Bucks116, Celtics 92
Milwaukee’s fast start paves way.
The Milwaukee Bucks promised things would be better.
They hadn’t necessarily set the bar high for themselves with a pair of losses to start their playoff series with the Boston Celtics, games in which they went through periods of looking disjointed, lackadaisical and weren’t getting nearly enough contributions from the depth of talent on their roster.
They made good on that promise and then some Friday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, putting together one of their best performances of the season in a 116-92 victory in front of a raucous, sellout crowd. Milwaukee’s victory got the Bucks on the board, getting the series to 2-1 with Game 4 looming Sunday afternoon.
Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo again led the way. Middleton had 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Antetokounmpo chipped in with 19 points and six assists in just 27 minutes.
This time, they had no shortage of help from their teammates.
Jabari Parker, who got off to a rough start in the series and was frustrated with his lack of playing time, had a strong showing off the bench, scoring 17 points on 7-of-12
shooting and blocking a pair of shots. Eric Bledsoe rediscovered his shot and also put up 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting despite early foul trouble.
Bledsoe’s early foul issues opened up an opportunity for Matthew Dellavedova to make an impact, which he certainly did in spot service. Getting his most extensive playing time since going down with a right ankle sprain Feb. 4, Dellavedova was a pest defensively in his 16 minutes and collected five points and four assists.
One of the Bucks’ biggest contributors, though, was someone you might not have expected heading into Game 3, making Bucks coach Joe Prunty look like a prophet.
“What I believe in is during the course of every series, there is a player or players who step up that people haven’t talked about,” Prunty said pregame. “And it happens all the time. And you can go all the way back through the history of the NBA, they may not be the best player on the floor in the series, but they come in and somehow have a major impact on it.”
That surprise someone was center Thon Maker, who played all of one minute during Games 1 and 2 in Boston. With starting center John Henson out due to back soreness, Maker was quickly ushered into the game when starter Tyler Zeller picked up two firstquarter fouls.
Maker didn’t waste any time making an impact, earning a spot on the highlight reel on Milwaukee’s first defensive possession after he subbed in. That’s when Maker swatted a Jaylen Brown layup attempt, drawing a rise out of the crowd. It was the first of his five blocks in the game with four coming in the first quarter alone.
By the end of the night, Maker had 14 points, including 3 three-pointers, and five rebounds in 24 minutes. It was a throwback to Maker’s 2017 playoffs performance, when as a rookie he earned the spotlight for the bevy of blocks and three-point range he displayed against the Toronto Raptors.
Maker’s standout night wasn’t the only thing that harkened back to last season. Game 3 against the Raptors last postseason was also a high point for the Bucks as they rolled to a 104-77 victory in that game.
Just like last year’s Game 3, the Bucks dominated defensively from the beginning, holding the Celtics to 2-of-18 shooting and forcing nine turnovers in the first quarter alone. Milwaukee switched often, denied passes inside and made every movement hard for Boston’s ball-handlers, especially point guard Terry Rozier, who had four first-quarter turnovers and five on the night after going 78 minutes without a giveaway in Games 1 and 2.
Milwaukee couldn’t hold Boston down like that all night, but the Bucks’ intensity never waned as they built a lead as large as 26 at the start of the third quarter. The Celtics got within 14 points at a couple junctures, but never got closer than that, even with Antetokounmpo exiting the contest with five fouls with 10 minutes, 22 seconds remaining and never returning.
The Bucks led by 19 points when Antetokounmpo went to the bench, a margin that dropped to 17 in short order. Then a three by Maker, another by Middleton and then a 21-footer by Middleton gave the Bucks a 25-point lead and the rout was on. As a team, Milwaukee shot 16 of 32 from threepoint range, pushing its lead to as many as 28 late in the fourth.
While the game was winding down, Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings subbed in for the first time this series, drawing chants of the phrase he made famous, “Bucks in 6.”
Thanks to the team’s critical turnaround Friday night, that conclusion remains a possibility.