10 takeaways vs. the not-so-scary Milwaukee Bucks

Final night time, Mazzulla’s Celtics confronted the final coach to win an NBA title with the Celtics earlier than Joe. The Celtics’ momentum was burning sizzling, whereas the Bucks are already on the verge of a disaster. After a detailed first half, the Celtics pulled away, beating a Bucks crew nonetheless looking for its identification.

1. The disagreeable first 135 seconds

The opening of the sport didn’t go as deliberate. The Celtics struggled to provoke their offense and gave up an open shot to the Bucks. After solely 135 seconds, Joe Mazzulla, livid, known as for an early timeout—channeling his interior Greg Popovich.

Proper after the timeout, the Celtics misplaced the ball on the inbound, and Joe seemed furious once more…

2. Decide-and-roll protection

One of the crucial intriguing features of this recreation was the Celtics’ pick-and-roll protection. With Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez, the Bucks have a number of choices to assault Boston.

Final season, the Bucks relied closely on the Lillard-Lopez pick-and-roll, they usually opened with it once more final night time. Initially, Al Horford was matched up with Lopez, resulting in drop protection, which opened up pull-up alternatives for Lillard—not perfect.

The Celtics shortly adjusted, placing Horford on his outdated good friend Giannis, reigniting their acquainted battle. This transfer allowed Jrue Vacation and Jayson Tatum to modify onto Lillard when Lopez set the display screen. Since Giannis isn’t a capturing risk, Horford might keep nearer to the motion and supply assist protection when wanted.

The Bucks tried to make use of Lopez’s deep put up positioning towards Boston, however it wasn’t sufficient to disrupt the Celtics’ protection.

3. Uncommon free-throw quantity for Celtics’ opponents

The Bucks posted a Free Throw Fee of 32.9%, in accordance with CleaningTheGlass.com. This implies one out of each three shot makes an attempt resulted in a visit to the road—uncommon for Celtics opponents.

Final season, Boston led the league in limiting opponent free-throw alternatives, holding them to a median Free Throw Fee of simply 14.1%. Final night time, the Bucks almost doubled that.

How did this occur? Giannis, as common, generated journeys to the road together with his potential to interrupt down defenses together with his size and velocity. Fortuitously for the league, he doesn’t convert nicely from there.

Damian Lillard, one other key issue, can draw fouls on drives, pull-ups, and even whereas dribbling. Final night time, he generated nearly as many free throws as the complete Celtics crew. You may argue he will get famous person calls, however he’s a famous person. Despite the fact that the Bucks are underperforming, Lillard stays probably the greatest offensive gamers within the NBA.

4. Celtics are fortunate the Warmth didn’t get Lillard

This recreation additionally highlighted how harmful Lillard would have been alongside Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and underneath Erik Spoelstra’s teaching. His pull-up capturing and driving potential make him robust for Boston, which prides itself on forcing opponents into tough photographs.

Lillard is likely one of the few offensive gamers who isn’t closely impacted by the Celtics’ elite protection, as he can create beauty in robust conditions. Fortunately for us, he’s on a crew that doesn’t know the way to maximize what he nonetheless gives.

5. Has the double-big line-up disappeared?

We solely noticed a couple of minutes of the Celtics’ double-big lineup final night time. Joe Mazzulla admitted he wasn’t happy with the crew’s protection on this configuration.

This will have been as a result of matchup towards Milwaukee, however it opens the door for extra rotation alternatives—and extra minutes for our beloved Jordan Walsh.

6. Jordan Walsh’s significant minutes

Towards the Bucks, Jordan Walsh acquired his first significant minutes of the season, taking part in within the second quarter, late within the third, and early within the fourth. His physicality and protection stood out.

Walsh timed his switches nicely, used his size to disrupt the Bucks’ offense, and stayed in entrance of Lopez when switching off-ball. He additionally displayed nice power whereas guarding Giannis within the put up.

Offensively, he was stagnant within the nook throughout his first stretch. Nonetheless, in his second stint, he grew to become extra energetic, grabbing two offensive rebounds and changing one with a put-back. It’s encouraging to see Mazzulla belief him, and Walsh confirmed he earned that belief.

7. Payton Pritchard was so good, he had Doc Rivers on his knees

Late within the third quarter, the Bucks have been on the line. With just a few seconds left on the clock, Pritchard was on the ground, able to run, and all of us knew what was coming. And it occurred. Doc Rivers couldn’t imagine it (and the man behind him couldn’t cease laughing).

8. Jrue Vacation is aware of the way to assault the Bucks’ protection

Jrue Vacation, who was the cornerstone of Milwaukee’s protection throughout their 2021 title run, is aware of Giannis and Lopez’s tendencies. This allowed him to acknowledge when to assault.

He was particularly aggressive when Lopez was on Horford, repeatedly driving to use the Bucks’ lack of rim safety. If Horford was stationed within the nook, Jrue would drive, understanding Lopez would assist, and he might kick the ball out to Horford for a 3.

When Horford was positioned above the break, Vacation would once more drive, understanding that the Bucks would haven’t any rim safety.

9. Jaylen Brown’s searching when wanted

Early within the third quarter, the Celtics began searching Lillard with Jaylen Brown, sparking an 11-3 run. Brown continues to enhance at exploiting mismatches and punishing defenders.

Within the fourth quarter, Mazzulla despatched Brown searching once more, this time focusing on Delon Wright and Gary Trent Jr. With the Celtics’ glorious spacing, JB acquired nice post-up positioning and might show is likely one of the league’s finest one-on-one gamers.

10. The Bucks look misplaced with out Brook Lopez

When Lopez went to the bench, the Bucks misplaced their defensive steadiness. They struggled to guard the rim, and Giannis alone couldn’t compensate for the shortage of defensive assist from the wings and backcourt. Lopez was glorious defensively, holding his personal towards the Jays and proving why he’s probably the greatest rim protectors within the NBA.

Offensively, the Bucks faltered with out Lopez. Their offense grew to become stagnant and lacked spacing. Bobby Portis, Lopez’s backup, depends on post-up performs, which have been comically ineffective. Why Doc Rivers insists on this method, which was unhealthy final season too, stays a thriller.

As soon as once more, it’s a good time to be a Celtics fan and a tricky time to be a Bucks fan.