Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a career-high and franchise record 64 points on the Pacers Wednesday, but the night ended with the Bucks star having some serious difficulty getting the game ball as a keepsake.
The broadcast caught video of Antetokounmpo seeming to walk off the court, but he instead sprinted toward the Pacers locker room. Security was not able to catch him before he advanced down the tunnel. Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported that Antetokounmpo had trouble getting the game ball from the Pacers, but he still wasn’t able to retrieve the ball by going to the locker room.
Antetokounmpo came back onto the court without the game ball, then went up to Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton and other members of the team and began shouting. It’s unclear what exactly the Bucks star was saying, but his frustration was noticeable.
The Pacers took the game ball after Giannis' 64-point career-high
Giannis attempted to retrieve the ball
(via @ChrisBHaynes)
pic.twitter.com/bFQLGmbuvv https://t.co/4rtkDzcNJD
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 14, 2023
Haynes additionally reported that a Pacers coach told Bucks players that Indiana kept the game ball because rookie Oscar Tshiebwe scored his first career point on Wednesday night with a made free throw.
The Bucks’ security team was eventually able to get the ball for Antetokounmpo, sources told Haynes.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle explained in detail what he saw happening after the game, a situation he repeatedly called “unfortunate.” He noted that there were two game balls, so it didn’t need to “escalate to that.”
“There was a misunderstanding about the game ball,” Carlisle said. “It was Oscar Tshiebwe’s first official NBA point, so we always get the game ball. We were not thinking about Giannis’s franchise record, so we grabbed the ball. A couple minutes later, several of their players ended up in our hallway. There was a big, I don’t know what to call it, a fracas. I don’t think any punches were landed, but my general manager [Chad Buchanan] got elbowed in the ribs by one of their players.”
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle spoke on what happened following Pacers-Bucks: pic.twitter.com/eILJiSVxr4
— ESPN (@espn) December 14, 2023