'Got to teach my guys to flop a little more': Celtics coach Ime Udoka blasts refs after Game 3 loss

Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka ripped officials after Saturday night's Game 3 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

The Celtics were thwarted late in the game, losing 103-101 after they erased a 13-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter — and even held a lead in the final period — before a wild final sequence cost them the game.

The physicality of Bucks star player Giannis Antetokounmpo was difficult for Boston to defend Saturday, as he racked up 42 points, including the go-ahead layup with 44.3 seconds left. Antetokounmpo was aggressive and pushed the ball into Boston's paint, often initiating contact with Celtics defenders. Udoka bemoaned, however, that many of those plays did not result in offensive fouls.

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"Their explanation is if they don’t fall down, they don’t call it," Udoka said of what officials told him. "I got to teach my guys to flop a little more."

That wasn't the only issue Udoka had with officiating.

After Antetokounmpo gave Milwaukee a 101-100 lead, Boston missed a shot and then the Bucks responded with a Jrue Holiday jumper that gave the Bucks a three-point edge with 11.2 seconds left in the game.

Then, Boston guard Marcus Smart was fouled by Holiday just as Smart had set his feet and was appearing to sweep up in motion for a three-point shot. Officials determined that the foul was on the floor and before the shot, giving Smart two free-throw attempts because the Celtics were in the bonus.

Smart made the first attempt to cut the deficit to two points and then intentionally missed the second. A wild sequence followed when Smart received his own rebound and attempted a putback that landed short. Eventually, Boston forward Al Horford tipped in what would've been the game-tying basket, but it came after the buzzer, resulting in the Celtics loss.

"It was a foul," Udoka said of the call on Smart. "He caught the ball, he was turning into a shot with both feet set. You can’t say that's a sweep like that when you’re going into a shot. Poor call. Poor no-call.

"You can clearly see it in person and I saw it on the film just now. He’s curling into a shot and getting fouled on the way up. It's a shot. Bad missed call."

Game 4 of the series will be Monday night, with Milwaukee holding a 2-1 lead.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Celtics coach Ime Udoka blasts refs after NBA playoffs loss to Bucks