NBA Says Giannis Antetokounmpo Was Out of Bounds on Controversial Game-Winner

After Russell Westbrook hit a deep three to tie the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo dunked on Westbrook to win the game for the Bucks.

The NBA acknowledged Saturday in its Last Two Minute Report that the Bucks' Giannas Antetokounmpo stepped out of bounds on his game-winning dunk over Russell Westbrook on Friday.

It marked the original decision as an "incorrect non-call"

The Bucks led the Thunder by as many as 22 in Oklahoma City, but Westbrook led a furious charge to keep OKC in the game. The Thunder were down five with less than 20 seconds remaining when Westbrook got a dunk to cut it to three before Eric Bledsoe went to the line with a chance to seal the game. Bledsoe missed a pair of free throws and Westbrook hit the game-tying three with just less than five seconds remaining.

On the next play, the Bucks inbounded to Antetokounmpo who had the ball on the right baseline. Antetokounmpo drove past Josh Huestis of the Thunder, but as he stepped, it appeared that Antetokounmpo's left foot slid out of bounds right in front of an official. Antetokounmpo was not called out of bounds though, and he proceeded to finish the play with a dunk on Westbrook with about a second remaining in the game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo with the drive for the game-winning score! pic.twitter.com/M4HE9ztTDJ

— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) December 30, 2017

Giannis Antetokounmpo appears to step out of bounds on the game-winning play.

Refs did not review this. pic.twitter.com/8vZHnzfVg3

— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) December 30, 2017

There was a quick stop in play to reset the clock, but because Antetokounmpo was not called out of bounds and the play did not involve another player possibly causing the ball to go out of bounds, the play could not be reviewed. According to the NBA's guidelines on replays, "Referees can only initiate a review on a called out-of-bounds play (for example, not one where an out-of-bounds might have occurred) and only those involving doubt as to which player caused the ball to go out (not those, for example, where a player stepped on the line)."

The following is a transcript of the pool reporter interview following the Bucks/Thunder game with NBA Crew Chief Derrick Stafford by Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman: pic.twitter.com/9mVzRouqz0

— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) December 30, 2017

A Westbrook heave as time expired fell short and the Bucks picked up a 97-95 win.

After the game, Paul George, who sat out with a sore left knee, expressed his displeasure with the no-call on Twitter.

With the win, the Buck moved to 19-15 on the season and the Thunder dropped to 20-16.