In a resounding victory, the Milwaukee Bucks dominated the Boston Celtics with a convincing 135-102 win at Fiserv Forum on Thursday night, breaking free from the January slump in a remarkable fashion.
Despite entering the game with four losses in the last five outings, the Bucks showcased a complete team effort, elevating their overall record to 26-12. The outcome of the game was effectively decided by halftime, highlighting the Celtics’ struggle as they played their third game in four days, leading to a drop in their record to 29-9.
Expressing his relief, Bobby Portis remarked, “I’m just happy to get a win, man. We were in a funk to start the year. We didn’t have anything good going for us. It was good to see our defense going, see the offense, see the ball hopping, see everybody having fun again. That’s the biggest thing.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo played a pivotal role, contributing 24 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in just 26 minutes. The starting lineup, featuring Damian Lillard (21 points), Malik Beasley (16), and Brook Lopez (15), all reached double figures. Khris Middleton showcased playmaking with seven assists in 20 minutes. Notably, Bobby Portis stood out from the bench with an impressive 28 points, further solidifying the Bucks’ depth.
In the first half, Boston’s Jaylen Brown managed 10 points in 18 minutes, while Green Bay native Sam Hauser contributed 15 points coming off the bench for the Celtics.
This commanding victory not only ends the Bucks’ recent struggles but also injects a renewed sense of energy and enjoyment into their game, setting a positive tone for the team moving forward.
Bucks turn up the focus, blow out Celtics
Milwaukee has struggled with its consistency at times this season, despite having one of the league’s best records. And the worst of those inconsistencies – across a handful of areas – led to rough patches at the very start of the season (5-4 record) and the last eight games (3-5).
There were common threads in those stretches:
- Slow starts, and the team acknowledging not coming out of games mentally sharp.
- Holes in the defensive rebounding, allowing opponents to score off second and third efforts.
- Being loose with the ball, giving opponents points off turnovers.
- Defensive lapses on the game plan and not taking away one specific thing.
- Allowing the ball to stick offensively and relying too much on individual scoring.
“I believe early in the season, it was a matter of us finding our footing,” remarked Lillard. “Everything felt new and unfamiliar. Now, it’s more a reflection of the season itself. There are phases where you go through rough stretches, not executing things well.
Some of the issues that plagued us throughout the season just appeared more pronounced in this recent series of games. I see it as a natural part of the season.”
However, when the Bucks manage to steer clear of those pitfalls, the outcome tends to lean toward victory. On occasions, it even results in record-breaking performances. At the very least, the team exhibits impressive play for extended periods, showcasing their capability to overcome challenges and secure positive results.
BOX SCORE:Bucks 135, Celtics 102
That was the case in the first half against Boston when the Bucks effectively won the game by taking a 37-point lead into the break at 75-38.
- The Bucks came out with a strong and assertive approach in the early stages of the first quarter, preventing the Celtics from establishing a rhythm on either end and quickly securing an 11-2 lead. They demonstrated resilience when Boston narrowed the gap to three points shortly afterward. Reflecting on the team’s mindset, Antetokounmpo emphasized the increased urgency, stating, “There was more urgency coming into the game. Losing four out of five games, being down in the first half 30 to Utah. We watched the film and we had to be better. We had to play better. (Wednesday) we had a great practice, talked about things we could do better. Guys were more urgent today.” Antetokounmpo praised the assertiveness of Dame (Damian Lillard) from the beginning of the game, highlighting his downhill attacking mentality. Defensively, the team showed solidarity, helping one another, disrupting passing lanes, and deflecting the ball. Aware of Boston’s recent overtime game against Minnesota the previous night, the Bucks recognized the importance of starting the game with high energy, a goal they successfully achieved.
