Bucks hold off Celtics to take 2-1 series lead
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 42 points and made the go-ahead basket with 44.3 seconds left and the Bucks withstood a frantic flurry of shots in the final seconds to beat the Celtics 103-101 on Saturday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
The defending champion Bucks lead the best-of-7 series 2-1, with Game 4 on Monday night in Milwaukee.
The Celtics trailed 103-100 when Marcus Smart was fouled by Jrue Holiday just before attempting a potential tying 3-pointer with 4.6 seconds remaining. Smart made the first free throw, then missed the second intentionally — flinging it at the rim.
That’s when things got wild.
Smart got the rebound, but missed his putback attempt. The Celtics’ Robert Williams charged toward the basket and sent the ball up and off the glass. Al Horford was waiting on the right side with a putback attempt that also went off the glass. Horford then got his own rebound and banked it in, but his final shot came just after the buzzer sounded. Replays confirmed Horford didn’t beat the clock.
Antetokounmpo also had 12 rebounds and eight assists. His driving finger roll helped the Bucks pull back ahead after blowing a 14-point lead.
After trailing by 13 with less than 10 minutes left, the Celtics pulled ahead 100-99 and took their first lead since early in their third quarter on Jaylen Brown’s two free throws with 1:49 remaining.
Both teams failed to score on their next possessions before Antetokounmpo put the Bucks back ahead. Antetokounmpo then blocked Brown’s driving layup attempt, leading to Holiday’s basket that made it 103-100 with 11.2 seconds remaining.
Holiday had 25 points.
Brown led the Celtics with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Horford had 22 points and 16 rebounds.
Defense gets Mavs back into series: Luka Doncic got the help he and the Mavericks needed — from Jalen Brunson on offense and himself, Reggie Bullock and others on defense.
The Mavericks superstar had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and the Mavericks turned up the defensive pressure to get back in their Western Conference semifinal series, beating the Suns 103-94 on Friday night in Dallas.
The Mavericks spoiled Chris Paul’s 37th birthday, forcing the 17-year pro into his most turnovers in any half of a playoff game with seven before the break.
The Mavericks cut the Suns’ series lead to 2-1 and ended an 11-game losing streak against them, regular season included. Game 4 is Sunday in Dallas.
“Energy, man,” Doncic said of the his team’s best defensive showing of the series. “The crowd gets you going. The energy and the execution were better. That’s what we’ve got to do every game.”
Paul didn’t have any more turnovers after halftime, but the Suns finally struggled with their shooting when they weren’t turning it over. The Suns shot 45%, ending a run of at least 50% shooting in the playoffs at eight games.
“It felt like all seven of ‘em were back to back to back,” said Paul, whose career high for a game in the playoffs is eight turnovers. “If I don’t turn the ball over like that I feel like it’s a different game.”
Jae Crowder scored 19 for the Suns, but the Mavericks limited the impact of Devin Booker in much the same way they did Paul. Booker scored 18 but was just 2 of 7 inside the 3-point line, and Paul had 12 on just nine shots (five made) in the Suns’ lowest-scoring game of the season.
Doncic just missed a triple-double with nine assists, while Brunson led the Mavericks with 28 points after struggling in the two losses in Phoenix when Doncic averaged 40 points but didn’t get enough help.
“I found a way to bounce back tonight,” Brunson said. “I just can’t be satisfied with this. Sunday’s going to be another brutal game. I have to bring the same energy, the same intensity, the same everything.”
A scrambling Mavericks defense was the biggest difference, starting from the opening tip with Bullock shadowing Paul everywhere. The Mavericks stepped into passing lanes, including when Spencer Dinwiddie tiptoed along the sideline after a steal for a layup in transition.