Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo was suspended by the NBA on Saturday for headbutting Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin on Thursday.
The incident occurred with 1:25 remaining in Boston’s 140-99 win when Griffin challenged Antetokounmpo’s layup attempt. Antetokounmpo responded with a headbutt at Griffin, and a brawl involving several players broke out below the basket. Tensions were at an all time high at the end of a blowout game between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
Officials gave Antetokounmpo a flagrant 2 foul, which comes with an automatic ejection. Griffin received a flagrant 1 for his physical defense on the play. Antetokounmpo will serve his one-game suspension on April 2 when the Bucks visit the Philadelphia 76ers. The NBA did not discipline Griffin further.
Antetokounmpo’s ban is unlikely to have an impact on the basketball front, as the Bucks look to maintain control of home field advantage in the postseason. The Bucks hold a 1.5-game lead over the Celtics and a four-game lead over the 76ers for first place in the Eastern Conference, which will likely come with home field advantage during the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets are three games behind for the best record in the West with five games remaining in the regular season.
Antetokounmpo is not a regular part of the Bucks’ rotation. He has averaged 0.8 points and 0.9 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per game playing in 33 of Milwaukee’s 77 games this season.
