Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen will not be getting any hugs or high-fives from the opposition on Friday night.
Speaking before his team’s game against the Bucks, Chicago Bulls center Tristan Thompson was asked about Allen’s dirty play during the last Bucks-Bulls matchup and responded with a warning for the former Duke star.
“S–t, take one of my dogs out like that, we’re gonna have issues,” said Thompson, per Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. “You gotta set the tone. That’s what Bulls basketball is about, setting the tone. What he did affected one of our guys, and I don’t think anyone should forget about that.
“I think guys have [it] in the back of their head,” Thompson added about the previous history with Allen. “And if guys wanna play chippy, let’s play chippy. I like it. I like a little blood and sweat, so I enjoy it.”
The dirty play in question here occurred the last time that Milwaukee and Chicago met on Jan. 21. Allen put Bulls guard Alex Caruso on the deck with a flagrant 2 foul (video here), and Caruso suffered a fractured shooting wrist on the play. The NBA suspended Allen one game for the foul, but Caruso still has not played since the incident.
Thompson was not yet on the Bulls at the time of the incident, having signed with them on Feb. 19. But Allen is not exactly a popular player, making it all the easier for Thompson to adopt his new team’s war as his own war too.
Photo: Oct 23, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen (7) warms up before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
