Response to Giannis’ Bully Ball

[Docmattic]

What’s the solution? I think the guys should perform over-the-top flop theatrics/act injured each and every time Giannis commits an obvious charge. It may be the only way to get those offensive fouls called.

These guys are playing bully ball and we need to respond. Is it too dirty to put Kornet in and have him throw the hardest elbow possible to Giannis’ chin? JK, of course…

How do we respond to this physicality/bully ball?

I’d use the deep bench to provoke double techs. One in to start some shoving with Giannis - double tech, send another player in to do it again later. By bye star player. I’ve always thought this would be a good tactic to get rid of Embiid

[GreenlyGreeny]

What’s the solution? I think the guys should perform over-the-top flop theatrics/act injured each and every time Giannis commits an obvious charge. It may be the only way to get those offensive fouls called.

These guys are playing bully ball and we need to respond. Is it too dirty to put Kornet in and have him throw the hardest elbow possible to Giannis’ chin? JK, of course…

How do we respond to this physicality/bully ball?

I’d use the deep bench to provoke double techs. One in to start some shoving with Giannis - double tech, send another player in to do it again later. By bye star player. I’ve always thought this would be a good tactic to get rid of Embiid

What makes Giannis lose his cool? Not getting away with murder on those charges. We need to consult with John Stockton on how to get all our guys to master the art of the flop anytime Giannis charges. Make it look like Giannis is going to cause concussions. Before the end of the half, do what is being suggested above. Find a way to get Giannis and one of our bench players in a double technical situation. Then in the third after Giannis charges Tatum, Tatum should flop like a fish and get up yelling and screaming about concussions in his nice guy face while holding his head like he has a concussion, in hopes of generating another double technical that ejects Giannis.

We need to win a game in Milwaukee, so I would not have the team above doing the above if Giannis continued to be allowed to charge without worry of a foul. Whatever it takes without seriously hurting anybody…

When you really think about it, it’s only right to bring to light the dangers of refs allowing Giannis to charge like the rules do not apply to him. Dude could cause some serious head injuries with this style of play.

I don’t give a crap about his global popularity. The rules are the rules. Dude should have fouled out in no time in this game with all those charges. His whole offensive game revolves around it with Lopez bullying off ball to mop up any rebounds from Giannis’ inelegant misses.

So darn frustrated.

[Birdman]

If Bucks can get away with this, they should continue to do so..it works

[GreenEnvy]

Bucks have gotten away with playing like the old Bad Boys Pistons with the physicality and fouling such that the refs just swallow the whistles. 

Don't see that changing short of a Mchale-on-Rambis-type-clothesline on one of Giannis' drives to the hoop.  player would likely be tossed for the series but it'd make a point

i was most disappointed by the lack of response to giannis’ takedown of tatum. someone on this team should have sent a message to giannis and the entire bucks team via a hard foul.

despite the refs turning a blind eye, the bucks need to know they will pay for overly physical and dirty play. i was disappointed marcus or grant didn’t take an opportunity to send a strong, physical message, especially in response to the tatum foul, which could have seriously injured tatum. from what i’ve read about ime, i’m surprised he didn’t call for it during a TO.

I didn't think that giannis foul was that bad, but the elbow Rob took warranted an ejection.

How the baseline ref missed that right in front of his face is beyond me. What else could he possibly have been looking at to miss that? Did he not hear the contact?

[LilRip]

Tatum had several push offs himself a few elbows thrown to create space which were not called

I expect a tight officiated game 4 which should help Boston

I don’t think this is true. Guys like Horford and Grant need to be able to be physical to hold their ground. Once refs start calling everything (or calling it tight), we’re at a disadvantage because Giannis initiates so much contact.

C’s though need to start playing more like Giannis. This means JT and JB need to push off even more!! Use those off-arms boys!

[seancally]

Just gotta take one game in Milwaukee.

[ScoobyDoo]

We can’t let Giannis keep running us over. The reason GWill is good on him is because he holds his ground and takes the hit he “Knows” is coming.

Everyone needs to play that way. As a player you intuitively know when that bump is coming. You need to hold your ground and/or meet that bump with as much force as you have - if you get a ridiculous call from the refs you should turn to them and scream, not say, “I’m sick and tired of getting “*8****” run over!!” Take the tech, make the point.

Rob Williams, Horford, GWill should not be getting run over. Rob needs to be more forceful meeting the bump.

I’d like to lay him out a few times but I suppose that runs the risk of Brown or Tatum getting mauled by Portis - have to weigh the risk/benefit on that approach.

I think just meeting force with force by holding you’re ground and meeting every bump with an equal bump is the path.

And I would hand it to the refs and tell them if they don’t start calling the charges Giannis is getting laid out.

