Milwaukee takes Game 1
Antetokounmpo triple-double paces Bucks attack in victory over Celtics
Giannis Antetokounmpo had already picked up his dribble and spent half of a Eurostep when he realized he had nowhere to go with the ball.
Instead of attempting an off-balance shot or passing the ball to a well-guarded teammate, the twotime NBA MVP flicked the ball high off the backboard, then followed it to the rim for a slam dunk.
“That’s just pure talent, just pure instinct,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said on Sunday after Antetokounmpo recorded his second career post-season triple-double in a 101-89 victory over the Boston Celtics.
“He’s a great player. He does things that are unique and special and timely,” Budenholzer said. “That’s one of those plays where you’re happy he’s on our side.”
Antetokounmpo had 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists as Milwaukee quickly grabbed home-court advantage in the second-round series. Jrue Holiday had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Bobby Portis had 15 points and 11 boards for the defending NBA champions.
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston.
Jayson Tatum scored 21 and Jaylen Brown had 12 points, but the two Boston stars combined to shoot 10 for 31 in the game. Al Horford added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who fired up 50 three-pointers, making 18, and shot 33 per cent from the floor as a team.
“Offensively, not our best night. I thought we guarded well enough,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. “To lose a 12-point game when we shot so poorly bodes well for us. In a way, it’s good to get this dud out of the way, offensively.”
After shutting down Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in a fourgame sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, Boston couldn’t stop Antetokounmpo — even with greenhaired Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart shaking off a shoulder injury.
Antetokounmpo scored eight straight Milwaukee points at the end of the first half to bring a double-digit lead into the break. Boston was within seven in the final minute of the third quarter before going without a bucket for more than four minutes while the Bucks scored 11 of the next 14 points — including the Greek Freak’s freakish alley-oop to himself that gave Milwaukee a 9478 lead.
Boston won 26 of its last 32 games in the regular season and was the only team to sweep its first-round playoff series. Milwaukee advanced by beating the Chicago Bulls in five games.
The Celtics led by as many as eight before Milwaukee scored the last 10 points of the first quarter. Antetokounmpo scored the last six of the half to give the Bucks a 56-46 lead at the break.