Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a triple double with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, Jrue Holiday added a game-high 25, and the Milwaukee Bucks earned a 101-89 win over the Boston Celtics Sunday in game one of the eastern conference semifinals from TD Garden in Boston.
All-star Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 21, but the Bucks defense swarmed and smothered the Celtics in the lane all game long, limiting the home team to 33% shooting.
“The activity everywhere was good,” according to Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. “I think defensively, the edge, the focus was appropriate, now we just gotta do it again.”
The Bucks held the Celtics scoreless over the final 2:25 of the first quarter and final 2:15 of the second quarter. Milwaukee scored 16 points during those stretches to take a 56-46 lead at the half.
“Everybody’s working so hard defensively, it’s hard to get good looks. It’s hard to get good shots,” Budenholzer continued. “We want to play fast, but we can’t play fast until we get the ball.”
Foul trouble became the Bucks reality in the third. Bobby Portis picked up is fifth and Giannis picked up his fourth with 3:37 left. Leading 72-65, the Bucks weathered the third quarter foul storm and entered the fourth quarter leading 78-70.
Budenholzer was forced to play a four-guard lineup with Brook Lopez at center.
“Brook really gave us a stretch there where he was playing with four small guys,” added Budenholzer. “We gotta be good when we’re big, we gotta be good when we’re kinda regular, we gotta be good when we downsize. That’s the challenge for our team.”
Playing his way through a portion of the second half with four fouls, Giannis’s tenth assist was a thing of beauty. A transition whip pass to Bobby Portis who calmly stroked a corner three to give the Bucks a commanding 87-72 forcing a Celtics timeout.
Later in the fourth, Giannis was at it again. Stymied in the lane, Giannis, on an up and under move from the elbow, tossed the ball off the backboard and hammered it home with a vicious two-hand jam that left the crowd buzzing.
“That’s just pure talent, pure instinct…I’m glad he’s on our side,” Budenholzer concluded.
With the win, the Bucks successfully rip home court advantage away from the Celtics heading into game two Tuesday night.
Tuesday night’s game will tip at 6:00pm central time with coverage beginning at 5:30 on WTMJ.
