A storm of reactions to Antetokounmpo’s dismissal in Bucks win (video)

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was ejected from a 118-120 win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday for two “unsportsmanlike fouls,” before the “Greek Maniac” gave some fans a unique experience.

During the third period at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo drove aggressively past Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, staring down the opposing center before returning to defense.

However, the referees deemed the brief burst of emotion was enough to call the two-time MVP for his second technical foul of the night, resulting in his ejection from the game. He received his first technical foul in the first half for cursing at the referees.

Surprised by the decision, Antetokounmpo sat courtside in a fan’s seat before his teammates led him off the court and back to the locker room.

“After the dunk, Giannis turned to his opponent and taunted him and it was called a technical foul for taunting, lack of fitness,” crew chief Rodney Mott explained to Pool Report after the game. “And he was ejected from the game, according to the regulations, because for two unsportsmanlike technical fouls, you are ejected from the game.”

The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) official rulebook states: “If a player publicly taunts his opponent, a technical foul will be called.

“If a prior unsportsmanlike act has been committed and this situation is evident, a technical foul must be assessed and the guilty player or players must be sent off.”

However, it can be difficult for referees to gauge what does or does not constitute mockery in the context of a match and make quick decisions, not least because the definition of “outrageous” is decidedly subjective and what constitutes a mockery foul is a gray area. It tends to change from one match to another.

However, the controversial nature of Antetokounmpo’s suspension has sparked controversy.

Star point guard Damian Lillard, who Milwaukee acquired in the offseason from the Portland Trail Blazers, called it a “bad decision,” while first-year coach Adrian Griffin said he was “surprised” by the decision.

The suspension also made headlines given the NBA’s recent commitment to making sure star players are on the court as much as possible.

In September, the NBA Board of Governors approved a new player engagement policy in an effort to reduce so-called “load management” — the practice of resting star players during the regular season.

It was a “changing approach to reinforcing the concept that we are an 82-game league,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said at the time.

This, combined with the argument that fans pay to see the best players on the field and want to see emotion and excitement during games, led to criticism of referees on social media for sending off Antetokounmpo for a short, as it turned out, violation. .

Despite the loss of the Greek Freak, the Bucks managed to escape with the victory, led by Lillard with 34 points.

Before his suspension, Antetokounmpo contributed 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

Source: CNN
Translated by: Spyros Ambelakis