The Los Angeles Lakers dropped yet another preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. The purple and gold, who stepped in without the regular rotational players such as LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Jarred Vanderbilt, went down 97-108 vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks.
Milwaukee, on the other hand, stepped in with full force. The Giannis Damian Lillard’s partnership was on display for the first time since the latter got traded this off-season. While the game had many awe-inspiring moments, a particular block from Antetokounmpo made headlines as he tried to poke fun at the Lakers’ newest signing. However, things escalated, and the social media banter no longer seemed friendly.
Christian Wood Declares All-Out War Against Bucks After Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Banter Back Fired!
On Monday, the Lakers and Bucks locked horns in a preseason game. Since a majority of the purple and gold’s rotational players gave the event a miss, the team’s bench strength was put to the test. Taurean Prince, Christian Wood, Max Christie, and Scotty Pippen Jr got a chance to display their skills. The game remained competitive and had its moments. Giannis Antetokounmpo, in particular, left a profound impact in just 15 minutes of time on the court. He scored 16 points, one assist, and eight rebounds. Not only that, the two-time MVP blocked LA’s 6-foot-10 defender Christian Wood, which became one of the major highlights of the game. Giannis also thought that it was an impressive move and thus shared a picture of the block on his Instagram in collaboration with the NBA.
“I love it i’ll see him during the season just circled the game on my calendar 🗓️”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 16, 2023
Lakers forward Christian Wood responds to Giannis after he tagged him on a picture blocking him 👀 https://t.co/YYzO5sdBSw pic.twitter.com/ccYhxFQHsX
However, the Greek star went ahead to tag Christian Wood in the picture, which the fans found intentional and disrespectful. Meanwhile, Giannis, who has been previously teammates with Wood, meant it as a part of a friendly banter. However, it seems even Wood didn’t like it, as he fired shots back at his ex-teammate. The center forward left a comment under the post that read, “I love it i’ll see him during the season just circled the game on my calendar.” Perhaps Antetokounmpo’s harmless joke might just have given rise to a new rivalry. Having said that, the Bucks’ star is yet to respond to Wood’s comments. The Lakers will meet the Bucks in March next year. Thus, Wood will have to keep his fire burning until then.
Lakers Shock Fans With Surprising Roster Move!
Meanwhile, the Lakers are turning heads as they just parted ways with former rookie Scotty Pippen Jr. Scotty has been put on waivers. He averaged 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists as a rookie and displayed signs of life. Many were hoping to see Pipper Jr thrive and improve in LA itself. The point guard even played the preseason game against the Bucks, which suggested that he was, in fact, in the team’s future plans.
Thus, the recent announcement caught the fans off-guard. Having said that, the real reason behind the move is still unknown. The Lakers are yet to officially react to it. Regardless, with that, the focus shifts to the brand new 2023-24 NBA season, which will commence on 25th October for LA as they lock horns with West rivals and defending champions, Denver Nuggets. It’s a battle to watch out for.
