Everything you need to know about the Bucks beating the Celtics 123-116 with BSJ insight and analysis
Box Score
HEADLINES
Third quarter defense dooms Celtics again: One game after watching the Bucks erupt with a 24-2 third-quarter run, the Celtics defense fell apart at the seams for the second straight game in the third period. Giannis Anteokounmpo scored a game-high 32 points to lead five different Bucks in double figures as the visitors turned in a 40-point third quarter to take control of the game in a 123-116 victory. Kyrie Irving had a team-high 29 points for the Celtics to lead six different players in double figures but they could not keep pace on the offensive end with Milwaukee, who shot a scorching hot 64 percent from the field in the third quarter with 17 free-throw attempts mixed in to build a double-digit lead that was maintained throughout the fourth quarter. Bench guards George Hill (21 points) and Pat Connaughton (14 points) proved to be key difference makers in the outburst as they helped the Bucks bench outscore the Celtics 41-16 in the victory. Jayson Tatum (20 points) and Jaylen Brown (18 points) chipped in with big efforts but the 18 turnovers led to 28 Bucks points, and the Celtics were crushed in the paint (52-24), giving the Bucks the 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.
Celtics get heated with the officials: After watching Antetokounmpo get to the free throw line 22 times (ties a career-high), the Celtics were heated for the majority of the second half with the officiating. The Greek Freak rightfully earned a majority of those calls but there were a number of ticky-tack whistles that went against Boston that ultimately resulted in a fourth-quarter technical on Jayson Tatum and plenty of angry words from Brad Stevens. With Semi Ojeleye picking up five fouls in just 11 minutes while two other starters (Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris) being limited by foul trouble, the Celtics were not allowed to play physical and saw their defense get picked apart because of it.
Homecourt advantage lost again: The defeat puts the Bucks back in the driver's seat heading into Game 4, giving them a 2-1 advantage with the potential backdrop of starting guard Malcolm Brogdon returning to the series. The pressure will ramp up for Boston in Game 4 in what will be a must-win game for the C's to have a realistic chance of pulling out this series.
TURNING POINT
The Bucks took control of the game at the end of the third quarter with a 12-0 run behind the hot shooting of Hill, who was the second top scorer off the bench for the Bucks with 21 points off the pine including two crucial 3s in the midst of the huge outburst.
TWO UP
Irving in the first quarter: The All-Star scored 13 points in the first quarter on 4-of-7 shooting, including knocking down his first four free throws of the series in the final two minutes of the frame. He scored nearly half of Boston's 30 points in the opening frame, helping them jump out to a 10-2 run to start the game and a five-point lead after one.
Marcus Morris: The veteran forward has been red-hot from the field to start the series. He knocked down four of his first five shots in the first half, including all three from beyond the arc to score 11 points while also grabbing a team-high six rebounds before the break. Through the first three games of the series, he's shooting 70 percent from the field and 63 percent from 3-point range (7-of-11).
TWO DOWN
Celtics' bench: Stevens leaned heavily on his starters in the early going and did so for good reason after a paltry offensive output by the second unit. Hayward, Rozier, Ojeleye and Baynes combined to go 1-of-7 from the field in the first half, scoring just three points in total while being outscored 19-3 by the Bucks bench. That disadvantage helped Milwaukee stay in the game early despite hot shooting from Boston's starters and they eventually outscored Boston by a 41-16 margin on the night
Eric Bledsoe: The point guard continues to look like a net negative for the Bucks in most playoff games against the C's. He missed nine of his first 11 shots on Friday night while piling up three fouls. His offensive decision making was out of control for much of the night and the Celtics took advantage in his limited minutes for much of the night as he finished just 4-for-15 from the field.
TOP PLAY
JB FROM THE RAFTERS ☠️ pic.twitter.com/wNbdXkTU09
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 4, 2019
TWO TAKES B-ROBB WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
Giannis is probably going to shoot more free throws himself than the Celtics in this series: The likely MVP is always going to get the benefit of the doubt with the whistle, but his ability to pile up free throws in this series is going to be a challenge for the Celtics to keep pace with. Semi Ojeleye played some admirable defense in limited minutes but picked up four fouls (two questionable) in just seven minutes). The Celtics are going to need to get smaller in how they make attack Antetokounmpo attack, taking away his right hand more while surprising him with double teams at different teams, something they did with some success in Game 1. Otherwise, the free throw discrepancy is not one they are going to be able to overcome in this series.
Gordon Hayward has lost some assertiveness at the wrong time: After weeks of progress towards the end of the regular season, the Celtics have only seen the passive version of the former All-Star in the last two games at a time when they have needed him the most. He's been unable to get any kind of meaningful separation in mismatches over the last two games and while he's been looking to make the right play in the paint, the team needs him to show more aggression to punish a Bucks team for their switching. The only way the Celtics are going to win this series is if they can take advantage of mismatches and that starts with Hayward. If he's unable to punish the likes of Mirotic, Ilyasova and Lopez, the Celtics are not going to be able to manufacture enough consistent firepower to win this series with a lack of playable options left down the bench.