There are certain statistics that you just never expect to see in sports, and the Boston Celtics recorded perhaps one of the most unlikely milestones of all time.
During the team鈥檚 104-91 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to shoot zero free throws in a game.
To make matters even more bizarre, the Bucks only shot two, meaning the two teams set a new record for the fewest total free throws shot during an NBA game.
The Bucks also committed just four fouls all game, the fewest in NBA history.
鈥淢an, Adam Silver鈥檚 the happiest,鈥 Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said, referring to the NBA commissioner, per . 鈥淥ne hour 57 [minutes] game time. My goodness, you can go to a game and still have dinner. Unbelievable.
鈥淚 thought it was a physical game and then they handed me the stat sheet, and I told them: 鈥楴o, I need the full game.鈥
鈥淚 thought it was the halftime stats. I didn鈥檛 look at the minutes and then I said: 鈥榃ow, two free throws for a basketball game. That鈥檚 crazy.鈥欌
Ahead of the 2021-22 season, the NBA made a rule change that stated referees should not award fouls drawn by players using 鈥渙vert, abrupt or abnormal non-basketball moves.鈥
The change was made due to players such as James Harden, Trae Young and Luka Don膷i膰 consistently being able to draw fouls with unusual shooting motions that, at the time, were within the rules.
The previous record low for free throws shot by a team during a game was one, which was held jointly by the Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks, while the lowest combined total was 11 set by Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic in 2019, per ESPN.
鈥淚t was weird, but it seems to be the trend,鈥 Bucks guard Damian Lillard said. 鈥淔ouls are not a part of the game no more.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like, I鈥檝e had times where I thought I was getting fouled and there鈥檚 been other times where I was surprised a foul didn鈥檛 get called on me, where I might bump somebody or get a piece of somebody鈥檚 arm and they don鈥檛 call it, and I鈥檓 like: 鈥楳an, they鈥檙e really just letting us play.鈥
鈥淎nd then, like the other night, I fouled out with like two minutes left in the game. I fouled out twice in our last five games or something like that. I hadn鈥檛 fouled out in I don鈥檛 know how long before this. You鈥檝e just got to roll with however the game is going. Tonight, I hardly remember any whistles.鈥
It was a huge win for a Bucks team that had been on a four-game losing streak and had won just once in its previous seven games.
However, it wasn鈥檛 all good news as star man Giannis Antetokounmpo, who shot the only two free throws of the game, had to be helped off the court with a calf injury.
his level of concern over the injury was 鈥渉igh.鈥
鈥淗e鈥檚 Giannis,鈥 Rivers added. 鈥淚 think everyone probably feels the same way as I do right now. We鈥檙e just going to hope for the best.鈥