The Celtics torture Giannis

Things are not going well for the Bucks even though their record is positive. Specifically, 10-5 after the defeat against one of their direct rivals, the Celtics who are 12-3 and dominate the Eastern Conference with an iron fist.. But that is not the only problem for the Milwaukee franchise: the feelings are bad, Khris Middleton’s level is worrying, Damian Lillard’s adaptation is intermittent… Many complex situations that have worsened today with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had a discussion public with his coach in the third quarter. Adrian Griffin tried to introduce his star, at that time on the bench, onto the court for Bobby Portis, to which the Greek refused. A subsequent conversation with bad faces aired the situation so that Giannis finally entered, this time for Brook Lopez and not for Portis. Bad thing.

The scene could have been anecdotal if it weren’t for the difficult situation the Bucks are experiencing and because it took place at the beginning of the season. On the one hand, the signing of Adrian Griffin It was done with the approval of Antetokounmpo, just like the signing of Lillard, the star demanded by the franchise player to take a leap forward. This led Mike Budenholzer’s departure first and that of Jrue Holiday later, in the transfer in which the new point guard arrived from Portland. And although the coach’s goodbye was a foregone conclusion, no matter how much he was the maker of the 2021 ring, the first for the entity in 50 years, the second move was very risky due to the good work of Holiday, a very confident man who works in the two sides of the track, and the landing of a Lillard accustomed to doing what he wanted in his 11 years in the Blazerswhere he earned that reputation as a great player on a team that never aspired to much more than the playoffs.

Giannis, who had been sat by Griffin for a double, stayed leaning on the scoreboard instead of going to the bench, forcing his coach to reintroduce him but refusing to do so for Portis. Something that could have been left for social networks if it were not for the victory of the Celtics (119-116) in a game with a misleading result, which the greens dominated from the beginning, without allowing a single visitor advantage and going on to win 21. And not only that: the Bucks’ rival was one of those against whom you have to convince and also, the one with Jrue Holiday, who was traded first to the Blazers and finally to Massachusetts. And although it was not the guard’s best game in attack (5 points and 8 rebounds), his great wisdom allowed him to defend in first person or help on Lillard (27+5+5, but with 3 of 10 in triples) and tie a very important moral victory for the Celtics.

Choralism was the common denominator of Joe Mazzula’s team: 26 points from Jaylen Brown, 23+11+4 from Jayson Tatum and 21 from Kristaps Porzingis. They shot above 50% on field goals and 40% on three-pointers, thus compensating for their 15 losses. And they dried out Giannis, who ended up unhinged and giving up the last possessions to a Lillard who played the same way when he was right as when he wasn’t. The Greek scored 21 points and 13 rejections, remaining at a poor 7 of 20 in field goals and 0 of 3 in triples. Overcome by the voluminous positions that the Celtics put in the zone and the physicality that later allowed them to reach the assists in the triples, there was no chance. No ball movement that would allow free throws, something that Lillard focuses on a lot without allowing distribution: he throws 9 per night, too many so that the game does not suffer. Something that, against a high-level rival like the Celtics, always ends up happening.

The Bucks, who got a misleading result and had slim chances at the end, need a break in the thinking corner. Giannis has already renewed in a million-dollar way, but now things have to work. Griffin has a lot to prove to escape the accusation, turned into an accusation, of having been hand-picked by Antetokounmpo and not by the franchise’s management. And Lillard has to get used to the fact that this team is not his and that there is a different way of playing basketball than what he was used to on the Blazers. All that and much more the Bucks must do, who forget in one fell swoop the good vibes coming from the 5 consecutive victories they had and take a step back, not because of the defeat, but because of the rival and the image shown. And if that is added to the moment starring Giannis and Griffin, but still. One more time: bad thing.

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