BSJ Game Report: Celtics 139, Bucks 118 - Tatum & Brown turn it on in 3rd and 4th to blow out Bucks

Everything you need to know about the Celtics win over the Milwaukee Bucks with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics came out hot and built an early lead against the Bucks thanks to some hot 3-point shooting. Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez had big second quarters to keep the game close (only 1 point at halftime), but Jayson Tatum went off for 20 in the third and the Jaylen Brown/Grant Williams combination closed it out in the fourth. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

Shooting touch returns: The Celtics shot less than 32% from 3 in six of the previous seven games, but their hot shooting returned against Milwaukee with a 48.7% (19-39) night. The Celtics of the start of the season were back, and they generated good looks which fell, especially in opportune times. 

The little things add up: The Celtics were able to get out in transition, scoring 22 points off 15 Bucks turnovers. Joe Mazzulla had talked about those little things being the key to getting back on track. 

“They only had eight offensive rebounds, we kept them out of transition, and they're a team that gets to the free throw line and we work just as hard to get to the free throw line,” he said. “So I think that has to become the identity of our team, is really working to win those factors consistently whether we shoot the ball good or not. And I think our last two games, we've kind of done that.”

Message sent: These messages are fleeting, but the Celtics did make a pretty big statement against a team many see as their biggest competition to get out of the East. No, they didn’t have Khris Middleton, so that would change the calculus in a different matchup, but these are still the top two teams in the whole league at this point. The Celtics grabbing the win is a reminder that even with the recent struggles, they're still capable of a big explosion. 

TURNING POINT

The Celtics had just wrapped up a monster third quarter where they turned a one-point lead into 14, but the Bucks opened up the fourth with a layup while Boston turned the ball over twice. Then Joe Ingles hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 9 and things were feeling a little uneasy in the Garden. Over the past couple of weeks, this would have been a set up for Milwaukee’s comeback. 

Instead, Brown found Grant Williams in the corner for a 3-pointer, and then Robert Williams for an alley oop dunk that pushed it back up to 14 and forced a timeout. They turned that into a 10-0 run and a 19-point lead. 

“It seemed like they were going on a little bit of a run and our offense answered every single time,” Brown said “Those are the times that it matters most, start of the fourth quarter, end of the third can have a big difference on the game.”

Alternate turning point: If you want to say “well, John, Milwaukee actually made another run and cut it to 12 again so that didn’t exactly put the game away,” then fine. How about Brown scoring 10 straight Celtics points and 13 of 17 to ice it? You happy now?

SIX UP

Jayson Tatum: 41 points on 14-22 shooting (3-7 3pt) and a perfect 10-10 from the line. He also had 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and just 1 turnover. 

Oh, and this monster dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo: 

“It’s fun playing on national TV, it’s fun playing on Christmas. Those matchups are fun,” Tatum, who seems to have had some fun, said after the game. “You get to play against the other best players, and it just raises your level of play. The competition is exciting, but that’s the game that you live for. The moments, the matchups. If you can’t get up for those games, then you’re probably in the wrong profession.”

He played the entire second and third quarters. 

Jaylen Brown: He was alright through three quarters but I didn’t see anything that told me he was having anymore more than an okay game. Then he went off for 13 in the fourth to put the game away, hitting 5-7 from the field (2-3 3pt) and adding 3 assists. 

“Joe is always putting an emphasis on getting me involved starting the fourth quarter, starting us off right,” Brown said. “I wanted to come out and make sure that offense was clicking on all cylinders, defensively we were doing our job.”

Al Horford: His shooting is back. He followed up a 5-10 night against Minnesota with a 3-6 night against Milwaukee. Obviously, though, his biggest contribution was spearheading the defense against Antetokounmpo. Giannis had 27, but he shot 41%, only had 3 assists, and was a -27. 

“We're fortunate to have great matchups for him,” Mazzulla said of limiting Antetokounmpo. “We're fortunate to have the ability to throw some different guys at him. And I thought we were just disciplined in our execution as far as 8-for-12 from the free throw line is solid and I thought transition was solid.”

Marcus Smart: He took four shots, no 3-pointers, and scored only 6 points but he had a game-high 8 assists. 

“I thought he was one of the more impactful players on the floor because of his poise and his ability to see the floor,” Mazzulla said. “He gets our guys open, he gets us organized and where the matchup is and what action we're going to use to create the advantage. I think his play has gone unnoticed because of how poised he's playing. He's doing a great job."

Grant Williams: I consider his fourth-quarter corner 3 a clutch basket. He added another one later where he hit a shoulder shimmy, which is patently outrageous for him. But he had a good reason for it. 

“Oh, yeah. That was for my guy Demetri,” Williams explained. “He's just recovering from a brain tumor that he had surgery on. He's in recovery right now. He's doing a phenomenal job. And he said that before he got diagnosed — He got diagnosed four days before he went to college and he's been in recovery now for like a year or so. So he's doing so much better and he said you should do the Demitri Shuffle. So I forgot about it after my first three, second three goes, I forgot, I was like, 'Oh my goodness, I gotta make one more.' I gotta make a three because I told him I would. When I hit the third, I tried my best impersonation. And I thought people were gonna confused with Antoine Walker, but that was the Demitri Shuffle.”

ZERO DOWN

I’m being generous today. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night 

TOP PLAYS

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- They didn’t try to do too much, and Tatum and Brown were able to bury the Bucks

Brown had four turnovers, Tatum had one, but Brown only had one in the second half and Tatum had none. 

Boston’s stars were able to dominate the game without dominating possessions. They were able to get off the ball when something wasn’t there, and they were able to take advantage of opportunities that were. 

I don’t want to belabor a point I make often here, but this is where Tatum and Brown are supposed to live. Brown especially showed that poise and patience early in the fourth by giving the ball up to each of the Williamses at times where he might have otherwise tried to score. By doing so, he opened things up for himself later.

We talk about trust a lot, and always in terms of trusting teammates to do the right thing. We rarely talk about trusting the game to show you what it needs. Brad Stevens mentioned it the other day, and it’s an under-discussed element of basketball. 

The game will dictate what you should do … if you’re in tune with the game and not in your own head. 

“Last game, I played the first three quarters not playing well and came out in the fourth quarter and had a big fourth quarter,” Brown said after the game. “Similar tonight, playing against a better team in Milwaukee and playing the game, staying with the game, always constantly focusing on what's in front of you. 

“A lot of the time, it's me vs. me out there and the opponent doesn't really matter. When I get into that rhythm and that flow, I don't think its anything anybody can do with me. When I'm overthinking, that's when I get into a little bit of trouble. That comes with basketball, that comes with life, that comes with humanity so you just come out and put your best foot forward and see what you got.”

In a lot of ways, shutting your brain off is the best thing to do during a game. To quote Yoda, “do or do not. There is no try.” Stop worrying or wondering or whatever it is and just play ball. Sometimes, the game will demand passes. Sometimes, it will require shooting and scoring. It will guide players to the right play. They just have to make them. Tatum and Brown made them … and they didn’t have to force anything.