In a game filled with defensive intensity, the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks made NBA history by combining for just 2 free throw attempts on April 9th, 2024.
This shockingly low number shattered the previous record of 11 combined attempts set in 2019.
The Teams and Context Behind the Record
The Celtics and Bucks are two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, featuring premier offensive talents capable of getting to the free-throw line at high rates.
Stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Damian Lillard ranked among the league leaders in free throw attempts per game entering this matchup.
Given the offensive prowess of these teams and their propensity for drawing fouls, experts expected a high-scoring shootout. Instead, this late-season game played out as an intensely physical defensive battle where fouls went largely uncalled.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Shoots the Only Free Throws
Bucks‘ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo drew the only shooting foul, earning just 2 free throw attempts with 19 seconds left in the opening quarter. He split the pair of free throws in what amounted to the sole trips to the charity stripe for either team all night.
“Man, [NBA Commissioner] Adam Silver’s the happiest,” Bucks Coach Doc Rivers remarked after the game.
“1:57 game time. You can go to a game and still have dinner. Unbelievable.”
Celtics Make Dubious History With Zero Attempts
While Antetokounmpo managed to draw a mere 2 free throws, the Celtics incredibly did not earn a single attempt all night. This marked the first time in NBA history that a team finished a game without shooting a free throw.
“I thought it was a physical game, and then they handed me the stat sheet, and I told them, ‘No, I need the full game,'”
Coach Rivers stated, assuming the free throw numbers were only tracked for one half.
“I didn’t look at the minutes. And then I said, ‘Wow, two free throws for a basketball game. That’s crazy.’”
Defense, Playoff Intensity Take Center Stage
So how did two elite offensive teams manage just 2 total free-throw attempts between them? The answer lies in the sheer defensive intensity on display all night long from both squads.
Physical Defense Sets Tone Early
The game took on a very physical tone from the opening tipoff. Players fought aggressively for position in the paint, boundaries got tested on the perimeter, and officials allowed quite a bit of contact on drives to the basket.
“Maybe just gearing up for the playoffs,” Jayson Tatum theorized.
“They’re going to let a lot of things go, I guess just getting us ready for playoff basketball.”
Teams Commit Very Few Fouls
With referees swallowing their whistles for much of the night, the Bucks committed a mere 4 total team fouls. This registered as the fewest fouls ever committed by one team in an NBA game.
Such clean defense reflected the discipline and attention to detail of these two defensive juggernauts. Stars like Antetokounmpo, Tatum, and Lillard found driving lanes clogged and pulled up more often rather than barreling into traffic.
Late-Season Trends Toward Fewer Whistles
Lower free throw rates also align with late-season officiating trends where fouls get called less frequently. “It was weird, but it seems to be the trend,” Lillard observed. “Fouls are not a part of the game anymore.”
With playoff basketball approaching, officials tend to let more physicality go uncalled. This game proved an extreme example of that philosophy, with Boston and Milwaukee facing playoff-level defensive intensity for all four quarters.
Sources:
www.nba.com/news/celtics-bucks-record-low-free-throws
www.espn.com.sg/nba/story/_/id/39910734/celtics-bucks-combine-record-low-2-free-throw-attempts
