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BOSTON – The 2 prime groups within the Japanese Convention went head-to-head for the third time this 12 months on Thursday night time at TD Backyard, however the extremely anticipated nationally televised recreation between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks misplaced some luster all through the day as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Vacation have been dominated out.
However the groups nonetheless placed on a present, with the Bucks practically erasing a 21-point fourth quarter deficit earlier than the Celtics pulled out a 122-119 win within the remaining seconds.
Bobby Portis scored 14 fourth quarter factors and acquired his group to 116-114 with 32 seconds left with a runner that drew a whistle, however he missed the free throw and Jaylen Brown countered with two bonus free throws with 20 ticks remaining. After Damian Lillard missed a troublesome layup try over Brown on the opposite finish, Jayson Tatum added two extra free throws with 12.1 seconds left to successfully seal the sport by placing the Celtics up six.
“He was nice,” Middleton mentioned of Portis. “He performs with plenty of power, plenty of effort, acquired sizzling and everyone knows as soon as he will get sizzling maintain attempting to play by him. He did a fantastic job of conserving us within the recreation and bringing us again.”
The victory gave the Celtics a 2-1 season sequence lead on the Bucks. They play one another one remaining time within the common season on April 9 in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee fell to 17-18 on the street.
BOX SCORE:Celtics 122, Bucks 119
Lillard led the Bucks with 32 factors on 11-of-21 capturing, together with 6 of 10 from behind the three-point line. Portis added 24 factors and 15 rebounds off the bench. Khris Middleton had 22 factors, six assists and 6 rebounds. Brook Lopez and Jae Crowder have been tormented by foul bother and mixed for 15 factors.
“There’s no ethical victories or nothing like that,” Lillard mentioned of enjoying with out Antetokounmpo. “We needed to win the sport no matter who’s on the ground as a result of we expect we acquired a ok group regardless, as we’ve proven. We’ve been saying it’s in regards to the journey and us pushing in the direction of the group we wish to grow to be and on the proper time of the season and that is a part of that.
“Clearly enjoying 16 video games with out Khris we needed to proceed to discover a manner and lean on guys to step up and sort of fill that gap collectively and so they did. And now enjoying with out our greatest participant, it’s the identical. We gotta have the identical mentality, we gotta be assured and we gotta look across the room and see we acquired plenty of depth, we acquired expertise, we acquired guys that may get lots performed. And that’s been our mentality.
“However I feel after we grow to be entire as we shut out the season all of those experiences and all the adversity that we’ve had over the course of the season I feel it’ll shine vibrant within the moments that we want it to.”
Boston received its seventh straight recreation, its second-longest win streak of the season, to enhance to 55-14. The Celtics had already clinched a playoff spot and the victory gave them an Atlantic Division title. Milwaukee dropped to 44-25 and so they instantly head house to face the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night time at Fiserv Discussion board.
Tatum scored 23 of his 31 factors within the first half to steer the Celtics whereas Brown (21), Kristaps Porziņģis (17), Derrick White (23) and Payton Pritchard (19) additionally reached double figures.
Bucks can’t recover from hump in second half
Lillard and Malik Beasley opened the third quarter by hitting 2 three-pointers apiece, and the two-minute flurry helped pull the Bucks to inside 73-68. However Brown hit a 3 of his personal to stem the tide, after which adopted with a basket off a Milwaukee offensive foul to go up 10. A Middleton bucket saved the Bucks considerably related at 78-70, however then the Celtics ripped off an 18-6 over the subsequent 5 minutes of the quarter to successfully put the sport away and go up 20 factors. The Bucks didn’t make one other three-pointer till Pat Connaughton knocked one down with 27 seconds left to make it 101-83 Celtics.
Milwaukee acquired to inside 10 factors on two events within the fourth quarter, down 104-94 with 7:40 to go and 107-97 over a minute later. And though the Bucks had performed job of limiting Tatum within the second half by sending a second physique, Tatum discovered the open teammate in White for key three-pointers to maintain the Bucks at arm’s size.
