"Where's your game ball Giannis": NBA fans taunt Milwaukee Bucks as they blow 15-point lead in loss to Pacers 

NBA fans taunt Milwaukee Bucks as they blow 15-point lead in loss to Pacers
NBA fans taunt Milwaukee Bucks as they blow 15-point lead in loss to Pacers

On Monday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks suffered a fourth-quarter meltdown against budding rivals Indiana Pacers. The Bucks lost despite a 15-point advantage in the first quarter. However, their disconnect on defense proved to be their Achilles again, as the Pacers were able to trim that advantage before the second quarter.

The Bucks' woes worsened as they dropped off offensively, too. They got outscored in each of the last three frames by a 16-point margin. While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton continued their fine stretch, Damian Lillard was a big letdown. The "Greek Freak" had 30 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists and two blocks on 55.0% shooting, while Middleton finished with 21 points and six assists on 9-of-13 shots.

On the other hand, Lillard had one of his worst games in a Bucks jersey as he tallied only 13 points while shooting a dismal 3-of-15, including 1-of-9 from 3.

The two teams' history, stemming from the controversial end to their Dec. 13 clash at Fiserv Forum, resurfaced after this game.

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Antetokounmpo scored a career-high and franchise-record 64 points that night, while Pacers' rookie Oscar Tshiebwe had his first career points. The former sought the game ball, which the Pacers reserved for the latter, which transpired one of the biggest altercations of the season.

The game-ball memes erupted after the Bucks' loss on Monday as one fan wrote on X:

"Where's your game ball Giannis?"

More reactions followed on X:


Giannis Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks still have glaring holes to fill

The Milwaukee Bucks' success over the last few years has been due to their balance as a two-way team. However, since Damian Lillard's blockbuster addition, they have become one-dimensional. While teams have no answers for their impeccable offense, the defense continues to be just as bad and easy to exploit.

The Bucks lacked the point-of-attack presence on defense provided by the departed Jrue Holiday. Malik Beasley's got size on the perimeter, but his movement isn't up to the mark. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard lacks size, alertness and physicality, making him the weak link.

The Bucks haven't done much to hide him on defense, which has cost them plenty. They concede 118.9 points per game, the seventh most in the NBA. 24-9 Milwaukee might ride out the regular season behind their offense, but that may not get them to their goal in the playoffs when the defense needs to tighten up.

It will be intriguing to see if they make any movements as the trade deadline nears and pursue a defensive-minded wing.

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Edited by Arhaan Raje
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