The Pool Report interview was conducted by Jim Owczarski (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) with Crew Chief Mitchell Ervin following tonight’s Sacramento at Milwaukee game.

November 1, 2025

QUESTION: Please clarify why Sacramento player Russell Westbrook was called for a common foul after wrapping Giannis Antetokounmpo up by the shoulder, head and neck as he tried to jump. The play was reviewed for a “player altercation.”
ERVIN: A flagrant foul is a reviewable matter within the player altercation trigger. During that review, there was no windup, impact or follow through by Westbrook and the contact by Westbrook was at shoulder level. Therefore, a common foul was ruled on the play.

QUESTION: What was the altercation?
ERVIN: Player altercation, I could have said a double trigger. I could have said player altercation and flagrant foul review. During a player altercation review we really have an opportunity to review the play and any acts within the scrum at the end, we could review everything and any possible unsportsmanlike act after the foul.

QUESTION: Please clarify why Milwaukee’s Gary Trent Jr. was given a technical foul while he was being fouled by Sacramento’s DeMar DeRozan.
ERVIN: The technical foul on Trent Jr. was assessed for unsportsmanlike flail after the personal foul assessed to DeMar DeRozan.

QUESTION: It appeared before AJ Green shot the last free throw Westbrook grabbed Antetokounmpo, and then both players were inside the 3-point line. Why was no whistle blown or replayed?ERVIN: During that play the officials observed Westbrook and Antetokounmpo engaged at the top of the key simultaneous to the free throw attempt by AJ Green during that action no violation, personal foul or illegal contact was observed on the play.

QUESTION: So that was considered in the flow of game play?
ERVIN: There’s a lot going on during that play but during that action, the officiating crew did not observe that part of the play.