Giannis Antetokounmpo drops Bucks record 64 points, chases after game ball into Pacers’ tunnel

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 64 points against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, and the Pacers did not appear to be happy about the way it went down. 

Trailing by 16, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle started pulling his starters halfway through the fourth quarter, but the Bucks starters stayed in as Giannis was chasing what was previously his career high of 55 points, and also the Bucks franchise record of 57, which was held by Michael Redd. 

Giannis hit 58 points for his career high and the Bucks record and exited the game with 3:24 left in the fourth quarter. At that point, the Bucks were up by 19 points. 

But then the Pacers cut the deficit to 10 and Giannis came back into the game with 2:02 remaining. This is seemingly where the Pacers got upset. Giannis scored six more points over the final two minutes to get to his 64 as the Bucks closed out a 140-126 win, and then, in a bizarre scene, he went furiously chasing into the tunnel toward the Pacers’ locker room. 

What was he going after?

The game ball, it appears, Giannis wanted it for obvious reasons, and the Pacers had it. According to Chris Haynes, the Pacers claim they wanted to ball for their rookie, Oscar Tshiebwe, who had scored his first NBA point in the game. 

If you’re buying Indiana’s story about wanting the ball for their rookie, I’ve got a few other things to sell you. Giannis scored 64 points. A career and franchise record. That’s his ball. The Pacers knew that, and they just didn’t like how it went down. 

I’m cackling at the childishness of this. This league and its drama, man. You can’t make it up. These grown men straight up stole Giannis’ basketball and then came up with the most ridiculous excuse in the book. It is schoolyard stuff. 

Besides that, if you’re here for Giannis’ actual basketball highlights, here you go.

As for the case of the missing ball, it appears that Bucks security was able to recover it for Giannis. 

Man, is that ever a sigh of relief.