It’s hard to believe that the play that got Giannis Antetokounmpo ejected was deserving of a technical foul, let alone the second one.
Antetokounmpo had already received one technical when, three minutes into the second half, he put the Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart in a poster with a powerful dunk in transition. After the play, he flexed and gave Stewart a brief stare, only to be given a second technical by referee Scott Twardoski as he was running back on defense.
That call was highly questionable.
Whether it’s an international superstar or a benchwarmer in garbage time, that play did not warrant a technical foul, let alone one that led to an ejection.
Basketball should be played with emotion and passion at the highest level — that’s what fans want to see. If anything, the game needs more of that intensity, not less. Are we going to start giving technical fouls to players like Russell Westbrook for his “rock the baby” celebration, or to Stephen Curry for his “night night” gesture after a big shot? What about every player who does the “too small” gesture?
The Bucks managed to hold off a resilient Pistons team, winning 120-118 with 34 points from Damian Lillard, while Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 33 points.
