The Celtics’ Kevin Garnett and the Bucks’ Andrew Bogut tangle during Saturday night’s game in Milwaukee.

AP / Darren Hauck

BOSTON — Kevin Garnett served a one-game suspension last night, the result of a questionable incident that took place during Saturday night’s game in Milwaukee against the Bucks.

Garnett got tangled up beneath the basket with Milwaukee forward Andrew Bogut in the fourth quarter of Boston’s overtime victory.

Bogut hit Garnett twice in the head with his elbow, and from one replay angle, it appeared that Garnett threw his arms up and out toward Bogut in self defense. The replay showed that Garnett wasn’t even looking at Bogut when he threw his arms up in the air.

Garnett’s left hand shot out in Bogut’s direction and appeared to connect with Bogut’s jaw. NBA officials ruled that it was a punch.

Boston coach Doc Rivers disagrees.

“I was just surprised,” Rivers said of the ruling. “I thought it was a ridiculous suspension. I really did. Anybody who has been around the game long enough, whether you played it or not, knows that if you have your head turned sideways and someone strikes you, not once, but twice, your reaction, it’s almost a reflex to flail, and I guess that constitutes a punch. Clearly he’s not a good fighter if that’s a punch, but it is what it is and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Rivers and the rest of the Celtics wish there was an process to appeal suspensions handed down by the league, but there isn’t.

“I just want more consistency from our league,” Rivers said. “I think they have to look at things differently. I just looked at the [Shaquille O’Neal] thing and I hate to call out Shaq, but that was a hard foul where a guy is suspended in the air and he comes down on his face and he gets fined [$25,000] and Kevin gets [$200,000, his per-game salary] and misses a game.”

Rivers was referring to O’Neal’s flagrant foul on Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey over the weekend.

Boston’s players agreed with Rivers assessment of the ruling that kept Garnett out of last night’s game.

“I wouldn’t have suspended him for that, but it’s the league and it’s their rules, so whatever they decide, we’ve got to roll with,” Boston forward Leon Powe said.

Powe said that Garnett has taught him that the best way to get back at an opponent is to play better than him on both ends of the court.

Garnett was not at the arena, and according to Rivers, was not allowed to even buy a ticket because of the suspension.

roblee@projo.com