- In the initial half, Boston was limited to just three offensive rebounds, showcasing Milwaukee’s deliberate emphasis on this critical aspect of the game. The Bucks implemented a well-executed strategy, with several players actively positioning themselves to track their assigned opponents, ensuring efficient box-outs and control of the ball. Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin underscored the imperative for heightened concentration and awareness when facing a team of Boston’s caliber, recognizing the intricate dynamics of each possession. Griffin explained, “You have to be extremely locked in when you play a team like Boston, ith numerous nuances in every possession. It could involve 12 different coverages or various actions that you have to guard in one possession, and one slight slip, one momentary lapse in focus can cost you. You must maintain great concentration and mental toughness when playing against them because they’re exceptionally elite.” The Bucks’ demonstrated commitment to detail and defensive discipline played a pivotal role in limiting Boston’s opportunities for offensive rebounds.
- Boston came in leading the league in three-pointers attempted (42.9 per game), made (16.2) and ninth in shooting (37.7%). They have three regulars shooting 40% or better and two more are better than 37%. In the first half, the Celtics were just 1-for-16 from behind the arc – including 0-for-8 in the second quarter. Of Boston’s 16 made shots, seven were dunks and three were layups.”I feel like whenever they had an opportunity to shoot the three we were pressing up on them,” Antetokounmpo said “Then we tried to send them more to the midrange area, more into the paint. Not just give them an easy two or an easy layup, make it still tough, but when you play against a team that wants to shoot 45, 50 threes, so I think we were able to do a good job.
- Even against a switching and lengthy Boston defense that tries to force one-on-one play, the Bucks got the ball moving if a quick, clean look wasn’t available. Milwaukee had assists on 17 of their 28 first half baskets.”It was amazing The ball was moving. After I made that one three I clapped because it was great ball movement,” Malik Beasley said. “We had worked on something (Wednesday) where our three top guys are iso’ing and they’re like stagnant, come slip out and that helped a lot. I think we got a new identity and character for us.
- Milwaukee turned it over just four times, and none resulted in points by the Boston.
“The teams that don’t fold and become mentally weak because things aren’t going well, you’re being criticized and it’s not looking good, those teams, they fall off,” commented Lillard. “I think the teams that just keep fighting, you take the criticism that’s there because sometimes it’s right.
And you also understand that you gotta be better at certain things and when everybody’s on the same page and everybody’s bought in to just kind of continuing to fight that fight. In the long run, nobody wants to hear it in the moment, but in the long run at the end, everybody will look back and say, you know, we stayed with it and when we’re a finished product toward the end of the season, we’ll get to where we want to get there.”
“It’s nobody’s race to run but ours. We’re the ones in it, and I think a game like tonight shows that we’re continuing to fight and continuing to improve. Now we just gotta hold on to it and have more performances like this than not,” he added. Lillard’s perspective emphasizes the importance of resilience, self-improvement, and team unity in the face of challenges, emphasizing the long-term goal and the value of staying committed to the process.
Bobby Portis, Andre Jackson Jr. spark off the Bucks bench
The team, as a whole, has struggled since Christmas Day, but the bench unit, in particular, faced a challenging period. Between December 25 and January 8, during the Bucks’ 3-5 stretch, the second unit found itself outscored by a significant margin of 183 points. It’s essential to note that a couple of outliers contributed to this skewed statistic.
Brooklyn’s violation of the NBA’s player participation policy resulted in a fine, with six bench players playing substantial minutes and scoring 79 points on December 27. In another instance, an injury to Indiana’s starting guard led to two bench players effectively logging starter minutes, contributing to the Pacers’ bench scoring 70 points on January 1.
Moreover, each Bucks bench player typically shares the floor with multiple starters, limiting their scoring opportunities even further. Notable performances include Pat Connaughton’s 44% three-point shooting but on a modest 3.4 attempts per game in 21.5 minutes.
Meanwhile, Cameron Payne and MarJon Beauchamp boast a 36.8% shooting accuracy on 2.7 attempts per game. On the flip side, Andre Jackson Jr. has had limited scoring opportunities, attempting only 15 shots in around 80 minutes of action.
Despite the challenges, the team remains optimistic. Recognizing the tough start to the year, Bobby Portis emphasized the cyclical nature of basketball. He acknowledged the recent shooting struggles but expressed confidence that the team would bounce back.
