“Pacers Own the Bucks”: Shaquille O’Neal Blasts Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Team’s Losing Record Against Indiana Side

Are we seeing a budding rivalry between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers? During the NBA on TNT’s Rivals Week, Shaquille O’Neal, Candace Parker, and Jamal Crawford discussed the league’s biggest rivalries. During the discussion, they talked about whether the rift between the Pacers and the Bucks can be deemed a rivalry just yet.

This question sprang up due to the heated moments exchanged between the two squads in recent times. However, Shaq wasn’t buying the notion of a rivalry between the two. He instead blasted the Milwaukee Bucks for their lukewarm response against the Pacers, who have had their way with them during recent matchups.

“At this point, the Pacers own the Bucks. They own ‘em. Toying with ‘em,” declared Shaq.

The Diesel also pointed out that the Pacers have no regard for the Bucks’ superstar duo of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He added, “They don’t respect the two legends[Dame, Giannis] they have on the Milwaukee side. They do what they want to do.”

Shaq doesn’t consider these two Eastern Conference squads as rivals because the Pacers have bossed Milwaukee in all but one game between them. The closest game between them happened in November when the Pacers won by two points. Then during their second meeting in the In-Season Tournament Semi-Final in December, the Pacers beat the Bucks 128-119.

The only Bucks win came a week after the IST Semi-Final game as they beat the Pacers 140-126 behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 64 points. The Pacers won the last two matchups with Milwaukee by a difference of 12 and 9 points respectively earlier this month. More than the one-sided W-L column, it was the reactions from some of the players that paved this “rivalry” narrative.

Sparks flared between the Bucks and the Pacers

During the Bucks’ win when Giannis Antetokounmpo scooped up 64 points, Pacers star Aaron Nesmith pulled the Forward to the ground which led to a commotion between the teams. Later, Antetokounmpo wanted the game ball for himself after his 64-point performance but the Pacers had already taken it away.

To acquire the game ball, an agitated Antetokounmpo ran down the tunnel at Fiserv Forum and got it eventually. The ball had been given to Pacers rookie Oscar Tshiebwe who had scored his first NBA points in the contest. After the Greek Freak got the ball, he claimed that it wasn’t the game ball but a brand new ball.

These events led to a fracas in the hallway with a lot of elbows being thrown. Meanwhile, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle revealed that the Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan had a bruised rib after a Milwaukee player hit him. Despite this post-game scuffle, it is difficult to call this a rivalry.

Usually, NBA rivalries are cemented through multiple clashes during the playoffs where emotions are at their peak. A look at the standings suggests that the second-seeded Bucks can take on seventh-seeded Pacers. But with half a season remaining, these standings will likely shuffle a lot.

On the other hand, there’s no denying that the Pacers have been an absolute mismatch for the Bucks this year. The Bucks are feeling the absence of their defensive guard Jrue Holiday, whose departure has impacted Milwaukee’s defensive rating significantly. However, as Candace Parker pointed out, Shaq was probably too quick to dismiss the Bucks, considering that he himself has refused to discount the Lakers against the Clippers multiple times due to the latter’s lack of Championship pedigree.