An intriguing trend unfolded during the 2022 NBA playoffs when Grayson Allen, then with the Milwaukee Bucks, faced off against the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This series followed a flagrant foul from Allen earlier in the year that caused Alex Caruso to miss a couple months with a broken wrist.
While it is already well known that Allen is not a universally beloved player in the NBA, he experienced a unique level of animosity from the Chicago crowd in 2022.
After the Bucks and Bulls split the first two games of the series, Allen delivered a historic two-game performance that propelled his team to a 3-1 series lead.
Allen went 5-7 from beyond the arc in Game 3 and followed it up with a 6-7 performance in in Game 4. The Bucks won these games by a combined margin of 54 points.
Although the Bucks eventually fell in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Allen’s standout performance lingered in the minds of many Bulls fans.
Fast forward a year and a half, and Allen, now donning a Phoenix Suns jersey, returned to the United Center with an appetite for another show-stopping performance.
After a career-high eight three-pointers against the Bulls on Wednesday night, Allen shared his perspective on the atmosphere.
Specifically, he revealed his enjoyment of the boos, expressing that it makes the game feel “more normal” for him.
In a conversation with Duane Rankin at AZ Central, Allen articulated, “Getting booed makes the game feel more normal for me.”
Unfortunately for Grayson, he will have to wait until next season to torment the Chicago crowd once again.
