PG Pacers - Giannis Giannis Giannis!

[Profound23]

Tbf to JJ on that one, he did mention not too long after that he felt bad about that comment, and that he'd clearly take Giannis #1. And that he had to include Embiid and KD in the top 3 because they were doing podcasts with both at the time, and when Embiid challenged him to specify the 3rd guy he was caught off guard and just threw out a name (Jokic).

I don't care.

He will always be a villain to me for coming to Milwaukee and just quitting from day 1. UNLESS he came here and coached us to a championship then he is dead to me, dead.

[Siefer]

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised since sports journalism is barely hanging on these days, but I still find it wild how off the narrative around the game ball incident is. Giannis should have never run towards the Pacers locker room regardless, but the total disregard for the Pacers inciting behavior and Carlisle's nonsense being accepted as the fact of the matter is all deeply obnoxious.

[Neuromancer56]

I don't know why people think the Pacers can't defend the ball. They did a good job of it in their locker room.

[emunney]

I don't know why people think the Pacers can't defend the ball. They did a good job of it in their locker room.

Have ya seen this? Have ya heard about this?

[WiscoKing13]

The same Bucks security dude that handed the ball to Indiana , was the same that was holding Giannis back .... He should get fired imo ... Could there be money involved "stealing" that collectible ball? I don't trust this security AT ALL ... get him out of my team... He clearly went after the ball and handed it to Indy seconds later... call INDY to hire him there...

OK , maybe not fire him cause he probably feeds his family ... but for sure remove him from his current court side job... let him check the tickets at the gates or something

He definitely hands it to a Bucks staffer you then walks toward our tunnel.

Sent from my SM-G991U using RealGM mobile app

[JayMKE]

If the Pacers weren't guilty as hell then Giannis would probably face more consequences for "bruising" the ribs of Pacers GM, no instead the first thing they do is go find whatever rock James Johnson has been under LOL.

[Brewhoopfan]

If the Pacers weren't guilty as hell then Giannis would probably face more consequences for "bruising" the ribs of Pacers GM, no instead the first thing they do is go find whatever rock James Johnson has been under LOL.

Hard to prove since this is all Giannis did to bruise those ribs.

[Siefer]

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised since sports journalism is barely hanging on these days, but I still find it wild how off the narrative around the game ball incident is. Giannis should have never run towards the Pacers locker room regardless, but the total disregard for the Pacers inciting behavior and Carlisle's nonsense being accepted as the fact of the matter is all deeply obnoxious.

Props to the Mismatch guys for being pretty on the ball about this whole thing.

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

[Neuromancer56]

If the Pacers weren't guilty as hell then Giannis would probably face more consequences for "bruising" the ribs of Pacers GM, no instead the first thing they do is go find whatever rock James Johnson has been under LOL.

Hard to prove since this is all Giannis did to bruise those ribs.

Don't forget about all the bruised egos in the Pacer's locker room.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

As much fun as we think the Pacers sign Johnson because of this, my guess is he will be cut or not dressed once Jalen Smith returns.

[paulpressey25]

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised since sports journalism is barely hanging on these days, but I still find it wild how off the narrative around the game ball incident is. Giannis should have never run towards the Pacers locker room regardless, but the total disregard for the Pacers inciting behavior and Carlisle's nonsense being accepted as the fact of the matter is all deeply obnoxious.

You need to listen to the KOC and Verno pod. It’s great. Verno lights up the Pacers over claiming they needed the game ball.

[fan230]

Am afraid that the Pacers got James Johnson so that he could hurt Giannis. Ag and Ga need to be very smart and careful in the two games against the Pacers.

[MiltownHawkeye]

Am afraid that the Pacers got James Johnson so that he could hurt Giannis. Ag and Ga need to be very smart and careful in the two games against the Pacers.

Giannis isn't James Johnson's wife so I'm not too worried.

Also I think it's telling that pretty much every player/former player that has weighed in has sided against the Pacers on ballgate.

[Siefer]

I think the conversation around ballgate (ugh) is pretty illustrative of how weak traditional media has become with regards to providing the framework for understanding a story. I wonder if I need to start considering podcasts more of an old media type? Wild.

But, yeah, the more traditional commentators (journalists, former players, etc) are pretty uniformly calling out the Pacers for being petty instigators, and saying Carlisle was lying through his teeth. It doesn't matter. Social media and influencer-driven spaces are all about Giannis being a lunatic idiot. If you look at Reddit, they've accepted Carlisle's fantasy story as canon.

[paulpressey25]

I think the conversation around ballgate (ugh) is pretty illustrative of how weak traditional media has become with regards to providing the framework for understanding a story. I wonder if I need to start considering podcasts more of an old media type? Wild.

But, yeah, the more traditional commentators (journalists, former players, etc) are pretty uniformly calling out the Pacers for being petty instigators, and saying Carlisle was lying through his teeth. It doesn't matter. Social media and influencer-driven spaces are all about Giannis being a lunatic idiot. If you look at Reddit, they've accepted Carlisle's fantasy story as canon.

Social media. Ben Thompson did a good pod on it last week. Sort of a pack mentality has been created and people go contrarian at times just to be contrarian. Nuanced discussions don’t exist anymore.

That said, NBA media wants new stars. Giannis is awesome, but his story is now five years old. He needs to force the narrative back on his side with another title.

[bango_the_buck]

Watch on YouTube

Just saw this. It's pretty great. Austin Rivers is actually hilarious.

[DingleJerry]

A little glossed over in that the Bucks did take their guys out with 5ish mins left or whatever it was. It wasn't pure petty from the Bucks, got the record then took everyone one. Pacers don't quit though and make it a game and have to bring them back in