Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla Offers Confession After Blake Griffin Headbutt

Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin got into an unusual altercation with the Milwaukee Bucks during Thursday night’s 140-99 blowout victory.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo, better known as the older and less skilled version of brother Giannis Antetokounmpo, failed to maintain his composure miserably. In the fourth quarter, the elder Antetokounmpo couldn’t handle the frustrations of a well-beyond-reach deficit and his personal 1-point performance, which he elected to take out on Griffin.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo headbutted Griffin with less than 90 seconds remaining in the game and a 44-point Celtics lead after the six-time All-Star wrapped him up after committing a foul. Officials ejected the 30-year-old, and afterward, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla made a confession when about the altercations by reporters on Friday.

“I may have done it a time or two,” Mazzulla told reporters, according to Jay King of The Athletic.

Perhaps he was referencing his collegiate days over at the University of West Virginia, but either way, the dirty move from Thanasis Antetokounmpo was clearly far from unfamiliar for Mazzulla.

Meanwhile, Griffin laughed off the situation, joking around with fellow Celtics teammates. Jaylen Brown even pitched in, offering Griffin his own protective mask minutes after the minor scuffle.

“I thought Blake handled it well,” Mazzulla said, per NBC Sports Boston video. “That’s not something we went over in training camp. But I thought Blake handled it really well. Just kind of laughing it off, separating himself from it and just kind of being the bigger person.”