Jimmy Butler draws questionable foul on Marcus Smart to beat Celtics

In the dying seconds of the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics game Thursday night, Jimmy Butler drew a questionable foul call from Marcus Smart.

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Boston Celtics in TNT’s Thursday night game, 104-103, but the game was not without a controversial finish. With less than a second remaining, referees called a foul on Boston’s Marcus Smart. Jimmy Butler made both free throws to give the Bulls the one-point win.

With the Bulls down one with the ball, the team went to leading scoring Jimmy Butler. Butler started his move toward the basket with 2.6 seconds remaining. Butler dribbled inside of the three-point line and spun back to take a fade away from the Bulls’ logo located between the key and three-point line.

Smart defended Butler and did a good job contesting the shot. Butler’s shot hit the front of the rim as the buzzer sounded. Several Celtics players, including Al Horford, believed that Boston had won.

However, the baseline referee called a foul on Smart, believing he hit Butler on the arm. After initially thinking they had won the game, the Celtics players on the court could not believe the call.

Smart jumped up and down with his hands in the air as he made his way down to the bench. The cameras cut to Isaiah Thomas, who had a stunned look of disbelief on his face. The Celtics guard’s mouth was wide open with both arms in the air.

The best reaction came from Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. The cameras cut to a very upset Stevens, who nearly fell backwards after seeing the call. Stevens began waving his arms and used a word that can not be repeated on TV.

The foul sent Butler to the free-throw line for two shots. With the game on the line, Butler made both free throws to led the Bulls to victory. Butler finished with 29 points, seven assists and went nine for nine from the free-throw line.

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Did Smart make contact? Yes. Was it a weak foul call? Also yes. This was one of those calls that could’ve gone either way, but with the game on the line, it was a questionable whistle at best.