Eastern Conference | Round 2 | (2) Boston Celtics VS. (3) Milwaukee Bucks (TIED 2-2)

[robbie84]

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You did good...

Gotta give props to the Cs. What an amazing turn around from the start of the season.


East is a bloodbath. Top 4 teams are too damn good for a team to go cold, it will be season over.

Is it really that impressive? The Bucks are missing their second best player and primary closer. The respect should probably go that team.

Even without Middleton, the Bucks are playing good tough basketball. These are just two teams going blow for blow and this series probably goes 7

And to think that Brad Stevens (Celtics GM), swapped for Al Horford for the corpse of Kemba effing Walker and a late first round pick.
That's getting something out of nothing.

[celtxman]

Bucks gave their literal best shot and Tatum played like poop and it took a rogue call for Boston to lose. Boston ties this bad boy up in game 4

These self-rationalizations from fans after losing playoff games are hilarious. Player X went 2-14 from the field and we shot terrible from the field. The other gave their absolute best and still almost lost. Definitely gonna win next game. Guess what you might still lose next game

Let me give you the Bucks fan perspective. 36 year old Horford turned into prime Olajuwon. Celtics had double the free throws (34/17). This won t happen again. Easy W

Horkeem the Dream!

[bebopdeluxe]

Respect to the Celtics. That was impressive.

(as a Sixers fan, this is something that - at the DNA level - is very difficult to do)

You did good...

Gotta give props to the Cs. What an amazing turn around from the start of the season.


East is a bloodbath. Top 4 teams are too damn good for a team to go cold, it will be season over.

Is it really that impressive? The Bucks are missing their second best player and primary closer. The respect should probably go that team.

Bucks had the best player on the floor. They are the defending champs. Middleton or no Middleton, they will be a tough out. Celtics lose that game, and the series is probably over.

[gigantes]

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Is it really that impressive? The Bucks are missing their second best player and primary closer. The respect should probably go that team.

Even without Middleton, the Bucks are playing good tough basketball. These are just two teams going blow for blow and this series probably goes 7

I agree with your take. My point was that the Celtics should be favored to win the series with Middleton being out. It s a tough and competitive series nonetheless.

YEAH, I mean... Middleton's been OUT some series, he's been PRESENT other series, usually other stars & starters have also been out & in, just like him..

Sometimes Middleton's loss plays a factor, sometimes it's completely irrelevant.

Just-- What is that that you're ACTUALLY trying to suggest here...?

[bebopdeluxe]

I don't think it's over, but the Bucks really screwed themselves over that last quarter. It's not even that Horford went off, or that they lost the game. It's that they gave Boston the shot of confidence they needed to take control of the series.

I'd feel better about the upcoming games if they hadn't let a guy like Tatum see the ball go through the net. A lot of the game is mental, and we had him in his head. I now expect a big game from him, and that can carry over to the role players.

In this game, it was the other way around. It was Horford and Smart who made the plays that allowed Tatum to come in and clean things up at the end.

[TheLand13]

Is it really that impressive? The Bucks are missing their second best player and primary closer. The respect should probably go that team.

In the two wins the Celtics got against the Bucks, the first was without their defensive player of the year award winner, and the second was without their top defensive player. You can’t point out the Bucks not having Middleton and ignore these facts.

Middleton has not and will not play in the entire series.

Okay? And?

[GotDaSauce]

Who knew the real secret weapon for Boston would be Al Horford? Gosh what he did to Giannis was filthy and to then nail a dagger 3 in transition while anchoring both the offense and defense. Man is gonna get a nice final payday.

[th87]

Props to the Celtics. I think we're cooked.

[Cricket23]

I don't know what his numbers were but Smart was also huge in this game. It was the first game he's played this series in which he looked like himself.

[GSP]

Cant help but feel wed be up 3-1 if Udoka just **** played White in the 2nd half last game instead of watching Smart lose us the game. Derrick was 14/2/1 in 20mins team high +9. 2/3 from 3 and only saw 7 minutes in 2nd half

[AntetokounmBros]

I don't think it's over, but the Bucks really screwed themselves over that last quarter. It's not even that Horford went off, or that they lost the game. It's that they gave Boston the shot of confidence they needed to take control of the series.

I'd feel better about the upcoming games if they hadn't let a guy like Tatum see the ball go through the net. A lot of the game is mental, and we had him in his head. I now expect a big game from him, and that can carry over to the role players.

In this game, it was the other way around. It was Horford and Smart who made the plays that allowed Tatum to come in and clean things up at the end.

I'd say it was a mix of both. I'll have to watch again, but it seemed like the Bucks lost focus after that stretch where they took control of the game in the 3rd. Definitely credit to Boston for sticking with it and hitting their shots though.

Also not sure why Hill was covering Tatum at the end. Not a big fan of that.

[celticfan42487]

Each game seems like a coin flip on who will win.

This game the Celtics nearly shoot 50/40/90 and it takes all the way till about 3 minutes left to get a 10 point lead because the Bucks had 9 more offensive rebound and 7 more free throws.

Last game the Celtics shot 37% fg and 27% and Giannis goes for 40,12,8 on like 55% shooting but the Celtics still almost tie it at the buzzer because they took 17 more free throws.

