Physical series continues: Mike Dunleavy punches Michael Carter-Williams, Giannis Antetokounmpo ejected after retaliation

The physical play has continued in Game 6 of the first-round playoff series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls, and now there are casualties.

Just minutes into the game, Michael Carter-Williams went to the locker room with an apparent injury after missing a driving layup attempt. At first we thought it was an ankle injury or something from the landing, but a quick look at the replay revealed something more sinister.

MCW returned to the game a few minutes later after having his jaw examined, but the tone had been set. As the Bulls' lead grew and grew and grew, frustration mounted for the Milwaukee Bucks. It finally bubbled over late in the second quarter when Giannis Antetokounmpo, salty after a minor shove from Dunleavy a few possessions earlier, leveled the Bulls' wing on a three-point attempt.

The play wasn't initially whistled as a flagrant foul, but a short review after things settled down revealed the extent of Giannis' hit. He was charged with a flagrant 2 and ejected from the game.

Frustrated Bucks fans were eager to call the play an understandable retaliatory move against a guy who deserved it, but there's no excuse for either act, the punch or the body check. The Bulls are currently wiping the floor with the Bucks, and the Bucks don't seem to know how to react. Maybe it's a learning experience, but it's hard to see much value in Giannis' season coming to an end before halftime in his team's final game. Guess all we can hope now is that Milwaukee finds its composure in the second half, keeps things somewhat interesting, and uses this mild disaster of a game as motivation to come back a better team next season.