CJ McCollum wonders why Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't defend Kevin Durant in Bucks' Game 5 loss

Jordan Greer

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CJ McCollum wonders why Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't defend Kevin Durant in Bucks' Game 5 loss image

Why didn't the Bucks put Giannis Antetokounmpo on Nets star Kevin Durant? That's the question a lot of folks were asking Tuesday night, including a certain Trail Blazers guard.

In Brooklyn's 114-108 victory over Milwaukee, Durant totaled 49 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks, destroying the Bucks' defense with an unstoppable combination of jumpers, drives and dishes to his teammates. Durant roasted P.J. Tucker and Khris Middleton down the stretch of the come-from-behind win, but he was rarely matched up with Antetokounmpo, the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the 2020-21 All-Defensive First Team.

MORE: NBA players react to Durant's historic playoff performance

When asked after Game 5 if he would prefer to be the primary defender on Durant, Antetokounmpo told reporters that he wants to "take the challenge," but Portland's CJ McCollum was curious as to why the two-time MVP didn't take the assignment when Durant was burning down the Barclays Center.

McCollum, never shy about sharing his hoops thoughts on social media, first applauded Durant for his performance, then shifted his attention to Antetokounmpo. (McCollum references one of Durant's nicknames, "Easy Money Sniper," in the tweet below.)

After Wizards star Bradley Beal told McCollum that he needed to "chill," McCollum joked that he was going to "finish my drink and lay down," adding that he was just a "casual fan" now that the Trail Blazers had been eliminated from the NBA playoffs.

But once he saw another All-Defensive First Team forward in Draymond Green posting about wanting to go toe-to-toe with Durant, McCollum had to fire off one last tweet.

"Dray you gonna let [Durant] go for 50 and not switch?" McCollum said.

We'll have to wait and see if Antetokounmpo lines up across from Durant when the Bucks and Nets meet for Thursday's Game 6. If he doesn't, McCollum will likely have his Twitter fingers ready to go.

Jordan Greer

Jordan Greer Photo

Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University.