Jaylen Brown Shares Very Serious Reaction to Giannis’ Fake Handshake originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jaylen Brown had no patience with Giannis Antetokounmpo on Sunday.
In the second quarter of the Boston Celtics’ game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum, Antetokounmpo hit Brown with an elbow to the face while attempting a layup. Brown took offense and chose some words for the Bucks star as the two walked to the other end of the court.
That’s when Antetokounmpo channeled his inner high schooler, extending his hand toward Brown for a high-five but then pulling it back at the last second with a mischievous grin.
A generous interpretation of this exchange is that Giannis was trying to lighten the mood with some innocent fun. But Brown was not in a generous mood.
When asked about the incident after the game, the Celtics star didn’t seem particularly amused.
“Giannis is a kid,” Brown told reporters, as seen in the video above. “I’m just focused on helping my team get a win, and that’s what we did tonight.”
Brown was clearly bothered by Antetokounmpo’s antics, which may have motivated his hard foul on the Bucks superstar in the fourth quarter. But maturity prevailed Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee, as the Celtics rallied from a 17-point deficit to secure a 113-107 victory that improved them to 9-2 and dropped the Bucks to 2-8.
Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, seemed genuinely surprised by Brown’s reaction and said he has no plans to change his approach to the game.
“Obviously, it’s a joke,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’re playing basketball, but at the same time, you have to have fun while you’re playing… We always joke around within the flow of the game. It’s something I do with my kids and play.
“…This is who I am. I play with fun and joy.”
Antetokounmpo also drew the ire of Boston’s head coach and star player when He closed aggressively on Jayson Tatum’s jump shot in the fourth quarter, causing Tatum to sprain his ankle. No foul was called on the play, which Joe Mazzulla called “ridiculous” after the game.
Antetokounmpo stuffed the stat sheet with a season-high 43 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two blocks, but Brown and the Celtics got the last laugh, or lack thereof, as Milwaukee’s early struggles continue. the season.
Check out Brown’s full postgame comments below.