If that was any indication of what the rest of the series will be like, then the Celtics and Bucks are about to have a weird and wild series.
After Terry Rozier (23 points) hit a stepback 3-pointer to apparently win the game with 0.5 seconds left in regulation, Khris Middleton hit a prayer 3 to send the game into overtime.
Al Horford had a team-leading 24 points and played tremendous defense all game. Marcus Morris had 21 points off the bench, including some big shots with the shot clock winding down. Jaylen Brown had 20, and Jayson Tatum added 19.
OVERTIME
4:00: Middleton drives, misses against tough Horford defense, Celtics get the rebound and this one is over. Boston survives a tough opener.
3:58: Giannis misses the second throw, goes up for it with Rozier and Giannis is called for his sixth foul. He gone.
3:54: Tatum turns it over but makes up for it with a block against Brodgon ... Bucks miss and Celtics get the rebound.
3:53: Giannis to the line after back-to-back Rozier fouls. Good ... miss.
3:51: Middleton bricks two 3-pointers.
3:48: Good defense by Brown on Middleton forces a miss. Tatum gets the Horford miss and eventually drives the lane and makes a ridiculous reverse scoop layup off the glass. Mercy.
CLUTCH ROOK pic.twitter.com/0fLd9M2SHP
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) April 15, 2018
— Celtics Stats (@celtics_stats) April 15, 2018
Khris Middleton ties it at the buzzer. pic.twitter.com/BPVFhRfoQ6
— RealGM (@RealGM) April 15, 2018
TERRY ROZIER FOR THE WIN pic.twitter.com/mjKYgIqbFh
— Ross (@LegionHoopsRoss) April 15, 2018
Tatum whips the ball down low to Brown who finishes with ease! pic.twitter.com/gUjUE66FMw
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 15, 2018
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 15, 2018
End of 3: Boston 70, Milwaukee 66 pic.twitter.com/xt8mVJzg4P
— Celtics Stats (@celtics_stats) April 15, 2018
Jaylen puts a cap on a 10-0 run for Boston! pic.twitter.com/vTrpVPRO5z
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 15, 2018
Horford hits Brown with a perfect pass on the cut for a LOUD slam! pic.twitter.com/Hi4eJ5IN2p
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 15, 2018
- Giannis attack Morris as point guard early and draws foul
- Shane Larkin with a pair of sloppy passes to Monroe in the pick-and-roll. Bucks ready for them with steals.
- Zeller adds another steal off a lazy pass. Three turnovers in first three minutes of quarter leads to 10-2 run for Bucks.
- Just a nightmare stretch for Boston for the first seven minutes of the second quarter as Milwaukee rolled out to a 24-4 run.
- The Bucks got easy points in transition off of C’s turnovers, which led to Brad Stevens pulling the plug on the bench unit early after a strong finish to fourth quarter.
- The offense started stalling for Boston as well as the C’s resorted to lots of isolation plays and took shots against the Bucks athleticism.
- Without the 3-ball falling, the C’s looked hapless in creating offense against the Bucks’ length and Milwaukee took advantage of the misses by attacking easily in transition and finding some corner 3 looks.
- Middleton and Antetokounmpo have been doing all the damage for the Bucks (16 points each)
- C's doing a nice job on defensive glass (only one offensive rebound for Bucks)
- C's close out the half with a 11-4 run of their own to trim the deficit from 10 to three. Pretty decent damage control considering how horrendous the offense was for the first nine minutes.
- Celtics start things early by targeting Giannis a couple times in the post with Horford. The All-Star produces some easy finishes
- Anteotkounmpo’s strength factor on drives can’t be overruled. Easily bullied Baynes for a dunk from the baseline in first few minutes. Few players in this league can do that.
- Jayson Tatum looks ready for the playoffs. He knocked down his first jumper with shot clock riding down and punished the Bucks in transition with a nifty dunk avoiding traffic.
- A little too much Aron Baynes in the offense early. Bucks are conceding midrange jumpers to him and he missed a couple of them, as well as a dunk. C’s going to need something out of him.
- Eric Bledsoe has been out of control early for the Bucks. He’s been wild with layups and has been stripped in traffic a couple of times.
- Bledsoe continues to be reckless on drives, but did manage to find Middleton for a corner 3.
- Tatum is not afraid of the moment. He’s making tough shots in the midrange with several long Bucks flying out him. Eight points in first eight minutes.
- Jaylen Brown struggling with his shooting but finishing well around Bucks on strong ight-handed drives.
- Shane Larkin and Marcus Morris first Celtics off the bench. Bucks counter with Terry, Brogdon and Parker. C’s start targeting Terry and Parker immediately.
- The Bucks will have a healthy 13-man roster for just the second time all year. Malcolm Brogdon will be on a minutes limit as he recovers from a quad injury, but everyone else will be good to go.
- The Celtics and Bucks split the season series 2-2, with both teams winning once each other's home floor.
- The Celtics will only have 11 active players on their roster, with Marcus Smart, Gordon Hayward, Daniel Theis and Kyrie Irving sidelined. Smart remains on track to return to the lineup for April 27th, which would be before a possible Game 7 in this series.
- Boston was 14-8 in games without Irving this season.
- ROBB: 5 things to watch for in Celtics-Bucks, and series pick
PG: Terry Rozier
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Al Horford
C: Aron Baynes