Bucks escape with narrow Game 4 win
Despite blowing 20-point lead, Milwaukee evens series against Celtics at 2-2
MILWAUKEE — After seeing a 20-point second half lead slip away, Giannis Antetokounmpo came up with a huge play in the final seconds to save the Milwaukee Bucks from a devastating loss.
Eric Bledsoe passed the ball right from the perimeter on Milwaukee’s final possession. Antetokounmpo moved down low to the left side of the basket and Malcolm Brogdon came across the lane for a driving hook shot in traffic that hit the rim.
The 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo was in perfect position to reach over Boston’s Jayson Tatum to tip in the miss for the go-ahead basket with five seconds left for a 104-102 win on Sunday over the Boston Celtics. Their first-round playoff series is tied at two games apiece.
“It’s a heck of play,” coach Joe Prunty said.
Antetokounmpo finished with 27 points, while Khris Middleton added 23. Middleton also played in-your-face defence in the final seconds on Marcus Morris, forcing the Boston forward to miss a 14-footer at the buzzer.
The Bucks’ two best players made the crucial plays to hold on for a tense win victory, another sign of maturity for the one of the league’s up-and-coming teams. Game 5 is Tuesday in Boston. “One of the most important things that we can carry from this game moving forward is that we stayed disciplined and we trusted one another,” Antetokounmpo said. It could just as easily have fallen apart for Milwaukee after losing a 20-point lead in the third quarter.
Jaylen Brown had 34 points for the Celtics, while Tatum added 21. Tatum’s 18-footer with 52 seconds left gave the Celtics a brief 100-99 lead.
He just couldn’t hold off Antetokounmpo on the other end for the decisive tip-in.
The Bucks set a franchise playoff high with 14 blocks, eclipsing the previous high of 13 set in Game 3. The 7-foot-1 Thon Maker has turned into disruptive presence after playing sparingly in the first two games. He’s getting extended minutes because Henson’s injury.
“Thon is playing extremely assertive. The blocked shots are going to stand out because that’s something somebody can see on the stat sheet,” Prunty said.
The disappointing end for the Celtics overshadowed their spirited rally from a 65-45 deficit with 7:37 left in the third quarter. Play got chippy and the Celtics limited the Bucks’ transition game.
They came up one basket short at the end.
Both teams traded clutch buckets down the stretch.
After Tatum’s long jumper, Brogdon hit a transition 3 from the corner for a 102-100 lead with 33 seconds left. Al Horford followed with two foul shots to tie the game at 102 with 29 seconds remaining.
They couldn’t send the game into overtime. Morris bent over in frustration near the Boston bench after his fadeaway hit the rim.
Spurs 103, Warriors 90
Manu Ginobili scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter of what
could have been his final home game with the Spurs, and San Antonio beat Golden State to avoid a series sweep as coach Gregg Popovich remained out following the death of his wife.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Spurs, but they were willed to the finish by the 40-year-old Ginobili, who has said he will decide in the off-season if he will return for a 17th season.
Kevin Durant had 34 points and 13 rebounds for the Warriors, who can wrap up the series in Game 5 at home Tuesday.
Popovich missed his second straight game after his wife, Erin,
passed away Wednesday following a prolonged illness. Lead assistant Ettore Messina led the Spurs again, but to a much different showing than in Game 3.
Golden State outscored San Antonio 29-21 in the third quarter and went on a 13-5 run beginning two minutes into the fourth quarter to pull within 88-86 with 6 minutes remaining.
Aldridge banked in a 3-pointer with 4:22 remaining to stop the Warriors’ run and Ginobili took over with a pair of 3-pointers in the final minutes.
San Antonio opened with the same energy it had to start Game 3,
but its shots fell this time. The Spurs extended their lead to as many as 17 points in the first half while holding an edge in almost every statistical category.
Cavaliers 104, Pacers 100
At Indiana, LeBron James had 32 points as Cleveland evened up the best-of-seven series 2-2 with its victory Sunday
Kyle Korver added 18 points for the Cavs, who led 60-50 at the half and withstood a late Indiana rally to hang on.
Domantas Sabonis had 19 points to pace Indiana while Myles Turner and Victor Oladigo each had 17. Game 5 is Wednesday in Cleveland.