The champions have fallen. Despite 25 points and 20 rebounds from Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks were largely beaten by the Boston Celtics this Sunday in Game 7 of the second round of the play-offs (109-81). The Celtics join the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Still deprived of Khris Middleton (hit in the knee) for this game 7, the task was going to be complicated for the Bucks. Yet from the start of the match, Milwaukee took the lead. Thanks to a dazzling Antetokounmpo (10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists) in the first quarter, the Bucks inflicted a 10-0 on the Celtics. This is the biggest gap of the game in favor of Milwaukee. Because from the second quarter, Boston, pushed by the supporters of the TD Garden, took the advantage and concluded the first period in front with the score 32-30. Only downside, the three faults of Jayson Tatum.
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Antetokounmpo too lonely against the Celtics collective
The start of the second half was arguably the turning point of the game. Boston, in three-point success, took advantage of the spaces left by Milwaukee. Despite Tatum’s exit after his fourth foul, the Celtics widened the gap against the defending champion. Grant Williams (27 points, 6 rebounds), took over from Tatum with a great success at three bridges at this time of the match.
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The Bucks who seemed, like last season’s MVP, physically borrowed, were lacking in efficiency in their shots. Unlike his opponent, Boston could rely on a powerful bench, like the entry of Payton Pritchard (14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists).
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At the start of the last quarter, the molten TD Garden understood that their team was going to join a conference final for the first time since 2018. The meeting ended with a gap of 28 points in favor of the Celtics (109-81). Boston, which has not played in the NBA Finals since 2010, will face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The other Game 7 of the evening, between the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks, will start at 2 p.m. Sunday night through Monday.
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