Giannis Antetokounmpo gets heated with Pacers for taking his historic game ball
The Indiana Pacers apparently pulled an old schoolyard move on Giannis Antetokounmpo after Wednesday’s game.
The Milwaukee Bucks star Antetokounmpo had a game for the history books against the Pacers, erupting for 64 points to lead his team to a 140-126 win. On top of it being Antetokounmpo’s career-high in points scored, it marked a Bucks franchise record (breaking Michael Redd’s tally of 57 in 2006) and the most points scored by any NBA player so far this season.
WHAT A NIGHT FOR GIANNIS.
64 PTS IS A NEW CAREER-HIGH AND FRANCHISE RECORD 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Z7kO8tausf
— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2023
Antetokounmpo’s magical evening unfortunately ended on a sour note though as he got into a disagreement with the Pacers after the final whistle. The two-time NBA MVP understandably wanted to keep the game ball to commemorate his incredible outing. But according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports, the Pacers took the game ball away.
Antetokounmpo was seen on the local broadcast angrily charging out of the Milwaukee locker room and confronting several members of the Pacers, including star guard Tyrese Haliburton and assistant coach Lloyd Pierce. Antetokounmpo would end up returning to the locker room with no ball visible in his grasp.
Here is the video of the postgame confrontation.
Giannis and Haliburton had heated exchange following Bucks-Pacers 😳
It involved Pacers taking game ball away after Giannis' 64-point game pic.twitter.com/zsSGraLQVi
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 14, 2023
Haynes later reported that the initial explanation given by a Pacers player was that they wanted to keep the game ball because of something else that happened during the contest — Indiana rookie Oscar Tshiebwe scored his first career point in the fourth quarter. Ultimately though, Bucks security was eventually able to retrieve the ball for Antetokounmpo, Haynes adds.
Wednesday’s game was overall an extremely chippy affair. Haliburton got knocked over by Antetokounmpo in the first half, triggering a review for a flagrant foul. Then in the fourth quarter, Antetokounmpo was hit with a hard foul by Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith, leading to pushing and shoving between both teams.
Tyrese Haliburton was knocked to the floor by Giannis Antetokounnpo 😳
The play is currently under review for a Flagrant foul.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 14, 2023
Giannis Anteokounmpo got wrapped up hard by Aaron Nesmith.
Peep Thanasis on the sideline 👀pic.twitter.com/YZz2D32E5v
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 14, 2023
The Pacers pulled most of their starters around the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter amid a 16-point Bucks lead. But the Bucks kept their guys, including Antetokounmpo, in until the very end of the game, which likely increased the tensions further.
This may be the first-ever case of taking your ball and leaving in the NBA. But Antetokounmpo is no stranger to bizarre postgame dust-ups, especially after Laddergate in Philadelphia last season.
