- Giannis Antetokounmpo had a great game on Wednesday night
- But the evening ended chaotically as he tried to get the match ball back
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Giannis Antetokounmpo set a Bucks franchise record with 64 points on Wednesday night, but he was left fuming when the Pacers took the game ball from his historic performance.
It was a big night for the 'Greek Freak' as his huge scoring effort led the Bucks to a 140-126 victory over the Pacers.
But when Antetokounmpo looked for the game ball after the final buzzer, it was nowhere to be found as Indiana had taken it themselves.
The two-time MVP was seen sprinting through the Fiserv Forum tunnel as a Bucks staffer tried to stop the 6-foot-4, 243-pound power forward.
He later took the court again and berated Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton and associate head coach Lloyd Pierce for appearing to demand that they retrieve the ball.
Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated the Pacers on Wednesday with 64 points
But he became enraged after the game when the Pacers grabbed the game ball
Antetokounmpo then berated Pacers assistant Lloyd Pierce and Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton and Pierce were seen beforehand in a (quieter) conversation with Khris Middleton and Damian Lillard.
The game's broadcast later panned to the Bucks' Jae Crowder and another Milwaukee player being separated by a security guard in the Pacers' tunnel, although the situation did not escalate into violence.
Ultimately, like Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported that the Bucks safety was able to get the ball for Antetokounmpo.
However, Antetokounmpo said in his post-match press conference that he was unsure whether he actually had the match ball.
“I have a ball, but I don't know if it's the match ball… it feels like a brand new ball,” he said.
Haynes wrote on X that the Pacers said they planned to give the ball to rookie Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored his first career point in the loss.
The Pacers tweeted after the game: “Oscar Tshiebwe moved to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo as a teenager to pursue his basketball dreams.
Antetokounmpo shot 20 of 28 from the field as he dominated the Pacers on Wednesday
“Tonight he realized his dream of playing in the NBA and scored his first career point.”
Antetokounmpo also had 14 rebounds, along with four steals.
He shot an impressive 32 free throws in the game.
The incident follows the Pacers' 128-119 victory over the Bucks in the semifinals of the regular season tournament.
Indiana would lose to the Lakers in the championship game.