MILWAUKEE — After missing four games with a hip flexor strain, 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown returned to action on Sunday in the Boston Celtics‘ comeback 113-107 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t exactly throw him a welcoming party.
Early in the second quarter, Brown was defending Antetokounmpo in the post when the Greek Freak spun and and connected with an inadvertent elbow to the side of his head. The two appeared to exchange a few words, and then, as they were walking to the other end of the floor, Antetokounmpo stuck out his hand as if to offer an apology. Brown reached out to accept, but fell for the old “too slow” routine as Antetokounmpo pulled his hand away and ran it over the top of his head with a big grin.
Brown, who finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists, ended up getting the last laugh, as the Celtics completed a 17-point comeback to improve to 9-2 on the season. After the game, a bemused Brown had little to say about the incident.
“Giannis is a child,” Brown said. “I’m just focused on helping my team get a win, and that’s what we did tonight.”
In other circumstances, Antetokounmpo’s gag would have been pretty funny, but Brown was not having it immediately after getting clocked in the head. Later in the game, Brown was called for a flagrant foul after he hit Antetokounmpo in mid-air, but claimed the two moments were unrelated.
“Just playing basketball,” Brown said.
Antetokounmpo, who finished with 43 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in another stellar outing that was for naught, said the fake handshake was all in good fun.
“It’s a joke,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’re playing basketball and sometimes you gotta have fun while playing. I think he’s an incredible player, he does whatever he can to help his team win, extremely competitive player… It’s something that I do with my kids, playing around and sometimes give you a high-five — oh you’re too slow. I just did it. I enjoyed it though, it was fun.
“This is who I am. I play the game with fun, joy. I try to surround myself with young people so I can stay young, I try to be around my kids a lot, my nieces… I’m gonna continue to be me. If I’m called a child, so be it… If I had another opportunity, I’d do it again.”
