Jaylen Brown, Celtics prove they’re still not taking any mess

Jaylen Brown, Celtics prove they’re still not taking any mess originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Two years ago, after an on-court flareup involving Joel Embiid, Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown declared that the team would no longer be taking any mess.

It appears that rule still applies.

The Bucks hit the Celtics with a couple haymakers Sunday in Milwaukee, first by jumping out to a 14-point lead in the opening minutes, then when Giannis Antetokounmpo floored Brown with one of his trademark swinging elbows.

As the two players made their way up the court after the offensive foul, Antetokounmpo extended his hand in an apparent apology. When Brown finally engaged, Antetokounmpo quickly pulled his hand back and ran it through his hair in the sort of playground move most of us haven’t seen since junior high.

The Celtics were trailing by double digits in that moment. They outscored the Bucks 81-65 in the aftermath. Brown repeatedly took on the challenge of defending Antetokounmpo and their battles crescendoed when Brown delivered a hard foul on an Antetokounmpo drive midway through the fourth quarter. The play got upgraded to a Flagrant 1, but a message was delivered.

These Celtics still aren’t taking any mess.

“Giannis is a child,” Brown told reporters after the game. “I’m just focused on helping my team get a win. And that’s what we did tonight.”

The Celtics have operated with a very businesslike demeanor the past two seasons. They know how good they are — they have a shiny gold trophy to prove it — and they don’t appear to have time for teams that try to get under their skin.

Antetokounmpo’s elbow to Brown’s dome wasn’t his only questionable moment of the matinee. He also slid under Jayson Tatum’s foot on a corner 3-point attempt, causing Tatum to land awkwardly on Antetokounmpo’s foot. Tatum expressed frustration that the referees missed the call in that moment and noted how he could have been injured on the play.

Milwaukee has issues far bigger than Antetokounmpo’s childish sequence. The Bucks are 2-8, barely out of the basement in the Eastern Conference, and aren’t getting any younger….

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/jaylen-brown-celtics-prove-theyre-144342357.html

Author : NBC Sports Boston

Publish date : 2024-11-11 14:43:00

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