“Giannis is a child”- Jaylen Brown doesn’t mince words after Bucks star fakes handshake
Jaylen Brown returned from a three-game absence due to a hip injury to help the Boston Celtics win 113-107 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. Brown finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists. Besides his impact on offense, he did his part on the other end of the floor.
As one of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s defenders, the reigning NBA Finals MVP took an elbow to the head from the two-time MVP. Brown shook off the hit and walked to the Celtics’ end of the court. Along the way, Antetokounmpo faked a handshake.
After the game, Brown had this to say about the sequence:
“Giannis is a child. I’m just focused on helping my team get a win. And that’s what we did tonight.”
After the fake handshake, Giannis Antetokounmpo reached out again, but Jaylen Brown refused to shake his hand. The two went hard at each other the rest of the game, but there were no other skirmishes. Antetokounmpo had 43 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two blocks, but the Celtics won.
For the second straight game against the defending champs, the “Greek Freak” had another impressive stat line. But, Milwaukee is 0-2 versus the Celtics in the season series. Brown played a key role in both Boston victories.
Giannis Antetokounmpo responds to Jaylen Brown’s comments
Jaylen Brown’s comments promptly went viral. Giannis Antetokounmpo inevitably heard about it in his postgame news conference. Here’s what he said when a reporter told him about what Brown said:
“Oh, that’s what he said? Dang. I thought I gave him a compliment that he was just … but at the same time, this is who I am. I play the game with fun and joy. … I’m around my kids a lot, my nieces. Sometimes, on the court, I do stuff like that.
“I think he’s an incredible player, and he helped his team win. But I’m just gonna continue to be me. At the end of the day, if I’m called a child, so be it.”
The Celtics host the Bucks on Dec. 7 for their third and final meeting of the season. Fans are already looking forward to that game to see the interaction between the two stars.