“We knew that they win once they make threes and we simply didn’t near the physique plenty of occasions off our turnovers,” Lillard mentioned. “We allow them to get second and third alternatives on the glass and it simply led to threes. You let a group like this, one of the best group within the league, get threes – particularly to start out the sport at house and be ok with themselves – it’s going to be an uphill battle.”
Portis made three consecutive baskets to chop the deficit to 110-103 with just below three minutes to go, however Tatum scored his first factors of the second half with a pair of free throws and a driving basket between missed three-pointers by Portis and Lillard. Then, when Tatum was pressured into a troublesome jumper, Porziņģis collected an offensive rebound and slammed it house emphatically.
Milwaukee stayed with it, however finally could not get the ultimate mixture of a cease and a bucket to sq. the sport or take a lead.
Tatum went 6 for six from the free throw line within the fourth quarter.
“It was a kind of video games the place they maintain getting the lead, we saved combating again,” Rivers mentioned. “So far as that, you like that. We did maintain combating. We find yourself capturing the ball higher than them tonight. I assumed our zone was actually efficient, mixing again zone, man. It made them hesitate what they have been working. That helped us.
“We had plenty of self-inflicted wounds tonight with turnovers, offensive rebounds, dangerous possessions. Then dangerous possessions defensively, switching after we shouldn’t change, fouling late. However all these are nice issues for us to look at movie and to study and get higher at. So, this can be a actually good studying alternative for us is the way in which I take a look at it.”
Khris Middleton seems to be good in return from damage
In his second recreation again from a severely sprained left ankle that sidelined him for 16 video games, Middleton performed just below 33 minutes in opposition to Boston and scored 22 factors on 8-of-11 capturing, together with a 2-for-3 mark from behind the three-point line.
“Felt nice general,” he mentioned after the sport. “I assumed my wind was there for essentially the most half. A few of these longer stretches I acquired a bit drained and fatigued, however that’s a part of it, that’s a part of getting again in form, that’s a part of basketball typically. Simply gotta discover a technique to get by it.”
This got here after scoring 22 factors on 8-of-15 capturing in just below 26 minutes in opposition to Phoenix on Sunday.
The 32-year-old Middleton had averaged 17.1 factors, 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per recreation from Dec. 7 by Feb. 3 earlier than injuring his ankle on Feb. 6. In his final full recreation earlier than the damage, he logged 38 minutes in a win over Dallas on Feb. 3.
“The quantity was 30 tonight, so two additional minutes,” Rivers mentioned. “That wasn’t that dangerous. He felt nice. He needed to remain in. I hated to take him out that one stretch (within the fourth quarter). He simply made a shot and however we’re his minutes and we needed to take him out. Our entire thought was if we made a run we may have him for the final three minutes however he sat for like six minutes, so he acquired put in a troublesome scenario.”
Earlier than the sport Rivers was noncommittal about Middleton having the ability to play Thursday night time in opposition to Brooklyn, nevertheless. The three-time all-star performed in back-to-back video games simply as soon as this season, on Jan. 3-4 – and he appeared in simply over 15 first half minutes within the second recreation.
Turnovers put Bucks behind early
Earlier than the sport Rivers mentioned a key for his group in opposition to Boston can be to resist the Celtics early offensive punch, and so they did simply that after falling behind 23-12 however rallying to a five-point deficit after the primary quarter.
Milwaukee would then survive one other run, as Boston would push their result in 18 factors with 4 minutes, 6 seconds left within the first half. However, the Bucks acquired to inside 9 factors earlier than the Celtics took a 69-56 lead at halftime.
Although the Celtics shot 10-for-21 (47.6%) from behind the three-point line, they have been in a position to construct their lead – and maintain the Bucks from actually closing – by forcing 9 turnovers and scoring 11 factors off Milwaukee’s errors.
The Bucks’ margin for error was already skinny with out Antetokounmpo and in opposition to one of the best group within the league – with one of the best house document – they couldn’t afford to provide away possessions. And a few of them have been a results of maybe attempting too exhausting, like Crowder throwing an inbound go away out of a timeout, Middleton lobbing a go to Portis that was simply too excessive, or passes into the submit that needed to discover their manner by too many arms.
