After their triumphant ride against the Brooklyn Nets (4-0), the Boston Celtics they came face to face with the strong defense of the Milwaukee Buckswho won this Sunday with forcefulness the first game of this Eastern semifinal (89-101).
As expected, Celtics y Bucks They met in a very physical and demanding fight, with an immense fight for each ball and with the defenses suffocating the attacks from the first minute.
There they were victorious Bucksvery athletic and fully concentrated to reduce to about Celtics who stayed away from that rocky and tireless team that has amazed in the NBA this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (triple-double of 24 points, with 9 of 25 shots and 6 of 11 free throws, 13 rebounds and 12 assists) was together with Jrue Holiday (25 points and 9 rebounds) the leader of some Bucks very hardworking and in which guerrillas like Brook López and Wes Matthews also stood out in defense.
The formidable intimidation of the Bucks in painting forced the Celtics to resort to the perimeter with poor results (18 of 50 in triples, 10 of 34 in shots of two).
Especially disappointing were the performances of Jayson Tatum (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Jaylen Brown (12 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists).
the dominican Al Horfordwho made a very worthy defense against Antetokounmpo, contributed 12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and 2 blocks in 36 minutes for the Celtics.
The Spanish Serge Ibaka and the Argentine Luca Vildoza played the last minute of the match when it was already decided for some Bucks in which Khris Middleton is still injured.
Game 2 of this series will also be played in Boston on Tuesday before traveling to Milwaukee for Games 3 and 4.
DEFENSIVE AGGRESSIVENESS
With all eyes on Tatum and Antetokounmpo, however, it was Holiday, Smart and Horford who got the game started from 3-point range.
Los Celtics they became strong in the zone (4 offensive rebounds in the first quarter), something meritorious against the three Milwaukee towers: Antetokounmpo, López and Portis.
Los Bucks they bled to death with 7 turnovers in the opening quarter, but in the last three minutes they impressively increased the intensity and aggressiveness of their defense, paralyzing the Celtics and closed the first quarter with a magnificent 2-13 (24-27).
With no news from Tatum and Brown, Pritchard energized Boston’s second unit with two 3-pointers, but Portis, Connaughton and Allen answered with seriousness on the visitors.
Strangely anxious, especially after their cold display against Brooklyn, the Celtics they did not hit the key before some Bucks sober and serene (46-56 at rest).
Antetokounmpo touched the triple-double after the first half (14 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists) against some Celtics with only 15 points between Tatum and Brown, with 9 turnovers and that they were too obsessed with the perimeter (10 of 28 in triples, 6 of 19 in shots of two).
Tatum came out to bite in the restart with two triples in a row, but the Celtics They were still very uncomfortable on the pitch.
The defensive effort of Bucks It continued in some capital levels with Holiday and Antetokounmpo making life impossible in each attack on some Celtics clearly frustrated.
With 3.37 on the clock (66-72) his chance came when Antetokounmpo had to go to the bench with four fouls.
But in that delicate moment, the Bucks They responded with strength, López became immense in the paint and Holiday took over in attack until the Greek star returned (70-78).
The comeback in the last quarter was to find as soon as possible a spark in attack that the Celtics they hadn’t deployed all afternoon.
However, a triple by Portis shaped the biggest advantage of the Bucks until then (72-87 with 8.36 to go).
There was no miracle in Boston, which also saw Antetokounmpo put the icing on the cake for Milwaukee’s victory with a tremendous dunk after collecting the ball that he himself had thrown on the board. EFE
