA’s new Player Participation Policy. This season, no team is allowed to sit out more than one star, which Tatum and Brown qualify as since they were named 2024 All-Stars. Stars are expected to play in national television games as well (unless they’re seriously injured), meaning Boston’s dynamic duo couldn’t rest versus Milwaukee unless the C’s wanted a hefty fine.

Tatum and Brown combined for 36 points while going 16-for-38 from the field. Overall, it was a forgettable game for the Celtics that they could afford to lose.

On the other hand, the Bucks were desperate heading into the Tuesday night’s showdown. They had lost six of their last seven games and suffered embarrassing defeats to teams far from playoff contention like the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors. As a result of their losing streak, Milwaukee’s hold on the second seed in the East became much less secure.

The Bucks came out in the first quarter like a team that had something to prove, dropping 37 points while  The Bucks dropped 37 points while holding the Celtics’ high-powered offense to just 21. From there, Boston would chip at the lead but never get close enough to truly make it interesting.

Unfortunately, the Bucks’ win was undermined when superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo exited the game in the second half due to a non-contact injury. The 2021 NBA Finals MVP never returned, suffering a soleus strain in his calf, according to the team.

That wasn’t the worst report Bucks fans could receive, yet it places Antetokounmpo’s status for the start of the playoffs in serious doubt. Additionally, the untimely injury could sit him out for the Bucks’ final three games of the regular season.

They play the Orlando Magic twice and the Oklahoma City Thunder once, which is probably the antithesis of an easy schedule. The Magic are currently two games behind Milwaukee and in third-place in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics will close out with some easier opponents. First up are the contending New York Knicks, but then the C’s face the lowly Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards. It’ll be a victory in itself if the C’s can enter the 2024 postseason with a clean bill of health.