Because the common season nears its finish, the Boston Celtics are a group with little left to play for, with the NBA’s finest file locked up and a 15-game lead over second-place within the Jap Convention. Going through these second-place Bucks on Tuesday night time, they appeared prefer it — a lackluster effort arrange their second blowout loss to Milwaukee this season, as they trailed for the ultimate 46 minutes en path to a 104-91 defeat.
The Celtics lacked the companies of their beginning frontcourt this night, as each Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring, relaxation) and Al Horford (toe) sat out the competition. Of their absence, Jayson Tatum had a good night time — 22 factors, 5 rebounds, 6 assists — however the rotation in any other case appeared out-of-sorts and considerably lackadaisical for a lot of the night. For Milwaukee, commerce deadline acquisition Patrick Beverley offered a spark along with his finest scoring output since becoming a member of the group (20 factors), considered one of six Bucks to attain at the very least 12 factors on the night time.
The Bucks loved the higher hand within the early minutes of this one, driving an comically scorching begin from Brook Lopez to begin the sport on a 13-5 run and open up a double-digit lead inside the first six minutes of play. Lopez drilled 4 of his first 5 three-point makes an attempt, powering a Milwaukee offense that had the Celtics reeling. It was a begin harking back to the group’s second assembly, an early January 135-102 beatdown. The Bucks led by as many as 19 factors, missed simply 5 photographs, and took a 37-21 benefit into the second quarter.
A development of word within the first half was the Celtics’ lack of ability to attain from two-point vary. They really shot the ball moderately effectively for many of the half, almost matching the Bucks’ three-point output with 9 makes, however they had been utterly stifled by the Milwaukee protection contained in the arc. Possession after possession noticed the Celtics bully their method into the purpose, solely to come back up empty below a swarm of Bucks defenders. They shot simply 8-of-24 from two-point vary within the half.
Milwaukee’s lead nudged over the 20-point threshold early within the second quarter behind a 10-2 run that opened the body. The run prompted coach Joe Mazzulla’s third timeout of the sport, every of which got here in hopes of derailing the Bucks’ momentum. The third time was the attraction, however solely to an extent — the Bucks’ offense lastly cooled, however the Celtics didn’t make up the distinction with their very own scoring assault. The sport hit a nadir when Brown swiped an errant Milwaukee go however didn’t convert the contested dunk try that adopted, and entered the halftime break having made no inroads on the lead, trailing 63-43.
Within the trendy NBA, a 20-point lead doesn’t imply as a lot because it used to, particularly to not an offense as explosive as these Celtics. As play resumed within the third quarter, then, Boston was removed from lifeless and buried. However whereas the Bucks didn’t prolong their benefit within the early minutes of the second half, it wasn’t as a consequence of any inspiring play from the Celtics. Solely Tatum appeared to have a pulse, cashing in on a pair of robust threes. The near-one-man present paid some dividends; Tatum discovered Derrick White within the nook with just below 4 minutes to play to chop the Milwaukee result in 15.
Of word: Antetokounmpo appeared to undergo an harm within the late minutes of the third quarter. The Bucks’ famous person grabbed at his leg after an inbounds go, sitting down on the court docket to cease play. Milwaukee’s medical employees escorted him off the court docket, with Antetokounmpo limping into the tunnel. The harm was categorised as a left calf pressure, and he didn’t return to the sport.
After Antetokounmpo’s departure, the Celtics discovered a spark. Spearheaded by a red-hot Tatum, who slammed house an assertive dunk and transformed one other three-pointer, they took benefit of a discombobulated Bucks group to trim the result in 11 factors coming into the ultimate quarter, 78-67.
Milwaukee’s response was swift — a 7-0 in two minutes behind some artful scoring from Khris Middleton. Brown transformed a pair of baskets to staunch the bleeding, however an extremely deep 32-foot three-pointer from AJ Inexperienced felt like a back-breaker, establishing an 88-71 lead for the Bucks with 9 minutes left in regulation. Minutes later, after a Milwaukee timeout, Mazzulla appeared able to wave the white flag. He emptied his bench and the Bucks coasted simply to the end.
Subsequent up, the Celtics head again to TD Backyard for the primary of a three-game homestand to shut the season, internet hosting the New York Knicks this Thursday at 7:30 PM EST on NBC Sports activities Boston.
