In Milwaukee, we would like Giannis Antetokounmpo to be better protected by the referees

First there was this ugly gesture from Joel Embiid. Whereas Giannis Antetokounmpo spun on the counterattack, the 76ers pivot elbowed him in the stomach. The referees sanctioned the respondent with a level I flagrant foul. Then three days later, the Greek was warmly welcomed into the Blazers racket, by the arms of Jerami Grant and Justise Winslow…

For his coach, Mike Budenholzer, this is starting to mean a lot. ” The other night in Philadelphia, he took a big hit, (the referees) did not aggravate the fault (Editor’s note: flagrantly level 2). I believe the league needs to look at the hits that Giannis takes sometimes, the league needs to protect him. It’s not just him, everyone takes those hits. The league must protect the players », ask the technician.

Of “flagrante delicto”

According to him, the contact suffered against the Blazers should not have been sanctioned with a simple fault. “ I don’t see how it’s not a flagrant mistake. I haven’t seen replays of the action since, or at the time, if the room showed it. But when it’s played over the shoulder and you wrap someone up, it doesn’t look like a basketball move but it looks like red-handed “, continues the coach of the Bucks.

The latter calls for more protection when his star is already the player who goes most often, ahead of Luka Doncic, on the free throw line with just under 13 attempts per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is only running at 57.5% on this line, has never spent so much time there since the start of his career.

After this meeting against Portland, the Greek says he does not feel any pain despite these contacts.

“ I took a lot of physical hits, I always fall and get back up. In the end, it’s basketball. I’ve said it several times, I like to play physical. It awakens my sacred fire. Few people like to be touched […] but I like it when it does. It makes me feel like I’m in the game, I’m in it. It’s part of my game, it’s part of basketball “, puts the MVP into perspective, whose physique today, to withstand the shocks, no longer has much to do with that of his arrival in the league.