Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown Have Heated Exchange After Team USA Defeats Greece

Team USA rolled passed Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece on Saturday in the second round of the 2019 FIBA World Cup with a convincing 69-53 victory, improving to 4-0 in the tournament.

The clash wasn't necessarily oozing drama, but one compelling narrative is grabbing headlines.

Thanasis, the brother of Milwaukee Bucks' MVP, fouled USA forward Harrison Barnes on a fast break dunk late in the fourth quarter when the outcome of the game was already decided.

Harrison Barnes with the monster dunk on Thanasis Antetokoumpo. pic.twitter.com/AbwJQnek17
— Basketball Highlights (@BasketballHigh8) September 7, 2019

You really can't help but cringe when a dunker, virtually helpless in mid-air, gets fouled from behind. You're almost expecting a devastating injury to formulate as he crashes to the ground.

With that in mind, USA forward Jaylen Brown had some chocie words for Thanasis as soon as the final buzzer sounded. To nobody's surprise, Giannis subsequently came to his little bro's defense and Khris Middleton, his Bucks teammate, had to remove the Greek Freak from the heated exchange before things escalated.

Marcus Smart appeared to have words with Thanasis Antetokounmpo after the buzzer, after Thanasis fouled Harrison Barnes on a dunk attempt late in the game. Giannis got in the middle. Jaylen Brown had words with Giannis. Khris Middleton moved Giannis out of it.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) September 7, 2019

This isn't the first time that Giannis and Brown have gotten into it on the basketball court, either. Back in December, Jaylen put Antetokounmpo on a poster and flexed on him.

One can only assume this tension will spill over into the upcoming season. Do yourselves a favor and circle those calendars for the first Bucks-Celtics matchup of the 2019 campaign, folks.