Giannis Antetokounmpo was tangled up with Ryan Arcidiacono twice during Monday's 115-101 win over the Chicago Bulls, the Milwaukee Bucks' fourth straight win. Asked if he was surprised the 6-foot-3 Arcidiacono managed to scrap for those jump balls, Antetokounmpo was nonchalant in response:
“No, I wasn't surprised,” he said, according to Phillip Thompson of the Chicago Tribune. “I think he's the only one from the Bulls that's going diving for the balls on the floor.”
Tell us how you really feel.
Antetokounmpo isn't telling any lies, though. The Bulls have struggled to bring the requisite intensity at times, often winding up a millisecond slow in loose-ball situations, which usually ends up in extra possessions for their opponents.
Arcidiacono makes his living as a TJ McConnell-like scrappy player, diving for loose balls, taking charges, wrestling for possession, and knocking down shots when called upon.
The Greek Freak now has 13 straight double-doubles after putting up 33 points and 10 rebounds against the Bulls on Monday. His monstrous line of 30.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game is enough to scare opposing teams, but it seems Antetokounmpo respects Arcidiacono's hustle, even if he is giving up eight inches and a whole lot of wingspan in jump-ball situations.
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