Every game will have a lot of physicality and defense but other than that it always seems to come down to mainly a coin flip of who wins.

I think the Bucks lost it tonight by taking Giannis out of the game while down 4 with about 5 minutes to go in the game. If Giannis really needs a break you use a timeout. If he needs a massive break use a second timeout but sitting him out in that critical part of the game without even your second best player in the series is just disrespectful and they got punished for it.

[1st banana]

His playoff career high is lower than Giannis' average for the series.

Yea but al was 11-14 and has shot like 60% for the series and Giannis is sub 50% and 10 years younger.

Wtf does Giannis’ average have to do with al having an unbelievable game?

I was responding to your implication that Al sonned Giannis this game but I get you are being funny.

Al was incredible it was quite literally a career night for him and he's been amazing these last two games in Mlk.

It was more a reference to how he always plays so well against Giannis.

Al totally sonned him tho I stand by that.

[Ill News]

It feels wrong to say this with the Bucks missing Middleton, but the odds were really stacked against the Celtics tonight. Time Lord was a late scratch, the refs' calls have been favoring the Bucks for most of the series, they were on the road, and Tony Brothers (whom the C's almost always lose games with) is reffing the game. Yet they won a gritty fight. Couldn't be prouder of this team after it really seemed like the Bucks' physicality was breaking them down.

Al Horford should retire a Celtic.

[celtxman]

Cant help but feel wed be up 3-1 if Udoka just **** played White in the 2nd half last game instead of watching Smart lose us the game. Derrick was 14/2/1 in 20mins team high +9. 2/3 from 3 and only saw 7 minutes in 2nd half

If Smart's 3 had stayed down with about a minute left they likely win. Let's remember White has deserved to be on the bench and was 0 fer in the game before. It will be awfully nice if White continues to play well. Maybe Udoka can trust him more

[Spin Move]

Celts are able to scrape by and get the road win without Robert Williams, after barley losing the other night even with the huge free throw discrepancy they take back home court advantage. Marcus smart figured out he can play bully ball and not get whistled (as Holliday has been doing all series). Love the celts odds at this point, but it is gonna be a battle.

[Ballerhogger]

No Middleton hurts the bucks . I think this will go in 6 in favor of Boston

[slicedbread2]

Oh yes and just a little tidbit Al Horford's Father Tito played a few years in the NBA in the late 80's-early 90's and he played 2 years for the Bucks before going overseas before wrapping up his NBA career with the Bullets.

I bet you Al was giving Tatum crap about settling for 3's and jumpers having to remind him that look you got Wesley Matthews and George Hill guarding you: 2 dudes that have tons of mileage on their bodies and he should be killing them every time the Bucks throw them on him not to mention he's 6'8/6'9 and should be feasting on them. If Tatum can get his head out of his butt and stop playing so tentatively out there, Bucks are screwed especially with the fact that they don't have Middleton who's a walking 20pts/5rbs/5asts dude that can get hot in a quarter and go full Mamba when needed.

Honestly I'd keep Robert Williams III out for game 5 as quite frankly he didn't look right when he went down and if Udoka plays it right, he should use Smart to literally post up the smaller Bucks guards and get easy buckets because they got to make the game easier and you can't rely on Al Horford to keep getting 20pts/10rbs/5asts every game as Father time is undefeated though Al's game has been based on skill and high BB IQ moves.

Milwaukee should be ashamed of themselves for not getting Lopez easy shots. Giving the C's optimism was the worse thing they could've done and the way that 4th quarter begun was an omen of things to come. Gotta knock 'em out when they're on the ropes and they failed to do that. The C's literally have no size/answer for Lopez especially with Time Lord out and should've just been getting him to pin down on the mismatch and get easy buckets. Holiday had an Eric Bledsoe like performance tonight which is uncharacteristically bad especially coming from him(5-22) but the Bucks role players need to get it going.

Honestly am liking this and for Boston this may be their best chance with Middleton out because if you don't close this one out well you never know when the opportunity will strike again.

[Green89]

I don't think it's over, but the Bucks really screwed themselves over that last quarter. It's not even that Horford went off, or that they lost the game. It's that they gave Boston the shot of confidence they needed to take control of the series.

I'd feel better about the upcoming games if they hadn't let a guy like Tatum see the ball go through the net. A lot of the game is mental, and we had him in his head. I now expect a big game from him, and that can carry over to the role players.

Nah, Giannis screwed the Bucks when he mean mugged Al. You don't mean mug Al Horford.

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[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

Congratz to the Celtics. I think this game was the series. Giannis built a double digit lead in the 3rd and he was completely done energy wise after that. He couldn't even walk up the floor.

His second best player this series is 35y Wesley Matthews.
He has no 3p shooting to space the floor for him.
He has no point guard to help him score.
It's Giannis take the ball and beat boston every single time.

Respect to Holford who keeps keeping you alive with his elite shot making.

Good to see Matthews getting some credit as he has been amazing (and very annoying as a Celts fan).

Would he have been on the floor as much or started with Khris? Not saying Bucks haven't missed Middleton and have done very well without him, but Matthews has been a massive factor in that and not getting enough credit.