Jaylen Brown was annoyed by Giannis Antetokounmpo when the Milwaukee Bucks’ forward offered a fake handshake in the second quarter of the Boston Celtics’ 113-107 win on Saturday.
Antetokounmpo offered Brown his hand after being whistled for an offensive out, but pulled it back and ran it through his hair as Brown reached to accept. Antetokounmpo laughed and smiled before reaching his hand back out again. Brown did not accept this time, shaking his head on the court.
“Giannis is a child,” Brown said after the game. “I’m just focused on helping my team get a win. And that’s what we did tonight.”
Antetokounmpo was surprised when informed how Brown didn’t care for the gesture.
“We always joke around with the flow of the game,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s something that I do to my kids, I play around.
“This is who I am. I play the game with fun, joy.”
Brown was called for a flagrant foul against Antetokounmpo after challenging him in the air while Antetokounmpo was driving to the basket. The game official deemed the contact was excessive and unnecessary, which led to it being ruled as flagrant, but Brown said the play was not intentional or a response to the fake handshake earlier in the game.
“I think he’s an incredible player,” said Antetokounmpo, who finished with 42 points and 13 rebounds. “I’m just going to continue to be me. And at the end of the day. If I’m called a child, so be it.
“I just try to go out there and have fun. But again, [he is a] great player, great competitor. If I have another opportunity, I’ll do it again.”