Thanasis Antetokounmpo got some game time in the fourth quarter on Monday night as the Milwaukee Bucks were blowing out the Denver Nuggets. With just under a minute left in the contest, Antetokounmpo was embarrassingly called for an 8-second violation, and Damian Lillard could be seen trying his best to not laugh after that.
Dame trying not to laugh at Thanasis getting an 8 second violation 😂😭pic.twitter.com/sMXNaDg0fg
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) February 13, 2024
NBA fans hilariously reacted to this incident.
One said Lillard was about to laugh, but then saw Giannis Antetokounmpo’s expression and stopped himself.
Dame about to laugh then saw giannis lmao
— Kevin Arenas (@kevzair) February 13, 2024
A fan hilariously commended Lillard for drinking water to hide his laughter.
Drinking water to hide the laugh is always a power move🔥
— DK³⁰ (@_GSW__) February 13, 2024
One stated that Thanasis is the funniest player ever.
Bro the funniest basketball ball player ever 😂😭
— jfjf (@xgineth) February 13, 2024
One fan said they wouldn’t have been able to hold their laughter after that.
Couldn’t have been me I would’ve fell out laughing 🤣🤣
— Alissha~No~Keyz✌🏾🌸🦄 (@worthygyrl30) February 13, 2024
A fan said Thanasis is aiming to win Shaqtin MVP.
The new Javale McGee, He's gunning for the Shaqtin MVP
— BatfleckDCEU (@Fadhilbatfleck) February 13, 2024
There sure have been a fair few Shaqtin moments involving Thanasis, but I do feel for him here. He did take more than eight seconds to advance the ball past halfcourt, but it was very close.
It seems a bit much to make that kind of a call that late in a blowout, but then again, the referee who called it was Scott Foster. Foster loves to stamp his authority on games with his antics, so it wasn’t all that surprising that he made that call.
On the very next Bucks possession, we ended up getting another Thanasis lowlight, and he only had himself to blame for that one. First, the 31-year-old failed to control a lobbed pass and then proceeded to wildly miss a layup.
Thanasis is not real man 🤣 pic.twitter.com/aQQ0iMaWvG
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) February 13, 2024
In all, he ended up playing five minutes and had an assist and a steal to his name, as the Bucks won 112-95. It was the first statement win of the Doc Rivers era, and the Bucks improved to 35-19 on the season thanks to it.
While Thanasis did not have much to do with it, his brother sure did. Giannis ended the night with 36 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Lillard, meanwhile, struggled a bit, finishing with 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists.
NBA Executives Don’t Think Thanasis Would Be In The League If Not For Giannis
The spotlight has been on Thanasis for a while now, as he is seen as a product of nepotism. NBA executives were brutally honest when asked if Thanasis deserves a spot in the league.
“An NBA player personnel director: ‘No,’’ he responded immediately.
“An NBA scout: ‘Let me think about this for a few seconds. (He then pauses for about 10 seconds before answering). No.’
“An NBA general manager: ‘Hey, we know what that’s all about. It’s all about appeasing Giannis. But to answer your question, no.’”
The chances that Thanasis would be on a roster if he wasn’t Giannis’ brother are extremely slim. He is currently averaging 0.9 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game this season, and for his career, averages 2.5 points per game. It might seem harsh, but he is just not good enough to play in the NBA.
For the Bucks, though, it is indeed all about appeasing Giannis at the end of the day. If having his brother on the team makes the two-time MVP happy, then the franchise will ensure he has a roster spot. We have seen teams over the years go to great lengths to keep their superstars happy, and this situation is no different.
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