[tazzmaniac]

If Bucks can get away with this, they should continue to do so..it works

I for one am happy they allow more physicality in the playoffs.  Basketball is a contact sport.  All this whining about Giannis when our players practically mugged KD in the 1st series.  The league is still soft but at least its closer to 80s basketball. 

[jpotter33]

If Bucks can get away with this, they should continue to do so..it works

I for one am happy they allow more physicality in the playoffs.  Basketball is a contact sport.  All this whining about Giannis when our players practically mugged KD in the 1st series.  The league is still soft but at least its closer to 80s basketball.

I mean, there's absolutely a difference there.

Nobody is complaining about Jrue's and Matthews' physical D. They're playing good, solid physical D on us just like we're playing on them and the Nets.

But that's completely different than the blatant offensive fouls that Giannis gets away with and has for his entire career. He literally runs over guys, almost always liberally uses his off arm, and chicken wings/elbows guys to create space constantly. Those are absolutely offensive fouls.

[tazzmaniac]

If Bucks can get away with this, they should continue to do so..it works

I for one am happy they allow more physicality in the playoffs.  Basketball is a contact sport.  All this whining about Giannis when our players practically mugged KD in the 1st series.  The league is still soft but at least its closer to 80s basketball.

I mean, there's absolutely a difference there.

Nobody is complaining about Jrue's and Matthews' physical D. They're playing good, solid physical D on us just like we're playing on them and the Nets.

But that's completely different than the blatant offensive fouls that Giannis gets away with and has for his entire career. He literally runs over guys, almost always liberally uses his off arm, and chicken wings/elbows guys to create space constantly. Those are absolutely offensive fouls.

Please.  You complain about the refs in almost every game thread.  It is one of the most consistent things on this forum. 

Players driving the lane initiate contact and push off to gain space all the time.  It is rarely called especially for star players.  Defensive players have to be almost perfect to get a charge against normal NBA players.  Giannis' combination of size and strength and athleticism makes it even more difficult to do so. 

Remember on the play Siakim broke Embiid's face that the initial call was a foul on Embiid.  One of the most obvious use of elbows I've seen in a while and they still called the foul on the defensive player. 

[dannyboy35]

  I can’t believe how many times the last foul has been broken down on Smart after he took four steps without a dribble before his shot attempt. There’s stuff to complain about but not that one. We were gifted two free throws if anything there.

[SparzWizard]

  I can’t believe how many times the last foul has been broken down on Smart after he took four steps without a dribble before his shot attempt. There’s stuff to complain about but not that one. We were gifted two free throws if anything there.

They also didn't call the Bucks for push off/arm yanking after Smart caught the rebound off his fake. Blatant foul that they missed

[jambr380]

Bucks have gotten away with playing like the old Bad Boys Pistons with the physicality and fouling such that the refs just swallow the whistles. 

Don't see that changing short of a Mchale-on-Rambis-type-clothesline on one of Giannis' drives to the hoop.  player would likely be tossed for the series but it'd make a point

i was most disappointed by the lack of response to giannis’ takedown of tatum. someone on this team should have sent a message to giannis and the entire bucks team via a hard foul.

despite the refs turning a blind eye, the bucks need to know they will pay for overly physical and dirty play. i was disappointed marcus or grant didn’t take an opportunity to send a strong, physical message, especially in response to the tatum foul, which could have seriously injured tatum. from what i’ve read about ime, i’m surprised he didn’t call for it during a TO.

I didn't think that giannis foul was that bad, but the elbow Rob took warranted an ejection.

[hpantazo]

I think Giannis foul on Tatum was fine. It's the playoffs, he went up to block a shot and went for the ball. You have to be allowed to contest the shot. It's all the other things he got away with that I'm upset about.

[angryguy77]

Bucks have gotten away with playing like the old Bad Boys Pistons with the physicality and fouling such that the refs just swallow the whistles. 

Don't see that changing short of a Mchale-on-Rambis-type-clothesline on one of Giannis' drives to the hoop.  player would likely be tossed for the series but it'd make a point

i was most disappointed by the lack of response to giannis’ takedown of tatum. someone on this team should have sent a message to giannis and the entire bucks team via a hard foul.

despite the refs turning a blind eye, the bucks need to know they will pay for overly physical and dirty play. i was disappointed marcus or grant didn’t take an opportunity to send a strong, physical message, especially in response to the tatum foul, which could have seriously injured tatum. from what i’ve read about ime, i’m surprised he didn’t call for it during a TO.

I didn't think that giannis foul was that bad, but the elbow Rob took warranted an ejection.

It was a hard foul but I don't believe that was a cheap foul. That still makes it look worse than it was.