The San Antonio Spurs showed no remorse for the Milwaukee Bucks. Defending their home, the young team led by Victor Wembanyama threw the Deers out in a landslide victory. However, the box score didn’t do justice to the theatric game. It had it all. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Wemby battled it out, the Spurs’ bench stepping up. But towards the end, Chris Paul and the Greek Freak’s jawing inhabited the benches to empty out.

It all started in the fourth quarter. Antetokounmpo attempted a move in the post to spark a comeback when down 20 points. With Paul guarding him, the veteran took the clever way out by fouling. But he left a little extra on there, tripping the two-time MVP. Or at least that’s how the 30-year-old felt.

Giannis Antetokounmpo immediately tried to confront Paul, which led to the Spurs bench forming the ‘wall’. The heat did condense, but Paul wasn’t done. After the Bucks cornerstone missed a free throw, the former Suns guard mocked Antetokounmpo. As they exited into a timeout, the All-NBA forward clearly felt disrespected.

“Come see me after the game,” he told Paul. And CP3 obliged. As the final buzzer sounded, Antetokounmpo stuck to his word. He trotted down to the center of the court, staring down at Paul. “I’m right here,” the former DPOY told the Spurs veteran. Chris Paul though simply shook his head appearing to tell the Bucks contingent to get Antetokounmpo off the floor.

Their tense standing or Paul’s mockery toward Giannis wasn’t just born today. You have to remember, for CP3, Antetokounmpo was the obstruction that prevented him from winning his first title in 2021. On the last play, he even shoved Giannis Antetokounmpo, although the latter back then didn’t react.

Their feud seems to be a testament to the deeply rooted rivalries that exist in the NBA. Judging by the look Giannis Antetokounmpo held, the next meeting between him and Chris Paul should be just as intense.

Chris Paul and the Spurs claim the last laugh

With a battle against the Bucks, a team that relies heavily on the Giannis-Damian Lillard tandem, the Spurs had a game plan. They had to come out swinging and never stop. At first, that’s what they did but Giannis Antetokounmpo kept the game close. The Bucks even took the lead in the third quarter, making things difficult for the Spurs.

The Greek Freak was in the thick of it through it all. His dominant spell included 35 points and 14 rebounds. But the Spurs had their own cheat code. Victor Wembanyama decided to unleash and go toe-to-toe with the celebrated Bucks forward. He did set the tone early, blocking Antetokounmpo on back-to-back possessions early in the game.

But the Spurs needed him to get going on the offensive end.

In the second half, Wemby took over. The French center added 18 points making three triples and staying sharp on the defensive end. Additionally, the Spurs could only stay close due to Keldon Johnson’s electric first-half performance as he scored 20 points to keep them within striking range.

For the Bucks, it was another disappointing performance. After exploding on a five game win-streak, the team has only won two of their last five games. Despite holding the fourth seed in the East, the need for consistency is high within the Bucks organization. The question is, can Antetokounmpo get that support?