1. “What do we are saying to the God of Demise?”
“Not immediately.”
Sport of Thrones followers will acknowledge that quote as one of many collection most well-known traces. Boston Celtics followers will acknowledge it as the blokes in inexperienced refusing to return to Boston with out one other basketball recreation to play.
With the season on the road, the Milwaukee Bucks minimize what was as soon as an 18-point result in simply 4 factors with 7:48 to play. It regarded just like the Celtics have been as soon as once more crumbling.
As an alternative, they steeled their backs, and mentioned “Not immediately”.
A few minutes later, the Bucks minimize the result in 5. Once more, the Celtics answered with “Not immediately”.
Boston made performs all through the sport. However the ones that meant just a bit bit extra have been punching again every time Milwaukee made a little bit run. And the very best half? These massive performs recreation within the stream of the sport.
As Jayson Tatum mentioned postgame: “I consider in everybody in that locker room that we’ve got what it takes. If we stick collectively and put our minds to it, I’d take us any day.”
2. Friday the 13th Half VI is titled “Jason Lives”.
Half 6 of this collection was on Friday the 13th.
We are able to title this one “Jayson Lives”.
Boston generated a ton of fine three-pointers all all through the sport, most of them off motion and drives. This was Jayson Tatum getting began early after driving, relocating and taking pictures in opposition to the mismatch:
It may be arduous to get into the paint in opposition to these Bucks, however Tatum made an amazing play right here to get the layup:
That is big-time. Tatum makes the proper discover to Jaylen Brown within the nook, however peep Derrick White’s minimize pulling the protection with him to open up Brown:
When Tatum is admittedly feeling it, he’ll get a mismatch and proceed to destroy that participant, as he does right here to Grayson Allen:
The one factor fallacious right here? Tatum bought a toe on the road:
Must beat the clock? Get it to your finest participant when he’s on hearth:
No toe on the road right here:
Someplace, Dirk Nowitzki is smiling tonight:
Nice motion and passing right here and Pat Connaughton may as effectively be invisible. It was simply Tatum and the rim at this level:
The jumpers are superior. However if you actually wish to end off an opponent, you drive and crush their spirit like this:
46 do-or-die factors.
Jayson Lives certainly.
3. Jayson Tatum will draw the headlines (together with right here!), however he had loads of assist from his buddies. Jaylen Brown bought it going within the second half and had a string of huge performs himself.
This was nice work to attract a foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo in transition:
On the subsequent journey, Brown buried this one from approach exterior:
22 massive factors for Brown to assist get issues again to Boston.
4. Sport 5 was a multitude of a meltdown. But it surely’s over. And the Celtics did a beautiful job placing it behind them as effectively. They usually did it partly with higher execution. Marcus Sensible mentioned “This was as poised as we’ve ever been, truly. That’s an indication of a crew that’s maturing.”
Backing that up? Zero turnovers within the fourth quarter. Two days after collapsing, Boston saved issues below management for the complete 48 and evened up the collection.
5. Talking of Marcus Sensible…he bought destroyed by many after Sport 5. He admitted that he took that loss tougher than he’s taken every other. Sensible felt he let the crew down together with his play late in that recreation.
He greater than made up for it in Sport 6. He’s giving up eight inches and possibly 30-40 kilos right here. However Sensible forces Giannis Antetokounmpo into the tough fallaway, and he contests with out fouling:
Sensible hit a bunch of threes, however he additionally did an excellent job of getting downhill. It is a good learn of the ground and the open lane for the blowby layup:
21 factors and 7 assists. That’s the way you bounce again and that’s why he’s Cherished and Trusted.
6. Ime Udoka labored a few of his ATO magic on this recreation. Within the first quarter, this can be a good set to get Marcus Sensible an open nook three. Nice go by Al Horford on the quick roll too:
This one got here whereas Jayson Tatum was taking pictures flames out of his physique. Realizing the Bucks could be targeted on Tatum after the timeout, Udoka ran this set to get Jaylen Brown dialed up and Brown delivered:
7. Derrick White scored all 9 of his factors within the first half, however he was key to this win all all through. His protection in opposition to an array of Bucks was large. And White is vital to pushing tempo and retaining the ball shifting.
When he could make performs like this driving floater, White’s much more harmful:
Milwaukee needs White to shoot jumpers, however they don’t need him to shoot them fairly this wide-open:
White additionally joined a rising record of Celtics who’ve discovered success attacking Bobby Portis one-on-one:
It’s not an eye-popping stat-line, however White did precisely what he was acquired to do, and he did it when Boston wanted it most.
8. The Celtics completed with 22 assists on 38 baskets. The ball motion was actually stable all recreation lengthy, and it bought everybody concerned.
That is the type of runout Boston can get, particularly after Giannis will get stopped deep down the opposite finish of the ground. Nice hit-ahead go by Jayson Tatum to Marcus Sensible right here:
Sensible will get the shooter’s bounce right here, however that is such fairly basketball. Tatum begins it with a pleasant swing to Derrick White, who then assaults the paint. Drive, kick and stick:
Daniel Theis, who performed one other stable recreation in comparatively quick minutes, begins this with a kickout go. Then Grant Williams drives and kicks once more. However the ball has a approach of discovering you for those who play the appropriate approach, and Sensible zips it again to Theis for the quick jumper:
9. Al Horford and Grant Williams didn’t do a lot scoring-wise, however they didn’t have to. As an alternative, they made their impression on the defensive finish. Horford had 4 massive blocks, whereas Williams got here up with two steals. And, in fact, they’d about one million contests on Gianni Antetokounmpo forays to the rim.
Horford bought began early, by turning away Grayson Allen on the rim:
Early within the fourth quarter, Horford cleaned up this mess by blocking George Hill’s putback try:
Just a little later, Williams made an amazing steal on this inside go:
Bigs doing the little, however truly massive, stuff.
10. We’re headed again to Boston.
Sport 7. The scenario the place legends are born.
The 2022 Celtics have been resilient and hard. They battle, they combat and so they do it collectively. Typically down, however by no means actually out.
This recreation, Sport 7 at dwelling, is why Boston performed it out in Sport 82. Because of this they went arduous till the top.
Now, they must take benefit to maintain this magical run alive.
Sport 7 is Sunday, Could 15 at 3:30 PM ET on ABC.
