A shootout between the Bucks and Pacers in Milwaukee on Wednesday night featured several milestones: Giannis Antetokounmpo set a new franchise record with 64 points, Damian Lillard surpassed Kyle Korver for the fifth-most total three-pointers in NBA history, and Pacers rookie Oscar Tshiebwe scored his first career point.
After the final buzzer sounded, fans in Milwaukee were treated to another unique moment: a frantic bid to track down and claim the game ball (Twitter video link).
As Eric Nehm of The Athletic and Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star detail, although there was video showing a Bucks staffer grabbing the game ball at the end of the fourth quarter, Antetokounmpo was certain that the Pacers had taken it with them to their locker room. Following a brief on-court argument, Giannis and a few of his Bucks teammates ran down the tunnel toward Indiana’s locker room in search of the ball.
“It was Oscar Tshiebwe’s first official NBA point,” Carlisle later told reporters. “We always get the game ball. We were not thinking about Giannis’ franchise record. So we grabbed the ball and a couple of minutes later some of their players ended up in our hallway. There was a big, I don’t know what to call it, a fracas, a melee, whatever. I don’t think any punches were landed, but my general manager (Chad Buchanan) got elbowed in the ribs by one of their players. He certainly has a bruised rib and who knows if it’s anything more than that.
“Unfortunate situation. We don’t need the official game ball. There’s two game balls there. We could have taken the other one. It didn’t need to escalate to that. Really just unfortunate.”
After subsequently watching the video that shows a member of the Bucks’ security team taking the game ball from the referee, Carlisle added: “Turns out that their security guy had grabbed the real game ball used in the game initially. They already had it.”
As Carlisle notes, the Pacers did end up with one ball to commemorate Tshiebwe’s night, but they believe they have a reserve ball, rather than the game ball itself. As for Giannis, while he also ended up with a basketball once things calmed down, he’s not convinced it was the one used in the game.
“I have a ball, but I don’t know if it’s the game ball. It doesn’t feel like the game ball to me. It feels like a brand new ball,” Antetokounmpo said. “I can tell, I played, what, 35 minutes today? I know how the game ball felt. The ball that I have, which I will take and I’ll give it to my mom, for sure, but I don’t know if it’s actually the game ball.”
Giannis also said that his original goal was to get the game ball for Lillard rather than for himself.
“Dame is fifth of all-time,” he said. “I scored 60. At the end of the day, the ball they gave us, I offered it to Dame. I scored 60, he’s scored multiple times 60, he’s scored 70. He should have the ball. At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s fair. I understand when you score your first point in the NBA, you want to have the ball or whatever the case may be. But the end of the day, you’re talking about the guy who just jumped over Kyle Korver on the list. I feel like we should all stop what we’re doing and appreciate greatness.”
It’s hard to believe that this incident, which was essentially a misunderstanding over a piece of memorabilia, will become a source of genuine bad blood between the two teams. But the Bucks weren’t happy about their loss to the Pacers in the in-season tournament semifinal, and things got a little chippy in the fourth quarter on Wednesday following a hard foul by Aaron Nesmith on Antetokounmpo (video link).
It’s also worth noting that Antetokounmpo – who broke the team’s single-game scoring mark with 3:25 left in the fourth quarter – remained in the game until the final buzzer, despite the Bucks’ double-digit lead. He sealed the 140-126 victory with a dunk with 26 seconds remaining. Carlisle was asked after the game if he was surprised the Bucks star didn’t check out earlier.
“No point commenting on it,” Carlisle said. “I think it’s pretty obvious what the answer is.”
At the very least, the division rivalry between the Bucks and Pacers is getting more interesting than it has been in years. The two teams will face one another again on January 1 in Milwaukee and Jan. 3 in Indiana.
New rule for next year: play stoppage after every possession, with a 5 minute debate over who gets the “game ball” from previous possession…to auction off at a later date.
Pacers just did absolutely way too much just give Giannis the game ball after breaking history after such a great game I get wanting to get the rookie the game ball cause of his first point but still.
Did they though? Because it sounds like the Pacers didn’t even have the game ball, the Bucks had it the whole time. Sooo it’s more like the Bucks did way too much and acted like a bunch of thugs… *shrug*
First off, you can shove it with your racist terms.