Portis, mired in a shooting slump, showcased resilience against the Celtics, scoring 28 points and securing 12 rebounds, contributing significantly to a 25-0 run that spanned parts of the first and second quarters. Jackson Jr., making a notable impact in the second quarter, added to the team’s success with key rebounds and assists.
Portis credited his improved performance to extra work in the gym, emphasizing the importance of returning to basics. Despite the recent challenges, the team remains focused on putting in the work and trusting the process to yield positive results in the days ahead.
Did you notice?
Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla called it a night for his starters after halftime, as Kristaps Porziņģis (21 minutes), Jrue Holiday (19), Jaylen Brown (18), Derrick White (17) and Jayson Tatum (16) were done for the day.
Brown scored 10 points on 5 of 14 shooting while Holiday was 2-for-9 for six points in his return to Milwaukee. Tatum was 2-for-6 for seven points.
Mazzulla started five bench players to begin the second half and went all the way down to his last couple of players on the roster late in the third.
Boston was playing its third game in four days and was coming off an overtime victory over Minnesota Wednesday night at TD Garden. The Celtics have gone 3-3 over their last six games.
Five numbers
- 5-2 Boston’s record on the second night of a back-to-back. Their only loss was a three-point loss on the road in Charlotte on Nov. 20.
- 17-4 Bucks record in home games, the second-most in the Eastern Conference behind Boston (18-0). The Bucks are 17-3 at Fiserv Forum. Milwaukee’s In-Season Tournament loss in Las Vegas on Dec. 7 counts as a home game. Boston has the league’s best home mark at 18-0.
- 19-2 Bucks record when they shoot 50% or better.
- 25-0 Run by the Bucks that began at the 1:55 mark of the first quarter and continued through until a Brook Lopez bucket at the 8:04 mark of the second. It stretched an 8-point Bucks lead to 33 and blew the game open.
- 50% Three-point shooting (4-for-8) for Bucks guard Malik Beasley against the Celtics, who came into the game leading the league in making 47.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc. In Milwaukee’s Nov. 22 loss in Boston he was 2-for-3.
Jrue Holiday plays his first game in Milwaukee since trade
While the Bucks players and their former teammate were able to catch up on and off the court for the first time since the Sept. 27 trade that brought Lillard to Milwaukee on Nov. 22, this will be Holiday’s first game in Milwaukee.
He took out a full-page ad in the Journal Sentinel to thank the fans, and the organization recognized his impact on and off the court during his three years with a video tribute. Holiday received a standing ovation as he was re-introduced, and during the timeout Holiday took a peek at the video and his teammates watched before and after Joe Mazzulla addressed the team in the huddle. After it was over, Holiday waved to the crowd.
“It was awesome,” Holiday said. “My stint here, I had a great time and it was really fun. Had some great memories and they shared some of those memories on the jumbotron, so it was cool to kind of see that. The fans here have always been great. They’ve always been supportive of me and my family and the team here, so it was definitely a fun place to play.”
Giannis, LeBron lead NBA all-star voting
The second return of fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game is in, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is the No. 1 overall vote-getter with 3.4 million votes. He, of course, leads all Eastern Conference players. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is the No. 2 overall vote-getter at 3.09 million.
Damian Lillard is No. 3 in Eastern Conference guard voting. Oshkosh native Tyrese Haliburton is No. 1 (2.1 million) and Atlanta guard Trae Young is No. 2 (1.44 million). Lillard is third at 1.41 million.
The NBA is returning to the traditional East vs. West format for the Feb. 18 game in Indianapolis, and the top two guards will start along with the top three frontcourt players.
Adrian Griffin on track to coach the Eastern Conference all-star team
The Bucks are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference behind Boston. But, because Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and his staff coached in the all-star game last year he cannot do it again this season. So, if the Bucks maintain the No. 2 spot through Feb. 4, the Bucks’ first-year head coach and his staff will be in Indianapolis.