After a reckless elbow to the head of Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks added insult to injury, pulling his hand away when offering it up as a sign of apology. While Giannis may have intended it as a playful admission of guilt in the moment, Brown didn't take it as such and neither did Skip Bayless.
“Giannis was, pardon my language, just being a real a–h—. Losing can do that to you.”
The Bucks are 2-8, winning just one game since their opening game against the Philadelphia 76ers to start the season.
“Giannis appeared to want to make peace,” Bayless continued. “Giannis extended his right hand and as Jaylen went to shake it, Giannis pulled it back and ran it back through his hair. The classic ‘SIKE' ploy that kids do to each other. ‘SIKE!' That's why Jaylen Brown after the game called Giannis a child. That move was definitely childish.
“Giannis said, ‘Well that's something he would do with his kids.' Yet that was the point. He wasn't playing around with his kids. He had just thrown a dangerous elbow into Jaylen Brown's face. Giannis argued he just tries to play the game with joy and fun. But the point is, Giannis is no longer having fun because the Bucks are 2-8. And his fake handshake was completely out of character because it was a jerk move. He was just trying to make light of something that you can't make light of. Because this season is crumbling for Giannis.”
Cracks are showing for struggling Bucks
After the loss to the Celtics, Jaylen Brown didn't hold back in his response to Giannis, per
“Giannis is a child. I'm just focused on helping my team get a win. And that's what we did tonight.”
Antetokounmpo also had another big no-call on what should have been a flagrant foul against Jayson Tatum. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla couldn't believe the refs missed it after the game.
“That's ridiculous,” he said of the no-call. “Can't miss that. Can't miss that … And [Tatum] didn't let it impact the rest of the game on either end of the floor. But the refs did a great job, they knew that they missed it … That's something that's gotta be [called] because it could have hurt. He's hurt an ankle before. But credit to him for handling it the right way.”
Former NBA player Channing Frye delivered a harsh reality about Antetokounmpo during the Road Trippin Podcast.
“Here’s the truth, and you might take it hard, but argue with me; the way Giannis plays in today’s game, he can not beat you by himself anymore,” Frye said. “It’s just the truth.
The Bucks host the Toronto Raptors as part of the NBA Cup tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST.