Bucks Zone

"Maybe he was a little bit frustrated!" - Jaylen Brown speaks on his altercation with Giannis Antetokounmpo

The two stars got into it during the 4th quarter.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Boston Celtics took care of the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas Day, as the C's solidified the #1 record in the NBA in a heated battle between two rivals.

The Greek Freak vs. JB

These two teams have history behind them, and whenever Milwaukee and Boston face off, a lot is at stake, and tensions flare. That's precisely what happened last night between two stars in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown.

In the 4th quarter with the Celtics slowly putting the game away and JB hitting shot after shot to lead his team, tensions started to flare when Jaylen knocked down Giannis who was setting a screen for his teammate. Antetokounmpo quickly got up and pushed Brown from the back, showing his displease with the play with no hesitation. The two would exchange a few words before getting separated.

Jaylen would get the last laugh this time, as he finished with 29 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in the 118-139 Celtics win. Giannis wasn't shabby on the other end, notching 27 points with 9 rebounds and 3 assists, but it was not enough.

Tensions

After the game, the Celtics star spoke on the altercation and how he saw the situation:

“I thought I was playing pretty physical defense, nothing dirty. It seemed like it was a clean play," Brown said. “Maybe he was a little bit frustrated. He got up and threw an elbow at me, for whatever reason.”

“There’s a difference between trying to be a tough guy and letting your opponent know that I’m not backing down, I’m not afraid of any challenge or any matchup whatsoever,” Brown said. “In that moment I was just letting him know that."

With Giannis and Jaylen both being alphas and absolute stars of the game, it's no surprise that they clash and get into it, especially with the Bucks and Celtics meeting often in big games. This is not the first time the two clashed, as they have numerous encounters in previous postseason duels and even international games. 

Giannis didn't particularly address the situation, as he will probably respond with his play the next time these two teams meet again. Mark it on the calendar.

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.