Defending champs lock down Boston in taking Game 1 of Eastern Conference semifinals

The Milwaukee Bucks opened their second round Jap Conference playoff sequence with the Boston Celtics with an emphatic, 101-89, victory at TD Backyard, with the defending NBA champions placing on an extraordinary defensive hard work in the residence of the league’s best-rated defensive device.

Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 2nd job playoff triple-double (24 details, 13 rebounds, 12 helps), the Bucks gained their fourth straight recreation devoid of hurt all-star Khris Middleton by the moment once more going “big” with Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis in the starting lineup.

But instead than rotate in a 4-wing substitution pattern as he did towards Chicago in the very first round, Bucks head mentor Mike Budenholzer kept at least one huge man in the match through to offset Boston’s potent interior presence of Al Horford and Robert Williams III.

The even bigger bodies and energetic perimeter protection led by Jrue Holiday getaway and Wesley Matthews harassed Celtics stars Jayson Tatum (21 points on 6 of 18 capturing) and Jaylen Brown (12 on 4 of 13) all afternoon.

“The exercise everywhere you go was very good,” Budenholzer said of the defensive energy. “Giannis, Brook, Bobby, all those fellas seriously owning to do equally — they’ve got to play the paint, they’ve received to enjoy the three-position line.

“Our guards gotta do the exact same factor, our guards gotta limit penetration, limit alternatives. I believe defensively the edge, the concentrate, was appropriate. We just gotta do it yet again coming back on Tuesday.”

Portis had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds although Lopez added 10 rebounds, 6 factors and three blocked pictures.

Grayson Allen ongoing his sturdy perform on the two finishes of the court for the Bucks with 11 details and a few steals while Pat Connaughton (8 details) and Jevon Carter (7) joined him off the bench.

BOX Score: Bucks 101, Celtics 89

Linked: Twitter compares Giannis Antetokounmpo to Magic in very first fifty percent

Activity 2 is in Boston on Tuesday night time at 6 p.m.

The victory was also the Bucks initially on the road in a Recreation 1 since the 2016-17 playoffs in Toronto (excluding the “bubbled” playoffs in 2020).

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The Bucks shut out the victory by stretching a 78-70 guide at the start off of the quarter to as numerous as 17 in the opening 5 ½ minutes thanks to a 14-5 operate that saw them shut out Tatum and Brown in that period. From there, the Celtics just could not muster up adequate firepower – nor make ample stops – to mount a respectable comeback.

“Defensively, sure,” Antetokounmpo claimed of location a tone in profitable Video game 1.

“Defensively we were there tonight. It commences from all people, from Jrue, from Wes, from me and Brook, Bobby, every person that measures on the floor we’ve obtained to like have that individual pleasure and preserve men in front of us and then as a workforce we’ve received to complete with the rebound.

“At the stop of the day, no matter what happened on offense — we are heading to rating the ball, we’re going to convert the ball over, it does not subject who’s heading to shoot — defensively we’ve bought to do it jointly. We have obtained to make it as challenging as doable for them.”

More: Can the Milwaukee Bucks keep it rolling without the need of Khris Middleton? So significantly, the solution is certainly.

Much more: Bucks put together for Celtics’ defensive maestro – a main defender, decisive helper, off-ball irritant and selective demand-taker

Additional: Nickel: Silence is golden for the Bucks’ Pat Connaughton when he goes house to Boston and TD Backyard garden

The Bucks took a 56-46 guide at the fifty percent inspite of a gradual offensive begin that noticed them switch the ball in excess of constantly and Holiday getaway be known as for two early fouls. But, the defending champions settled into the game on equally finishes of the court, and have been led by Antetokounmpo’s 14-position, 7-support work as he played 20 minutes.

Antetokounmpo couldn’t get numerous shots to fall (5-for-13) but was a robust distributor, aiding the Bucks make 10 of their 20 three-tips and conquer a 9-turnover half. All 8 Bucks who performed, scored, and Allen came off the bench to add 9 points.

Tatum also struggled from the subject (3-for-10) and he and Horford led the Celtics with nine very first fifty percent details. Boston also turned it over nine instances but also experienced 11 points off 7 offensive rebounds.

The Celtics played with momentum early in the recreation and used an 8- run in the initial quarter to choose a 19-12 direct, but the Bucks strike 3 threes in the ultimate 2:46 to just take a 27-24 lead immediately after one particular quarter.

In the 2nd quarter the Bucks made use of the deep ball to build some distance with a trio of triples from Allen and Matthews stretching a 36-34 direct to 45-37. Boston cut it to 45-43 but above the closing 3 minutes of the fifty percent Milwaukee went on a 11-3 run.

Celtics guard Marcus Smart exited the match with 1:12 to go in the 1st fifty percent favoring his ideal shoulder, but he returned to heat up at halftime. The newly crowned Defensive Participant of the Year experienced 7 details on 2 of 6 taking pictures (which includes 1 of 4 from at the rear of the three-level line) with a steal and a single drawn cost in the opening half.

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This short article initially appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks 101, Celtics 89: Defending champs lock down Boston in Activity 1