The Celtics host the Milwaukee Bucks for Recreation 1 of the Jap Convention Semifinals. That is the third time within the 4 years that the Celtics and Bucks meet within the second spherical of the playoffs. The Celtics gained in 7 video games in 2018 in a collection the place the house workforce gained each sport. The Bucks gained the collection in 2019 in 5 video games. The groups met 4 instances within the common season with every workforce successful their 2 video games at residence. Not one of the video games are a prediction for what this collection could possibly be like since none of these video games featured each groups at full energy. In all however the last sport, the Celtics had been enjoying Dennis Schroder and Josh Richardson large minutes.
The Celtics gained the primary sport 122-113 in extra time at Boston on November 12. The Celtics had been with out Jaylen Brown whereas the Bucks had been with out Giannis, Middleton and Vacation. The Celtics additionally gained 117-103 on December 12, additionally in Boston. The Bucks had been with out Brook Lopez and Wesley Matthews whereas the Celtics had been lacking Josh Richardson. The Bucks gained the Christmas Day sport 117-113 in Milwaukee. Bucks had been lacking Lopez whereas the Celtics had been lacking Richardson, Grant Williams, Al Horford, and Richardson. The Bucks gained the ultimate sport in Milwaukee 127-121. They Bucks had been with out Grayson Allen whereas the Celtics had been lacking Tatum, Horford and Robert Williams.
The Celtics have the longest lively playoff streak at 8 years straight whereas the Bucks are tied with the Jazz for the second longest lively playoff streak at 6 years straight. That is the eighth time in NBA historical past that the Celtics and Bucks are assembly within the playoffs. The Celtics have gained 5 of the earlier 7 conferences. The Bucks are the present reigning NBA champions and they also come into this sport with the vast majority of their gamers having Finals expertise. Nevertheless, repeating as champions isn’t very straightforward.
The Celtics come into this collection with a clear damage listing. Though no gamers are listed, they do have some damage issues. Jaylen Brown felt tightness in his hamstring in Recreation 4 towards the however is anticipated to play on this sport. Robert Williams returned from a torn meniscus in Recreation 3 of the primary spherical and hasn’t had any setbacks and ought to be good to go on this sport. Al Horford was carrying a wrap on his thumb in apply however it isn’t anticipated to have an effect on his availability to play on this sport. The Celtics will doubtless be monitoring all 3 gamers to make sure there aren’t any points with their well being on this sport.
The Bucks had been hit with a giant setback when Khris Middleton left Recreation 2 towards the Bulls with a knee damage. It has been identified as a Grade 2 MCL sprain. He was initially anticipated to be re-evaluated after 2 weeks however latest experiences got here out that he might miss the complete collection. He’s positively out for this sport regardless. George Hill missed the primary spherical collection towards the Bulls with an stomach pressure and can miss this sport as properly.
The Celtics began Daniel Theis at middle whereas Robert Williams was out with the MCL damage. Theis additionally continued to begin with Robert Williams coming off the bench in Video games 3 and 4 after Williams returned to play restricted minutes. Williams is anticipated to return to the beginning lineup for this sport. With Middleton out for the Bucks, they began Bobby Portis in his place towards the Bulls, giving them a really large entrance line. I’m together with Portis within the starters however they could very properly go to Grayson Allen or Pat Connaughton to begin on this collection.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Grant Williams
Derrick White
Daniel Theis
Luke Kornet
Sam Hauser
Aaron Nesmith
Malik Fitts
Juwan Morgan
Nick Stauskas
Accidents
None
Head Coach
Ime Udoka
Possible Bucks Starters
Bucks Reserves
Grayson Allen
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Jevon Carter
Pat Connaughton
Serge Ibaka
Jordan Nwora
Luca Vildoza
Rayjon Tucker
Accidents
George Hill (stomach) out
Khris Middleton (knee) out
Head Coach
Mike Budenholzer
Key Matchups
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Al Horford
Shane Roper-USA TODAY Sports activities
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Giannis Antetokounmpo
Invoice Streicher-USA TODAY Sports activities
Al Horford vs Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo might very properly be the most effective participant within the league. He will probably be very troublesome to cease however the Celtics can hopefully sluggish him down considerably. He averaged 28.6 factors, 13.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.4 blocks towards the Bulls. He shot 56.8% from the sector and 15.4% from past the arc. He averages 28.3 factors on 54.3% capturing from the sector towards Boston. The Celtics will doubtless throw completely different appears at him to defend him as they did with Durant, though Antetokounmpo gained’t be as bothered by the bodily protection as Durant was.
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Marcus Good
Picture by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photographs
Marcus Good vs Jrue Vacation
Vacation averaged 16.4 factors, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.8 assists towards the Bulls within the first spherical. He shot 40.7% from the sector and 34.5% from past the arc within the first spherical. He averages 20.8 factors and eight.0 assists whereas capturing 43.2% from the sector and 28.6% past the arc towards the Celtics. It will be important for the Celtics to restrict all of the gamers round Giannis in the event that they hope to get a win on this sport.
Honorable Point out
Jayson Tatum vs Bobby Portis
Portis averaged 11.6 factors, and 11.4 rebounds within the first spherical towards the Bulls. For the collection, he shot 44.9% from the sector and 36.0% from past the arc. In his begins after Middleton went down, he averaged 16 factors, 13 rebounds and shot 50% from the sector and 42% from past the arc. Jayson Tatum was clearly the most effective participant within the Celtics first spherical collection towards the Nets the place he averaged 25.9 factors, 4.5 rebounds and seven.3 assists whereas capturing 45.6% from the sector and 41.9% from past the arc. Towards Milwaukee, he averages 31.3 factors on 47.1% capturing from the sector and 44.4% on 3 pointers. The Celtics will want Tatum to proceed his sturdy play on this collection, though it gained’t be fairly as straightforward with Milwaukee’s size and powerful protection.
Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection is totally the important thing to successful each sport. The Celtics protection climbed to first place within the common season however after the primary spherical, they’re simply tenth with a defensive score of 115.0. The Bucks are first within the put up season with a defensive score of 94.4. The Celtics should tighten up their protection and defend the Bucks’ star in addition to their function gamers. They should defend the perimeter because the Bucks have gamers capturing very properly from past the arc. The additionally should defend the paint since they’ve a number of gamers, together with Giannis, who drive to the basket and are good ending inside. They need to play tougher on protection than the Bucks to be able to win this collection.
Rebound – Rebounding can be a key to successful each sport. You’ll be able to’t rating with out the ball and one of the best ways to get the ball and to get further possessions is to crash the boards and beat the opponent to rebounds. Rebounding takes effort and when the Celtics put out further effort to win the rebounding battle, that effort often continues to different areas of the sport. The Bucks are first within the playoffs with 51.8 rebounds per sport. The Celtics are tenth with 39.5 rebounds per sport. They might want to actually hustle and work laborious to beat the Bucks on the boards.
Be Aggressive for 48 Minutes – Jayson Tatum made the assertion that the Celtics attempt to be sure that no person performs tougher than them. The Celtics should put these phrases into motion towards the Bucks and play tougher than them for the total 48 minutes of this sport. They’ve to come back out sturdy proper from the beginning and never dig a gap they should work to climb out of. They completely should play laborious and be the extra aggressive workforce for all 48 minutes as a result of if they permit the Bucks to play tougher for any time frame, they could not have the ability to come again towards them. They merely can’t have any lapses in effort in the event that they need to beat a troublesome workforce just like the Bucks.
Keep Targeted – The Celtics should keep targeted and never enable let the distractions of enjoying within the playoffs or all their publicity to take that focus away from enjoying the precise means. They should take good photographs and make them. They’ve to maneuver the ball and transfer with out the ball and belief one another. They should concentrate on making good crisp passes and never get sloppy with the ball. They should play tougher and be extra targeted than the Bucks in the event that they need to get a win on this sport.
Teaching – Buth Ime Udoka and Mike Budenholzer coached underneath Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. Budenholzer spent 17 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, serving as an alternate video coordinator for the primary two seasons after which as an assistant coach. Ime Udoka served as an assistant coach underneath Popovich for 7 years, successful a championship with them in 2014. Budenholzer is a 2 time Coach of the 12 months and led the Bucks to a championship final season. Udoka out coached Steve Nash within the first spherical, however he can have his work minimize out for him towards a seasoned coach like Budenholzer.
X-Components
House Court docket – When the Bucks tanked their final sport to keep away from the Nets, additionally they gave up residence courtroom benefit for the second spherical. Possibly they thought the Celtics wouldn’t get previous the Nets and so it wouldn’t matter. The Celtics want to make use of their residence courtroom to their benefit. The group will probably be loud and can hopefully give the workforce a lift. The Bucks are largely a veteran workforce and so won’t doubtless get as rattled as a youthful workforce would when enjoying in entrance of a hostile crowd on the street.
Relaxation vs Rust – As soon as once more, the Celtics have had nearly per week off since they final performed in a sport. Whereas it was a superb factor for them to heal a number of the nagging accidents that cropped up towards the Nets, it additionally might go away them a bit rusty going into this sport. The Bucks final performed on Wednesday and so their layoff hasn’t been fairly as lengthy. That is additionally a matinee sport and so hopefully the Celtics will probably be prepared for the sport and never come out sluggish because of the early begin.
Officiating – The officiating can at all times be an x-factor and possibly extra so in these playoffs. Some referees name the sport tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house workforce and others name it evenly. Some refs simply appear to have an agenda that doesn’t match the play on the courtroom. Giannis appears to at all times get greater than his share of calls and that could be an issue. The Celtics should play via nonetheless the refs name the sport, whether or not it’s tight or they allow them to play. They’ll’t enable dangerous calls or no calls to remove their concentrate on the sport.
DraftKings
According to our friends at DraftKings, the Celtics are 4.5-point favorites internet hosting the Bucks in Recreation 1 of the second spherical. For what it’s price, Boston can be a -210 to win the collection. The defending champs abdicated residence courtroom benefit towards the Celtics on the ultimate day of the common season and are actually with out Khris Middleton who’s most definitely out for at the least the subsequent two weeks with a sprained MCL.
Boston additionally is available in with their very own points. Although he returned in Recreation 3 towards the Nets, the Celtics are nonetheless acclimating Robert Williams again into the rotation. He’s ramped up his exercise this week and ought to be prepared for starter minutes, however it’s unclear whether or not he’ll rejoin the beginning lineup or nonetheless come off the bench behind Daniel Theis. Regardless, Milwaukee likes to play large with Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo within the frontcourt so anticipate Williams to see loads of time on the ground.
Extra regarding is the nagging hamstring of Jaylen Brown. Brown aggravated it in the direction of the top of Recreation 4 and has mentioned that the week off has helped. If he’s not 100%, that lessens no matter benefit Boston gained with Middleton shelved. Brown has flourished to date within the postseason as an off-ball scorer and downhill menace and he’ll be anticipated to problem the Bucks’ “pack the paint” defensive scheme. That may take a toll, possibly not in Recreation 1, however actually because the collection progresses.
All odds are correct on the time and date of publishing.
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