By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Dec 14, 2023 at 8:31 AM Photography: Twitter/Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo was red hot last night at Fiserv Forum – both during the game and after – as the Bucks superstar set a new franchise record for the most points in a single game with 64 during Milwaukee's 140-126 win over the Indiana Pacers. 

Giannis' 64 marks not only the most points scored in a single game this season thus far (passing ... himself with 54 points, also against the Pacers) and his own career high, but the most points ever for a Bucks player in a single game in franchise history. The record had previously been held by Michael Redd, who netted 57 points in a 113-111 loss to the Utah Jazz back in 2006. Antetokounmpo almost broke the record earlier this year when he scored 55 points against the Washington Wizards back in January – but this time, he caught and passed Redd, and amazingly without the help of a single three-pointer. 

The record and the win didn't come without some serious drama on Wednesday night, though – and not on the score sheet. The game – the team's third against Indiana, including the In-Season Tournament semi-final – was testy throughout, coming to a head early in the fourth quarter as Aaron Nesmith flung Giannis to the ground under the basket on a scoring chance. Nesmith and Bobby Portis would get technical fouls for the ensuing scrum, with Portis finishing his night early just a few minutes later with an additional technical foul and an ejection. 

The REAL weirdness, though, would come after the final whistle. Giannis wanted the game ball from his historic performance on Wednesday night, but the Indiana Pacers apparently took it off the court with them. Or that's certainly what Antetokounmpo and others thought, as Giannis had some strong words with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton before running off the court and toward the Pacers locker room. He would eventually return, sans basketball, before sharing some more words with Halburton and calling it a night. 

Some thought it was the Pacers being sulky that Giannis set the record on them – complete with an exclamation point breakaway dunk in the final minute. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle tried explaining after the game that one of their rookies scored his first NBA points, too, so they wanted the game ball for him. (Never mind that the player, Oscar Tshiebwe, already scored in the In-Season Tournament ... and that setting a team record for points is slightly more of an achievement.)

According to NBA scoop star Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bucks had the game ball the whole time for Giannis, and the whole thing was just a giant confusing misunderstanding – but Antetokounmpo didn't seem convinced the ball he got was the ball he'd just set the record with.

Anyway, it was certainly an odd way to end another outstanding moment for Giannis and yet another reason why we love the Greek Freak. 

With last night's result, the Bucks are now 17-7 on the young season, sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference with a home game against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday up next ... though who cares about that game when clearly everyone has the back-to-back spats against the Pacers on Jan. 1 and 3 circled on their calendars now.

Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for whatever records or retaliations come next between these two teams. 

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.