“This is about the dumbest s**t I’ve seen in basketball!” Stephen A. Smith questions league’s ethics after Al Horford’s soft technical foul against Giannis Antetokounmpo

Stephen A. Smith is one of the most honest and straightforward analysts around the league. As he says what he wants to as per what he feels is right and is not afraid of any controversies. Recently, Stephen A. Smith made it to the headlines as he criticized the league: National Basketball Association, for soft officiating the Game 4 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics in the eastern conference semi-finals. As a technical foul was called on Al Horford as he elbowed Giannis Antetokounmpo on his way down after a poster. Both the players were going against each other since the start of the game and even Giannis Antetokounmpo got himself a technical foul earlier for trash-talking Al Horford after finishing a dunk on him. The series is so far the most interesting and physically contested one throughout the postseason but is also the most controversial in terms of the officiating system.

The Milwaukee Bucks hosted the Boston Celtics for Game 4 at Fiserv Forum. The game was an important one for both the teams and was closely contested and head to head with the Bucks being the favored one to win. But the comeback by Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter changed it all as they registered a win got the job done and have the series tied at 2-2. All because of Al Horford being the perfect role player and backing up the heated star Jayson Tatum in the close run with a new career-high playoffs performance. The final box score stands at 108-116 favoring the Boston Celtics. The Bucks had a horrible night shooting the ball from downtown while Giannis Antetokounmpo took care of the defensive end and tried to run the offensive one too but unfortunately ended up on the losing end. Many are criticizing the officials and probably Stephen A. Smith is their leader as he attacked the league for soft officiating a play between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Al Horford during important minutes.

With nine minutes and fifty-one seconds remaining for the fourth quarter and the game to end Al Horford gifted Giannis Antetokounmpo with a poster as he drived past him from the three-point line and finished up with a dunk. He also elbowed Giannis Antetokounmpo on his way down and got a technical for that after the officials reviewed it but it was a very late call. Many also find it unnecessary and senseless and so does Stephen A. Smith as he thinks that the play was inadvertent. He also showed his disappointment on Twitter with a tweet.

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Stephen A. Smith on the technical foul being called on Al Horford for elbowing Giannis Antetokounmpo

Stephen A. Smith was disappointed with the calls and officiating the officials came up with during the game like every other fan. But the call on Al Horford for a closely contested play with Giannis Antetokounmpo which got the big man a technical foul made the analyst criticize the league as he tweeted out his views on the call via a tweet from his personal Twitter handle and quoted: “This is about the dumbest S&@$ I’ve seen in basketball. So Al Horford drives in for a dunk on @Giannis_An34 and comes down with his left arm accidentally on @Giannis_An34 face, and THAT’S a technical foul? What the hell has happened to the NBA? That’s as inadvertent as it gets!”

The tweet from Stephen A. Smith has the internet divided as fans are going against each other while discussing the call since many believe the call is worth it and an intentional play while many don’t. Many also agree with the soft-officiating the league is suffering from as they like more of spiced-up physical actions and plays like the 90s. Find some of many such reactions posted by fans on social media platforms here below:

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