Then after the Bucks hit a quartet of three-pointers to open the second half and get to inside 73-68, an offensive foul by Lopez and an errant Lillard go helped the Celtics to a 78-68 result in gradual Milwaukee’s momentum within the quarter. By way of three quarters, Boston scored 16 factors on 14 Bucks turnovers.
“It matched (the deficit) all through the sport for essentially the most half. And it’s one factor in the event that they have been like pressured. We had some dangerous ones tonight. So, we’ll watch it. We’ll see it,” Rivers mentioned. “I assumed there have been stretches the place we acquired caught offensively and at any time when we did that’s normally when a turnover occurred. These video games, they’re good learners for our guys. I assumed there have been stretches the place everybody was attempting to do an excessive amount of. And also you don’t want to try this.
“Simply do your job, do what you’re imagined to do, transfer the ball, maintain enjoying and it really works out for you. I assumed one of the best a part of the fourth quarter I assumed we trusted that and that’s what occurred.”
Milwaukee cleaned that up within the fourth quarter, which helped spark their comeback by turning it over simply as soon as.
“As soon as we began to care for the ball and do the issues that we talked about on the degree that we talked about doing ‘em, we see how the sport modified and we gave ourselves an opportunity,” Lillard mentioned. “It was an uphill battle. For us we wish to maintain pushing ahead it doesn’t matter what’s happening and we did. Like I mentioned, we gave ourselves an opportunity we simply got here up quick.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo misses second straight recreation with damage
Antetokounmpo started Wednesday as questionable to play with left hamstring tendinopathy, however the MVP candidate did make the journey to Boston, though he was formally dominated out later within the afternoon.
“He is feeling good, not nice,” Rivers mentioned earlier than the sport. “These issues are one thing you do not take an opportunity on. Particularly now. It wasn’t very exhausting. Giannis most likely would’ve come if it was as much as him, however these are those you simply need to say no and let him get higher. You simply needn’t journey. It is a one-day journey, , the way in which we checked out it. We left one among our coaches again to work him out. He labored out at the moment. Not exhausting, however he did some capturing and stuff. It is only a higher manner of treating it.”
Antetokounmpo missed the Bucks’ win over Phoenix on Sunday with soreness within the hamstring after going by pregame warmups. Rivers wasn’t able to name the hamstring difficulty an “damage” earlier than the sport in opposition to the Suns, and famous it might give Antetokounmpo 5 days off earlier than the Celtics recreation. Antetokounmpo did some “mild” work in observe on Tuesday.
“It’s unlucky however I feel guys, hate to say it, are accustomed to it,” Middleton mentioned. “They’ve acquired a possibility to step up and play large minutes however for essentially the most half guys have. I assumed tonight we did a fantastic job of nonetheless enjoying our recreation, facilitating the ball, Dame doing what he does, I’m attempting to do what I do to assist all people on the market. It was the carryover from Phoenix. Simply gotta maintain enjoying the appropriate manner. When Giannis comes again, similar factor, maintain laying the appropriate manner and know we acquired one other dominant man prepared to come back again and assist us out.”
The 29-year-old mentioned he first felt a problem within the muscle when enjoying in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers on March 10, and he performed the subsequent two video games in Sacramento and in opposition to Philadelphia.
“You don’t play with calves and hamstrings,” Antetokounmpo mentioned after the win over the 76ers on March 14. “They’re shaky. You may really feel like a pressure or regardless of the case could also be and it’s (small) and it will get larger and larger and larger. So, that’s just about going to be longer out. So that you don’t mess with stuff like that.”
The ahead’s absence implies that Rivers has had his “large three” of Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Lillard for simply three video games since taking on – which occurred to be his first three video games in Denver (Jan. 29), in Portland (Jan. 31) and at Dallas (Feb. 3).
Middleton sat out the Feb. 4 recreation in Utah as a part of knee administration on a back-to-back, then Lillard sat out in Phoenix on Feb. 6 with an ankle sprain — solely to see Middleton severely sprain his left ankle eight minutes into that recreation. He returned to the courtroom on Sunday, which was Antetokounmpo’s first absence with the hamstring.
