Giannis Antetokounmpo exchanged heated words with members of the Indiana staff and raced toward the Pacers' locker room Wednesday night as both teams squared off in a hallway in a dispute over the game ball following the Milwaukee Bucks star's franchise-record 64-point performance.
After Milwaukee's 140-126 victory, Antetokounmpo had an animated discussion with Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton and other Pacers before rushing from the court toward the Indiana locker room, seemingly in search of the game ball.
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said after the game that the Pacers took the ball for Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored his first official NBA point in the game.
That led to a confrontation between members of the teams in the arena hallway. Carlisle said several Bucks players, including Antetokounmpo, came into the Pacers' tunnel looking for the ball and that a scuffle ensued. He said Pacers GM Chad Buchanan was elbowed in the ribs by one of the Bucks players.
Antetokounmpo was tackled by Aaron Nesmith on a play underneath with 10:10 remaining, setting off a brief heated exchange involving several players. Nesmith was called for a flagrant-1, and Nesmith and the Bucks’ Bobby Portis were assessed technical fouls.
Nesmith appeared to get caught up in a combination of frustration and awkward body positioning in Wednesday's fourth quarter. Antetokounmpo got him up in the air on a ball fake, Nesmith came down on Antetokounmpo's head, had his arms wrapped around his shoulders and brought him to the ground. He was trying to help Antetokounmpo up when some Bucks players -- particularly forward Bobby Portis -- took offense. That caused a ruckus and the and several players had to be separated from each other. Nesmith was called for a Flagrant 1 and a technical foul and Portis was called for a technical. Portis later got in a disagreement with forward Obi Toppin and he got a technical for that, causing his ejection. Things eventually calmed down once the Bucks put the game away.
There seemed to be an altercation after the game, however. At one point several of the Bucks ran off the floor in the direction of the Pacers locker room. Antetokounmpo came back on the floor and had a heated discussion with Haliburton and Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce.
Read more
Champions League: Newcastle vs. AC Milan Champions League: Royal Antwerp vs Barcelona 3-2
Sarah H
Also on site :
- RFU open to hosting Chelsea at Twickenham if Stamford Bridge redevelopment goes ahead
- Fastest IPL Century: Vaibhav Suryavanshi fastest Indian to 100, trails only Chris Gayle
- Man, 36, ‘slowly gassed to death’ after car filled with deadly poison – as heartbroken sister fights for change in law