Everything you need to know about the Bucks’ 97-86 win over the Celtics in quickie form.
Box Score
HEADLINES
Too much Giannis: The MVP candidate got off to a slow start in Game 6 (two first-quarter points) but the Greek Freak caught fire down the stretch. He scored 20 of his game-high 31 points in the second half, making an array of impressive shots from all angles against a host of Celtics defenders and added 14 rebounds. The extra offense and some timely buckets from Malcolm Brogdon (16 points) allowed the Bucks to close out the game on a 16-8 run, as the Celtics offense failed to knock down their jumpers in the closing stretch.
Where’s the offense? Outside of the second half of Game 4, the Celtics have struggled shooting the ball in Milwaukee all series long and that trend continued in Game 6. Boston looked for the 3-ball early and often (37 attempts) but managed to shoot a paltry 27.8 percent from the field from downtown and 37 percent overall from the field. The Bucks' shot blocking was limited (three) but the strategy is a risky one if shots are not going to fall. That was the case in Game 6.
TURNING POINT
The Celtics' offense hit the skids midway through the second quarter after leading for the first 18 minutes of the game. They closed out the frame with just two points over the final five minutes, opening the door for the hosts to close out the half with a 14-2 run and take a nine-point lead at halftime. The Celtics cut into this lead on several occasions but were forced to play catch up for the remainder of the night after this lull.
ONE UP
Terry Rozier in the first half: The athletic guard shook off his ugly shooting woes in Milwaukee over games 3 and 4 to serve as the main source of offense for the Celtics in the first half. He had a game-high 14 points at the half, and was 4-of-7 from 3-point range. He continues to outplay Eric Bledsoe in this series on the offensive end but it wasn’t enough on a night the C’s shot 37 percent from the field.
TWO DOWN
Jaylen Brown in the first half: The Celtics’ leading scorer this postseason was a ghost in the first half after hitting the first shot of the game. He took just two more attempts over the rest of his 18 minutes early, and delivered zeros across the box score (rebounds, assists, steals, blocks). Part of the blame has to go for the C’s supporting cast doing a little too much shooting on their own (Morris, Smart) but Brown failed to make his imprint on any part of the game early.
Celtics’ transition defense: The Bucks had trouble generating looks against the Celtics in the halfcourt, but they wreaked havoc against Boston off misses and turnovers throughout the first half, outscoring Boston by a whopping 21-0 on fast break points over the opening 24 minutes. The easy looks they generated around the basket helped them shot 53 percent from the field over that stretch and 13-of-19 shooting in the paint.
TOP PLAY
BIG AL‼️‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/fP1Ys8IccK
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 27, 2018