The Bucks return house for a recreation in opposition to Brooklyn on Thursday, which is one among their 13 remaining common season video games. The season ends in about three and a half weeks on April 14.
“Clearly you’ll like to have the three guys however you are not gonna get it, so I do not fear about it a lot,” Rivers mentioned. “I ended worrying about that a very long time in the past. You simply cannot. We do have shootarounds. We’ve got plenty of observe truly for an precise NBA group at this level as a result of have these two day issues. However once more, even on that, you hope the fellows are wholesome in order that they can observe. You may have a observe day and nobody practices so that does not assist both. It might positively assist us to have all people on the ground and all people in observe, however once more, it’s what it’s. We’ll determine it out.”
NICKEL:Giannis Antetokounmpo in MVP contention while also playing through minor injuries
5 numbers
2 First half pictures for Bucks guard Malik Beasley, together with only one three-pointer. The Bucks ran some performs for him to open the third quarter and he knocked down 2 three-pointers, which helped the Bucks pull to inside 73-68. He completed 2-for-8 for the sport for six factors. He added six rebounds.
3-2 Bucks document with out Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks beat Toronto (Nov. 15), misplaced to Cleveland (Jan. 17), beat the Los Angeles Clippers (March 4) and Phoenix (March 17).
3-5 Boston’s document in opposition to Milwaukee, Oklahoma Metropolis, Denver and Minnesota – the subsequent 4 greatest groups within the NBA. The Celtics are 52-9 in opposition to the remainder of the league.
10.5 Factors Milwaukee was as an underdog firstly of the sport after Giannis Antetokounmpo was dominated out. Per ESPN Stats & Data, it was their largest differential in a recreation since 2017.
3,449 Profession rebounds for Khris Middleton, passing Corridor of Famer Sidney Moncrief (3,447) for No. 8 all-time in franchise historical past.
REQUIRED READING:Jrue and Lauren Holiday have profound impact on city they had to leave behind
Bucks nonetheless clinging to No. 2 seed within the Japanese Convention
Regardless of the loss to the Celtics, the Bucks remained in second place within the Japanese Convention and one recreation away from Cleveland within the loss column because the Cavaliers (43-26) misplaced to Miami. The Celtics, the one group within the NBA to have clinched a playoff spot already, are barreling towards the No. 1 seed – however Rivers mentioned just lately he’s not too centered on the place his group falls by the top of the common season.
“I’ve by no means, in my total teaching profession, nervous about seedings,” he mentioned. “Both you’re ok otherwise you’re not. And that’s the underside line. I feel I’m going historical past lesson, however in 2010 when you keep in mind we elected to not play any of our guys within the final recreation, that switched us I feel from the (three) seed to the (4) seed and our guys didn’t care. We made it to the finals. In the event you’re ok, you’re ok, when you’re not, you’re not, and that’s a reality. I let you know what, I’d somewhat be wholesome sufficient. And that’s why you attempt to be sure to’re wholesome going into the playoffs. After which the second factor after well being, it’s a must to be enjoying effectively. ‘Trigger when you’re not enjoying effectively going into the playoffs you’re not going to make it both. So that you want these two issues going for you – well being and enjoying effectively.”
Rivers’ title-winning Boston group in 2007-08 was the No. 1 seed with a 66-16 document and his 2009-10 group was the fourth seed earlier than reaching the finals.
The Bucks made incomes the No. 1 seed a objective final common season and completed it with a 58-24 document. However after an damage to Giannis Antetokounmpo within the first recreation of the primary spherical of the playoffs, they have been bounced in 5 video games by the Miami Warmth.
Milwaukee additionally earned the highest seed within the East in 2018-19 (60-22) and 2019-20 (56-17) and misplaced within the convention finals and second spherical, respectively.
The Bucks have been the No. 3 seed in 2020-21 at 46-26 earlier than successful the NBA championship and the third seed in 2021-22 (51-31) earlier than shedding within the second spherical.