Alex Caruso and Billy Donovan were upset with Grayson Allen over a flagrant foul the Milwaukee Bucks guard committed on Friday night.
Caruso was going towards the basket for a layup/dunk in the third quarter of his Chicago Bulls’ 94-90 loss to the Bucks. As he was up in the air, Allen came flying in and fouled Caruso midair. He swatted at Caruso and sent the Bulls guard to a hard landing on the floor.
Grayson Allen foul on Alex Caruso. Replays included. pic.twitter.com/1ixcve9i0s
— ✶ Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD3_) January 22, 2022
Allen was called for a flagrant-2 foul on the play.
Caruso said after the game that Allen didn’t even help him out after the foul.
Alex Caruso, asked if Grayson Allen came over to check on him after taking him out: “No.”
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) January 22, 2022
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan was upset and said such a move could have ended Allen’s career.
Donovan on Grayson Allen foul: "It was really bad. Really, really bad."
Said it could've ended Caruso's career. And Allen has a history of it. Said he hopes league takes a look at it.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 22, 2022
Here is Billy Donovan’s full answer when asked about Grayson Allen’s flagrant-2 foul on Alex Caruso and ejection.
It should be noted this is very uncharacteristic of Donovan to single out a player like this. pic.twitter.com/70UZFSMi85
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 22, 2022
Caruso said Allen grabbed him and the move was b.s.
“Dude just grabbed me out of the air. Kind of bulls—,” he said (censored for profanity by LBS).
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer defended Allen and said the guard was making a legitimate block attempt on the shot.
#Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said Grayson Allen went to block Alex Caruso's shot and it wasn't malicious.
"I think it's a close call and they went with Flagrant 2 and I'm not going to disagree. It's right on the border and that's the direction they went" https://t.co/Psl93qTwzu— Jim Owczarski (@JimOwczarski) January 22, 2022
Budenholzer probably felt he had to defend his player, but there is nothing to defend about Allen’s actions. This is the latest — and perhaps most frightening — installation of Allen’s dirty plays.
Allen was notorious in college for his dirty plays and even was stripped of his captaincy at Duke. Attempting to undercut his opponents when he is beat is just part of his nature. That makes him not only dirty, but also dangerous on the court.
