The Celtics defeat the Bucks in the NBA. Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo cause tension after a fake handshake and a hard foul.
There was a strange scene in the game between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks that got people talking. Celtics guard Jaylen Brown reacted angrily to a fake handshake from Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in the second quarter of the Celtics’ 113-107 win on Sunday.
After being called back for an offensive foul, Antetokounmpo offered his hand to Brown, but withdrew it and instead ran his hands through his hair when Brown tried to return the gesture. Antetokounmpo laughed and smiled at the action before extending his hand again. Brown declined this time, shaking his head on the field.
Handshake scandal: “Giannis is a child”
“Giannis is a kid,” Brown said after the game. “I’m just focused on helping my team win. And that’s exactly what we did tonight.” Antetokounmpo expressed surprise at Brown’s reaction, emphasizing that he was just joking and has joked with Brown on the field in the past.
“We always joke around during the game,” Antetokounmpo explained. “That’s something I do with my kids too, I play around. It’s me. I play the game with fun and joy.”
Later in the fourth quarter, Brown was penalized for a hard foul on Antetokounmpo after challenging him in the air while Antetokounmpo was moving toward the basket. The referee ruled that the contact was excessive and unnecessary, leading to the decision to call it a flagrant foul. However, Brown emphasized that the foul was not intentional or a reaction to the fake handshake earlier in the game.
Return of Jaylen Brown
Brown returned Sunday after a four-game layoff due to a left hip flexor strain. The Celtics and Bucks have been competing at the top of the Eastern Conference for the past few years, with Brown and Antetokounmpo shining for their respective teams. They met in the 2018, 2019 and 2022 playoffs.
Antetokounmpo remained complimentary of Brown after the game. “I think he’s an incredible player,” said Antetokounmpo, who finished the game with 42 points and 13 rebounds. “I’m just going to continue to be myself. And at the end of the day, if I’m called a child, then so be it. I’m just trying to have fun. But again, [er ist ein] great player, great competitor. If I have another opportunity, I will do it again.”
Bucks lose big lead again
The Bucks started the first half with a 17-point lead, fueled by 19 first-quarter points from Antetokounmpo, his highest points in a quarter this season. However, Milwaukee couldn’t hold on to that lead and fell to a 2-8 record on the season, their worst start in 10 games since Antetokounmpo’s rookie season.
Sunday marked the second time this season that the Bucks blew a 15-point lead, joining the Miami Heat as the only teams to do so multiple times this season.
Challenging times for the Bucks
“We can’t maintain our level,” said Bucks coach Doc Rivers. “We also started strong in the game against Cleveland, but as the game went on we couldn’t maintain our game.” The Bucks are facing an important stretch, with seven of their next nine games at home. Of those nine games, only two teams – Indiana and Miami – made the playoffs last season.
“It’s frustrating,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said. “We feel we should have a better balance sheet, but there are also a lot of positives. We have to keep going, keep working on it. I think the most important thing is that we know that we don’t have any players who give up. Nobody here will give up.”
