Jaylen Brown calls Antetokounmpo a ‘child’ after Giannis faked handshake

During the second quarter of Boston’s 113-107 victory this past Sunday, Giannis Antetokounmpo offered a handshake to rival Jaylen Brown, but suddenly faked it right before the Celtics star extended his hand to greet him. The situation came right after the Bucks forward had been whistled for an offensive foul. 

The Milwaukee All-Star pulled his hand back and ran it through his hair just as JB had reached out, and then laughed with a smile on his face, before reaching his hand again. Only this time, Brown shaked his head and didn’t accept his second try.

Once the game came to an end, the press was all over Jaylen about this play. “Giannis is a child,” Brown said after the match, in which he scored 14 points, won 5 rebounds and handed out 4 assists. “I’m just focused on helping my team get a win. And that’s what we did tonight.”

Giannis didn't have to do Jaylen Brown like that. 😂 😂 #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/HXpQUPnPuf

— FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin (@FanDuelSN_WI) November 10, 2024

The media told Giannis what he said about him during the postgame interview, and he was surprised by his rival’s reaction. The Bucks player then explained that he was just trying to poke some fun out of the contest, as he has already joked with JB in the past.

“We always joke around with the flow of the game,” Antetokounmpo expressed after another frustrating defeat. “It’s something that I do to my kids, I play around. This is who I am. I play the game with fun, joy.”

Jaylen, on the other hand, had returned this weekend after a four-match absence, as he was recovering from a strained left hip flexor. Both teams have been competing for the top of the Eastern Conference in recent history, with both stars meeting in the 2018, 2019 and 2022 playoffs.

Giannis, who dropped 42 points last night, kept complimenting his opponent to ease the situation. “I think he’s an incredible player,” he said. “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.”

Milwaukee have blown a 15-point lead for a second time this campaign and remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 2-8 record

Only two teams have blown multiple 15-point leads this season which ended in defeats, one is the Heat and the other one suffered this fate once again on Sunday. The Bucks lost another match after having a comfortable lead, and now remain in the 14th spot of the Eastern Conference with a poor 2-8 record.

Their coach Doc Rivers acknowledged the fact that they haven’t been able to control the game when winning. “We can’t sustain,” said the Milwaukee tactician. “The Cleveland game [also], we came out like gangbusters, and as the game goes on, we just don’t sustain our play.”

Good news for the Wisconsin camp is that they are about to endure an important stretch starting this week, with seven of their upcoming nine matches will be held at the Fiserv Forum. During this next clashes, only two of the teams they’ll be facing made it to the last campaign’s playoffs.

“It is frustrating,” shared center Brook Lopez. “We feel like we should have a better record, but there are a lot of positives as well. We got to keep going, got to keep working it. I think the most important thing is we know we don’t have guys that have quit in them. No one here is going to quit.”