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

[Dirk]

Continued from: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2190051

[Fantaxp7]

Continued from: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2190051

Only fair to post this one as well.

Edit: the lady in the back knew crap was about to go down.

[robbie84]

Giannis is getting really gassed by the 4th quarter. He has to play so hard on both ends with Middleton out. The Bucks just don't have enough good shooters around him- they need more than Middleton.
Poor guy was absolutely exhausted. By the 4th quarter the Bucks were failing to help when the Celtics went to the basket.

This is still anyone's series, but with Rob Williams coming back, Middleton out, AND with home court advantage, this looks like Boston's series to lose now. The physicality is going to start to affect the Bucks much more than the Celtics given how much of that physicality is directed to Giannis. They just have so many bodies to throw at him and exhaust him by the end of the 3rd.

[Sgt Major]

Let's go Celtics!

[BleedGreen1989]

“I played with George as a rookie in San Antonio,” Boston coach Ime Udoka said of Hill. “So I know a little bit about George.”

Celtics really seemed to pick on Hill down the stretch. Will be interesting how much burn he gets in game 5.

[jfs1000d]

Bucks don't have enough firepower without Middleton.

They get Giannis and Jrue taking 25+ shots a night. That's insane. Giannis is scoring, but he remains inefficient doing so.

Boston has another gear offensively that we've seen. First half game 2 and fourth quarters Games 3 and 4.

Milwaukee can't do that. Can the Celtics sustain this type of play(not shooting, that's impossible)?

[Grahf]

The Bucks defensive scheme has done an amazing job on Tatum, but that scheme has also given Horford a ton of open looks and he has been making them pay.

Will the Bucks adjust their scheme, or will they keep daring Horford to shoot? Seems like the most important question in the series right now.

[ATLTimekeeper]

I think this one is over. Milwaukee doesn't have the depth that Boston has right now and so they'll just continue to fade late in games.

[CoP]

Some defensive matchup data last night for DPOY Marcus Smart:

Giannis: 4 points allowed on 27 possessions (2/5 shooting)
Jrue: 2 points allowed on 17 possessions (0/2)
Connaughton: 2 points, 10 possessions (1/4)
Matthews: 0 points, 8 possessions (0/0)

My man.

[kuclas]

These playoffs games can turn on a dime. I thought Bucks were gonna to roll by the mid 3rd quarter. But Boston stormed back.

This series gonna 7 games. It’s brutal. Giannis will have to win the series himself.

Boston has 2 guys to score and horford explosion was more icing on the cake for them.

[dWadeOwnzYou]

Can't wait for the next game. Best series by far!

[vinnymate]

Reposting my original prediction before the first game. So far I'm still on track with everything. Blue font is update on where my predictions are at.

I had Bucks in 7 if Middleton was healthy. So I don't think they will win without Middleton.

Celtics in 6 is my prediction.
I now think Celtics in 7

Couple of predictions;
- I think Udoka will outcoach Bud
I think so far in the series this is the case, Game 4 Bud made some real questionable decisions. Always thought he was an okay coach maybe top 15, but not elite. And his proving it to me
- Jrue Holiday will shoot sub 40% for the series
33% for series so far
- Bucks will shoot sub 32% from 3 for the series
29% right now
- Turnovers will be a problem for Bucks throughout the series
I would say they are okay in terms of turnovers per game, but their assist to turnover ratio is bad. Not much ball movement and lots of iso
- Celtics will load up on Giannis and force the others to hit their shots, they will have at least 2 games of total bricking sub 28% from 3
already 2 out 4 games sub 28% lol
- Celtics will hit their open 3 pointers (35%+) at a decent clip unlike Bulls who shot below 30% on open 3s
41% on wide open 3 pointers so far
- Giannis will be dominant, but also have one or two rough games when his teammates can't hit a shot and has to carry too much load I still think Giannis has been dominant in 3 out of 4 games. In 2 he was a bit inefficient and had one rough game. His teammates haven't been great and he looks gassed end of games from doing too much. So this is all on track

[patman66]

Giannis is getting really gassed by the 4th quarter. He has to play so hard on both ends with Middleton out. The Bucks just don't have enough good shooters around him- they need more than Middleton.
Poor guy was absolutely exhausted. By the 4th quarter the Bucks were failing to help when the Celtics went to the basket.

This is still anyone's series, but with Rob Williams coming back, Middleton out, AND with home court advantage, this looks like Boston's series to lose now. The physicality is going to start to affect the Bucks much more than the Celtics given how much of that physicality is directed to Giannis. They just have so many bodies to throw at him and exhaust him by the end of the 3rd.

yeah and with 2 games at home the refs are going to allow the celts to play him even harder, The two williams, Horford and Smart is a lot of weight for him to be dragging around.

