Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer came to the defense of Giannis Antetokounmpo after the two-time MVP was on the receiving end of another hard foul during Monday's 119-111 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
"I just think sometimes the hits that Giannis is taking, the league needs to look at them. The league needs to protect him," Budenholzer told reporters postgame, per HoopsHype. "And it's not just him. If anybody takes those hits, the league needs to protect players."
During a late third-quarter sequence, Antetokounmpo was hit by Blazers forward Jerami Grant in the neck area as he drove to the basket. The Greek Freak's neck was then held by Portland forward Justise Winslow as he fell to the floor. A common foul was assessed despite further review from the officials.
It really is a mystery why Giannis shoots so many free throws pic.twitter.com/jdqGaiiBFd
— Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion) November 22, 2022
A similar situation unfolded in the Bucks' previous contest against the Philadelphia 76ers when Joel Embiid was given a flagrant-1 foul for throwing an elbow into Antetokounmpo's chest.
Joel Embiid has been assessed a flagrant 1 for this hit on Giannis. 👀 pic.twitter.com/TLTdUZU1NT
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 19, 2022
While Budenholzer criticized the referees in both incidents, Antetokounmpo says the hard contact is just the nature of the game.
"Lately, I've been taking a lot of hard hits, but I always fall down and get up. At the end of the day, it's basketball," Antetokounmpo said, according to Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I've said it multiple times, I enjoy physicality, I enjoy putting my body on the line ... it puts a fire under my belly. It wakes me up. I don't know. Not a lot of people enjoy getting hit."