Second, you’re wrong, Indy knew what they were doing, and here’s proof:
link to x.com
I could make the case the other way. giannis did way too much. give the rookie the ballx it’s his first points, you’re giannis you’re an NBA champion, MVP… you need a game ball? let it go. I like giannis but that seems too much
At least I, non-native speaker, learned a new word because of this: fracas.
This is a french word btw
You may have upset some Italian board readers here, as the true origin is from the Italian word fracassare.
Fracas as written IS a french word… Defacto french is a latin language
Fracas is both an English word and a French word
Nothing burger here
If I was the commissioner I would just say home team always gets the ball if they want it. But this type of thing should be addressed with a rule and so that NBA teams are not encouraged to out-annoying each other just to have the ball.
A tempest in a teapot.
Oh my goodness you can have it. So much a big deal over a game ball. Take it. Give me a ring Instead at the end of the season. That’s what matters.
Game ball for “here’s what I…” “This is memorabilia because I…”
The sooner people figure out it’s not about ME, the better.
Soft as baby s*** if y’all are getting dumped on then deal with it. If I’m Gianni’s I’m staying in and scoring more not worried about their egos or whatever. You don’t wanna get showed up ? Play better, don’t cry about it after.
Seems like Pacers put Oscar in as an excuse. The guy is undrafted and likely won’t have a long career. Put him in and get first points while Giannis is having career night and say he would need game ball. I never heard of a rookie getting game ball on first points. You know multiple rookies must have scored on the opening night. They had many draft picks over the year. Giannis did seem too emotional but after the tournament moment, this was a payback game.
That is really surprising that you didn’t know that teams give rookies the game ball for their first points. Same thing is true in baseball for first hit. And in football for first TD – either for the QB or the receiver. It is pretty common in most sports.
Giannis is an MVP and champion and this ball is worth all that? He seems like a great guy, but thats a ridiculous way to act regardless of how chippy the game was. And to still whine about it after bc he doesn’t know if it’s actually the game ball. Give me a break, man.
Really? REALLY???
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!
Yuk!
But, Indy was trash talking from the great whistle and the flop by Tyrese was Oscar worthy to draw a flagrant on Gianni’s. Bucks didn’t do anything but respond to the behavior of Indy players all night, and the refs kept hitting the response with T’s. Thats how you get to the sh@& show at the end. When the Bucks lost to Indiana in the semis, they took umbrage with their own play and gave Indy credit. But the case from Indy tonight. Dame was gracious when Tyrese mocked him, even though he really overstepped. Indy is a bunch of young punks pretending right now, as the real contenders are pacing themselves for the long haul.
Since Indy shocked The Celtics and Bucks, they have been “handled” by the elite players in this league. Let’s see Indy respond before we allow them to trash talk like they’re the champs.
Really a disgusting development. Players need to STFU and play.
Yea just shut up and dribble dammit
Yeah bro you’re in this way too deep.
long lost half siblings?
Bro!
Yep….you said it all.
Who tf is Oscar tshiebwe?
“It’s also worth noting that Antetokounmpo – who broke the team’s single-game scoring mark with 3:25 left in the fourth quarter – remained in the game until the final buzzer, despite the Bucks’ double-digit lead.”
Yea, he checked back in after setting the record because the scrubs made it a 10-point game with 2 minutes left. It’s not some sportsmanship thing.
The Pacers scrubs were kicking the butt of the Bucks scrubs. Robin Lopez and Thanisis Antetokounmpo shouldn’t really have jobs in the NBA
They’re only there because of their more talented brothers being there and making the team sign them too as a package deal.
Suspend Giannis indefinitely. Horrible anger problem
Giannis should be suspended. How long? As a NYK fan, I’d like to see the NBA be thoughtful there and think it over for a week, and then suspend for about a week. Can’t tolerate this behavior.
Gianninis if you’re that good, break your own record and get that ball.
It was a game played with passion by both teams. At the end, just a misunderstanding, move on, until they meet again of course.
I always thought you celebrate your first basket if it is a field goal and not a free throw
Giannis and Dame remind me of one another in the sense that they had an unimpeachable public-facing persona built over a period of years, but more recently sizeable cracks have started to appear. With Dame it was how he handled his trade demand. With Giannis, it was his stunt with the ladders and now this overreaction.
Not saying either is a terrible person or anything like that. More of an observation of how we tend to deify public figures who we really don’t know anything about.