Two nights after struggling their most excruciating loss thus far, the Celtics responded with a gutsy efficiency in Sport 6 to maintain their season alive.
The Bucks made a late push as soon as once more, trimming an 18-point margin to 4, however this time the Celtics stayed composed and grinded out a 108-95 street win Friday night time. Sport 7 is Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at TD Backyard.
Jayson Tatum exploded for 46 factors on 17-of-32 capturing – tied for the second most in franchise historical past when going through elimination. Jaylen Brown added 22 and Marcus Sensible scored 16 of his 21 earlier than the break. Giannis Antetokounmpo completed with 44 factors and 20 rebounds, however the Celtics rectified their pricey errors from late in Sport 5 and delivered when it mattered.
“This sport, we had been so poised, executing, shifting the ball and doing what we would have liked to do,” Al Horford mentioned.
A scorching begin allowed the Celtics to get snug early. They moved the ball nicely and shot 8-of-15 from 3-point vary within the first quarter. Sensible hit 4 himself en path to 14 factors, serving to Boston construct a 28-26 edge by one. The query grew to become whether or not or not the Celtics might proceed to dwell by the 3-ball – and for some time, the reply was a powerful sure.
Antetokounmpo racked up 17 within the quarter and hit all six of his free throws. The Bucks solely had two assists, however they had been in a position to exploit one-on-one matchups to erase an early 15-6 deficit.
The Celtics prolonged their result in 53-43 on the half, as Derrick White scored 7 factors within the last three minutes and took an enormous cost that resulted in Antetokounmpo’s third foul. Tatum had 18 factors, 5 rebounds and three assists, because the Celtics wore the Bucks down by making the additional move and constantly hitting open appears.
Defensively, they resembled the workforce they’ve for the majority of the final three months, holding the Bucks to 17 factors on 8-of-25 capturing within the quarter. Milwaukee constantly seemed out of kinds and largely one-dimensional.
The Celtics pushed the margin to 18 early within the third, as Antetokounmpo picked up his fourth foul. Milwaukee responded with a 6-0 flurry to slice it to 68-56 with 5:36 left within the third, however the Celtics nonetheless led, 82-70, by three behind Tatum’s brilliance. Moderately than letting the sport come to him, he went out and seized it, delivering one of the vital electrifying performances of his profession.
The defending champs responded as soon as once more – as Pat Connaughton sliced the deficit to 4 with 7:48 left – however a scorching Tatum scored 11 factors in three-plus minutes to push it to 95-87 Celtics with 5:23 to go.
As an alternative of slowing the tempo down and taking part in passively like they did in Sport 5, the Celtics stayed aggressive and continued to assault the rim. Tatum punctuated an otherworldly efficiency with an and-one within the last minutes, and the Celtics discovered a approach to keep alive.
“Man, he took it to a different stage,” Horford mentioned of Tatum. “That’s what big-time gamers do in moments like this. He’s a particular participant, and he confirmed it tonight.”
For extra postgame protection of Tatum’s clutch efficiency and the Celtics forcing Sport 7, tune into the the Backyard Report Postgame Present LIVE on CLNS Media proper after the sport. Be part of A Sherrod Blakely, Bobby Manning, Josue Pavon, Jimmy Toscano and host John Zannis for a full breakdown. Plus, the fellows will focus on the clutch play of Boston’s backcourt, Marcus Sensible and Derrick White.
