Giannis Antetokounmpo took offense at Chris Paul’s act during the Milwaukee Bucks-San Antonio Spurs marquee clash.
With four minutes left in regulation, Giannis Antetokounmpo received a pass in the shaded area and tried to power his way to the rim. But Chris Paul, who defended him at the possession, appeared to shove and trip him.
The Milwaukee Bucks superstar crashed to the ground and landed his right hip. He immediately pointed at Paul and was assisted by Gary Trent Jr. in going up.
Antetokounmpo directly confronted Paul and offered some words, but Jeremy Sochan defended the San Antonio Spurs veteran. Khris Middleton and Victor Wembanyama proceeded to pull Sochan away to further stop a possible altercation.
Upon the officials’ review, Paul was given a common foul for his controversial play on Antetokounmpo.
Things didn’t even end yet for both Antetokounmpo and Paul. Right at the post-game of the Spurs’ 144-118 eventual victory over the Bucks, Antetokounmpo stood near midcourt and was seen looking at Paul, spitting words against the former NBA star.
It took time for both to move as Paul waited until he took the mic for a post game interview. Antetokounmpo left afterwards.
“Nothing,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about the play late in the final quarter with Paul. “I think it was a physical play.
“I don’t know. I gotta watch the tape. I don’t know if I was tripped or I was pushed. I don’t know.”
But the Greek sensation didn’t hold back in noting that he won’t tolerate a sequence that will harm him.
“They haven’t tried me,” he said. “You gotta try me. People that know me, they don’t try me. If you try me, it’s a different side.
“Yeah. So, if you try me, you’re gonna get that different side of me. But, yeah, OK, at the end of the day, I think we’re all men, we all respect one another and if words cross the line, then it’s gotta be consequences.
“At the end of the day, I really; I don’t say much. I don’t say much. I try to play the game the right ay. Yeah, but enough is enough.
“If I feel like you’re putting my livelihood and my career and my body in jeopardy, in danger, enough’s enough brother. I have family to feed and what makes you laugh can make can also make you cry sometimes, huh?”
Meanwhile, head coach Doc Rivers was hesitant to address Antetokounmpo’s altercation with Paul.
But knowing Antetokounmpo and his laid-back personality, the Bucks mentor believes that the 30-year-old wouldn’t act like that if there’s something wrong.
“I don’t know yet,” Rivers said of why Antetokounmpo was upset. “Giannis is as level-headed as anybody in our league.
“So if he was upset at something I’m going to probably guess something happened.”
Antetokounmpo finished with 35 points and 15 boards on a losing effort as he and Milwaukee will now head home with an awful 1-3 stretch on the road.
Antetokounmpo and Paul won’t meet again this regular season. But that perhaps might change should the Bucks and the Spurs make it to the NBA Finals later in June.
