In the dying seconds of what was then already an inevitable win against the Chicago Bulls, Giannis Antetokounmpo broke an unspoken NBA rule by hitting a windmill dunk on the fastbreak instead of waiting out the clock.
The Bucks eventually won 112-103, with the Greek Freak putting up 29 points, eight rebounds, and an assist in 25 minutes in his first game back from injury. But as expected, the dunk eventually triggered a scuffle between both teams that the officiating crew had to put a stop to.
That moment was many things, but for anyone paying attention, the message was clear: Giannis was rejecting the idea that the Bucks have earned the right to play nice.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is approaching the rest of the season with a chip on his shoulder
In his post-game availability, Antetokounmpo offered a sober assessment of where the Milwaukee Bucks stand so far this season. It was equal parts a message to the league and a call to action to his own teammates. And the marching orders are clear.
"We're 11th in the East," Antetokounmpo said after the win. "Got to keep finding an identity. And if that's to get a little bit of scrappy at the end, so be it. We're not champs. Why should we play the clock out and have respect and fair play? We're fighting for our lives right now."
It was the farthest thing from the trash talk and showboating that opposing fans accused him of. After everything the Bucks have shown thus far this season, the reality is that Milwaukee doesn't deserve respectability courtesy dunks and running out the clock gracefully. They're clawing for playoff positioning while everyone speculates about trading their franchise player. Unwritten rules are for teams that have something to protect.
That windmill was also Giannis announcing he's finally healthy again. Anyone watching his movements knows he's been dealing with injuries that limited his explosiveness for weeks. And for Bucks fans, the hope is that this moment can galvanize the two-time MVP and his teammates going forward.
"It's something that for 26 days I wasn't able to do," he said. "But not just 26 days because prior to that, I had my groin injury, which was 15 to 17 more days. So, it's probably been a month and a half that I haven't really actually played the way I wanted. And I'm happy taking it day by day. We have another one in two days. Try to stay healthy, try to be available for my team."
It was just one dunk, but the subtext is clear: Giannis was telling his teammates to wake up, telling the league Milwaukee's desperate enough to play dirty, and telling everyone watching that he's healthy and done pretending this situation isn't dire. Here's hoping the Bucks organization got the message.
Unwritten rules are for teams with a margin for error. It's for teams who have to play nice and project an image to maintain reputations. The Bucks don't have that luxury anymore.
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