In a heated Sunday matchup, the Boston Celtics edged out a 113-107 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Fiserv Forum. Despite the Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s season-high 43 points, a lighthearted yet contentious moment with Celtics star Jaylen Brown might have tipped the scales in Boston’s favor, sparking a late-game resurgence from the Celtics.
With the Bucks leading 42-32, Giannis attempted a “fake handshake” toward Brown after being called for an offensive foul, playfully retracting his hand after an apparent elbow to Brown. This antic, which Brown later called “childish,” quickly became a turning point, as Boston went on to outscore Milwaukee 81-65 after the incident. Brown didn’t dwell on the exchange for long in his postgame interview, quickly redirecting focus to Boston’s on-court success, yet his irritation was apparent.
Beyond the handshake, tensions were high as Antetokounmpo took part in several heated moments. Earlier in the game, he appeared to extend his leg under Jayson Tatum’s jump shot, leading Tatum to roll his ankle upon landing—a move Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla felt warranted a landing spot foul.
With Boston now at 9-2 and closing in on the Eastern Conference’s top spot, they look every bit like the title contenders fans hoped for. The Bucks, however, are off to a shocking 2-8 start, their worst in recent memory, despite Antetokounmpo’s strong individual efforts. As the Celtics continue their dominant streak, the Bucks will need to regroup quickly if they hope to climb from the Eastern Conference cellar.