[Ill News]

The Celtics' main adjustment in Game 4 was to go small in the 4th with Tatum as the power forward. The lineup of Tatum, Horford, White, Smart, and Brown (Pritchard was in there for some minutes too) worked wonders for their spacing, which allowed Tatum so much breathing room to attack Wes Matthews and George Hill. That lineup also forced Bud to play Hill more, though I think he's in there mainly for additional shot creation and ballhandling. But he's been terrible in the past two games so far.

This series is Boston's to lose now. Game 4 was such a confidence booster for the team; they've figured out that the Bucks won't be able to win a war of attrition against them, so all they have to do is play really solid defense then turn it up in the 4th. The Celtics have outscored the Bucks in two straight 4th quarters now, a sign that the Bucks are just too gassed to close the game out, especially Giannis.

If it weren't for an all-time Tatum clunker in Game 3, the Celtics would be leading 3-1 now and looking at a backdoor sweep. But a lot of things can still happen, though I'm sticking to my prediction of Celtics in 6.

[Castle Black]

Not so hot take but I bet both PHX and GS are rooting hard for Boston in this series. Think they’d both rather play them than a healthy Milwaukee team. (Dallas too but I have PHX beating them this series).

[jfs1000d]

The Celtics' main adjustment in Game 4 was to go small in the 4th with Tatum as the power forward. The lineup of Tatum, Horford, White, Smart, and Brown (Pritchard was in there for some minutes too) worked wonders for their spacing, which allowed Tatum so much breathing room to attack Wes Matthews and George Hill. That lineup also forced Bud to play Hill more, though I think he's in there mainly for additional shot creation and ballhandling. But he's been terrible in the past two games so far.

This series is Boston's to lose now. Game 4 was such a confidence booster for the team; they've figured out that the Bucks won't be able to win a war of attrition against them, so all they have to do is play really solid defense then turn it up in the 4th. The Celtics have outscored the Bucks in two straight 4th quarters now, a sign that the Bucks are just too gassed to close the game out, especially Giannis.

If it weren't for an all-time Tatum clunker in Game 3, the Celtics would be leading 3-1 now and looking at a backdoor sweep. But a lot of things can still happen, though I'm sticking to my prediction of Celtics in 6.

Celts in 7.

IME did a good job not going back to Grant. Theis was ineffective so didn't go back. Adding Derrick White and Smart really made Boston's defense role. White isn't a good shooter, but he can drive to basket and create space and passing. Defense is also elite.

White's been very good in this series. Even his 0-6 in Game 2 was about as good a game as you can have without scoring a point.

[Cricket23]

Have a feeling Pritchard might hit some open 3's in game 5 and reward Ime for sticking with him.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Some defensive matchup data last night for DPOY Marcus Smart:

Giannis: 4 points allowed on 27 possessions (2/5 shooting)
Jrue: 2 points allowed on 17 possessions (0/2)
Connaughton: 2 points, 10 possessions (1/4)
Matthews: 0 points, 8 possessions (0/0)

My man.

You have to consider team points as well. 38 team points on 27 possessions against Giannis. So 42 total points in just over 5 minutes of Smart defending Giannis. I think that's a match-up Milwaukee will continue to attack. Not that anyone can slow him down individually. After Luka I think he's the most unguardable offensive player in the NBA. Last night my family was laughing at how easily he was getting to the rim against the Celtics set defense, which is the best in the league.

[sam_I_am]

I picked Celtics in 7 and predicted a bloodbath. It’s even more physical than I imagined. Really has been nothing dirty, just a bunch of Rottweilers and pit-bulls who play just about every possession tenaciously. Both teams are going to be beat up physically, that’s for sure, when this is over. I don’t think home court means a thing in this series. The Bucks definitely miss Middleton but when you have Giannis and Holiday …. Every quarter and every game is going to be a fight. Can the Celtics maintain this pace and level of physicality to win the Marathon? Can the Bucks? That is what it will come down to.

[Curmudgeon]

The Celtics went small in Q4 because guys were in foul trouble.
I can't remember the Celtics winning an important game with Tony Brothers officiating. I'm guessing that the widespread criticism of the favoritism to Giannis --by Mike Wilbon and others in the national media-- together with the egregious officiating mistakes in game 3, sent a message to the NBA powers that be. and the refs were told to to keep their fingers off the scale.