Freakish defense
C's find a way to wear down Antetokounmpo
By every statistical measure, the Celtics failed to contain Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miserably.
He averaged more than 35 points, 13 rebounds and almost seven assists entering Sunday. He singlehandedly destroyed the No. 1 defense in the league for stretches, turning stout defenders like Jaylen Brown into traffic cones. He posted multiple 40-point games to the amazement of even his opponents.
“That (expletive) is crazy,” Brown said late Sunday.
But during Game 7, as his Celtics built an insurmountable second-half lead, coach Ime Udoka saw a flicker of something new. Antetokounmpo, finally, was wearing down.
“He missed some of the easier shots around the baskets, and that’s what we talked about,” Udoka said. “We’re not relying on one guy.”
For the Celtics, defending the two-time MVP largely fell to Grant Williams and Al Horford. Williams, at a burly 6-foot-8, matched Antetokounmpo’s strength in the post, where he’d try to absorb blows and barely yield an inch. Horford instead countered with mobility and length, plus his decade and a half of experience, much of which lately has involved stopping Antetokounmpo.
Together, along with Marcus Smart, they slowed him to 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists on Sunday. Antetokounmpo popped six assists in the first quarter alone, when he accounted for all but two of the Bucks’ 26 points. But again, he wore down.
“Everybody was banged up, everybody was playing intensely and it was a matter of who wavered first,” Williams said. “And I thought we did a great job of making sure everything he had was tough. Whether it was driving to the rim, whether it was shooting a jump shot, everything he had to do — walking up the court, our offensive actions and putting him in them.”
A physically brutal series for Williams also offered a stingy mental test. Allowing Antetokounmpo to score and rebound so often at his expense could have led him to drop his effort or ask for a new assignment. Instead, he responded by posting the highest plus-minus of any player in Game 7 at plus-25 and two blocks, while helping eliminate the best player in the world.
“Giannis does a phenomenal job putting pressure on you, especially on the physical side of the things. But it’s just a matter of understanding that you have to be mentally strong and take care of yourself,” Williams said. “Because at this time of year, everyone’s a little banged up.”
Celtics excited by ECF rematch
It was almost two whole years ago the Heat knocked Boston out of the Eastern
Conference Finals inside the bubble.
Despite all that’s happened since, from roster turnover and player growth, Jaylen Brown sees much the same team in Miami.
“Tough team, team full of dogs. Guys who aren’t going to give up, guys who aren’t going to give you anything, not an inch,” Brown said. “So we’ve got to go out and play with poise, and play with the same mindset to fight. Because I’d expect nothing less than a great battle.”
Heat center Bam Adebayo delivered the knockout blow in Game 6 of that series, scoring 32 points and collecting 14 rebounds in a 125-113 win. In Game 1, he famously blocked Jayson Tatum at the rim with three seconds left in overtime and preserved a close Miami victory. Unlike their recent series victory over Milwaukee, the Celtics dropped Game 4 against the Heat and fell into a 3-1 hole from which they never recovered.
But back then, Grant Williams was only a rookie and Boston’s mental toughness, even as an East finalist, was questioned. Now, battletested after a Game 7 with Milwaukee in which Williams scored a team-best 27 points, he figures to factor significantly into the Celtics’ defense of Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, who scored 32 points last Thursday to eliminate the Sixers.
“It’s one of those things you just have to take care of yourself and get ready for another physical series,” Williams said. “Because Miami is physical, too.”
As for the revenge factor, the Celtics seemed to downplay the idea the 2020 series would be on their minds with only two days between them and Game 1.
“Another extremely physical team, obviously really well-coached. … Just looking forward to it,” Tatum said. “Excited being back in this position and trying to get over this hump.”
Williams activated, doesn’t play
After missing three straight games, Celtics center Robert Williams was available Sunday but didn’t play a minute.
Williams instead sat on the sideline wearing a bulky brace on his left knee. Udoka said postgame the team considered using the 24-year-old in certain situations, to rebound or provide rim protection, but ultimately decided against it.
“At the same time, we won two of the last three without him and had a chance to win Game 5 obviously,” Udoka said. “So it wasn’t like we were desperate to get him back.”
Williams had been sidelined by knee soreness for three straight games. On Friday, Udoka revealed he had suffered a bone bruise upon colliding with Antetokounmpo
in Game 3. Udoka added Williams wouldn’t return until he was 100%, but later tied Williams’ availability to his pain tolerance.
The Celtics went 3-1 in Williams’ absence, even while Antetokounmpo largely had his way on the boards and scoring in the paint. Without Williams, the Celtics started Smart, Tatum, Brown, Grant Williams and Al Horford.