Hugs, Shoves And Summer Plans: Bucks Crash Out Early, Again

The Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday night in a 119-118 overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers, a result that stings for more than just the scoreboard.

It’s not just the early exit — again — that will stay with Milwaukee. It’s the way it happened.

The Bucks had control late in regulation and again in overtime, only to unravel down the stretch. When the game ended, the frustration spilled into something more.

A postgame skirmish broke out between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin. What started as a hug quickly turned into shoving and heated words.

And it didn’t stop there — Antetokounmpo was later seen in an intense verbal exchange with Tyrese Haliburton’s father on the floor.

In fairness, it was an emotionally charged series despite lasting just five games. The physicality, trash talk, and escalating tension made that clear.

But for a Bucks team that entered the season with title expectations — and ended it in Round 1 — it’s fair to say emotions are just getting started.

Now, Milwaukee heads into an offseason full of questions. Coaching. Roster fit. Giannis’ status. Damian Lillard’s health. And maybe most importantly: why this keeps happening.

Because at the end of the day, it wasn’t just a loss. It was a collapse. And it ended with a push instead of a handshake.