Giannis Antetokounmpo showed out and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Boston Celtics 108-100.
On Tuesday, the sports world was reawakened to the fragility and danger that comes just from playing high-level sports. On Wednesday, the sports world reminded everyone of its unity when they see one of its own fall.
Prior to the start of the Milwaukee Bucks-Boston Celtics, the TD Garden played a video recorded by Gordon Hayward, who is out indefinitely with a dislocated ankle and fracture tibia. Hayward was lying in a hospital bed talking about how badly he wished he could be out there. At one point, the Garden erupted in cheers of “Gord-on Hay-Ward.”
The game went back-and-forth and came down to the final possessions. The icing came off a denied drive by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who kicked out to a wide open Matthew Dellevadova, who hit a dagger 3-pointer. The Bucks won by eight, despite only making seven 3-pointers and having 12 fewer attempts than the Celtics.
It was a wonky game, as we should have expected. The Celtics were not only on a back-to-back, they still only have four returning players. They had their moments, and the young guys like Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier were energetic and look like real pieces for the Celtics’ chances for contention. So, for the first time this season, here are three takeaways from Bucks-Celtics.
Takeaways
Greek Freak took three shots from outside the paint: Antetokounmpo got to the rim almost at will. He remains a matchup nightmare and can take anyone off the dribble. He slipped a few picks for easy lobs, and his lack of shooting actually allowed him extra space to gather momentum and take defenders off the dribble. Antetokounmpo is a monster, but his shot, and his confidence in that shot, wasn’t there for opening night. I’m just a stickler.
You’d be hard pressed to find a superstar who works harder to score per possession than Greek Freak. He’s constantly taking on multiple defenders in the paint, dropping his shoulder and making baskets through contact. It takes a toll. To start the second half, Antetokounmpo drove to the basket. That next possession he chased Horford around pick-and-rolls. He was late on a rotation and walked from the logo to the foul-line extended to pass the ball on an inbound. Considering his spring was there on those lobs later in the half, he wasn’t gassed, but he did look tired at times. But it’s the first game. Everyone isn’t in game shape yet. But it was noticeable.
That’s not a problem. He’ll be muscling players the whole season. And he finished 13-for-22 from the field and, despite this awful free throw, made nine of his 11 attempts from the line. I’m all in on the Giannis for MVP dark horse campaign. But that shot…
The Celtics had it and didn’t have it: Brown and Rozier brought the energy. Both were aggressive and were the bright spots for the C’s from deep. They combined to go 5-for-8 from 3-point land.
As the Celtics continue to search for their chemistry, amid the team turnover and the Hayward injury, guys like Brown and Rozier will have to pick up extra slack. They seem up to it. They were vocal and demonstrative. Their body language was strong and energetic.
At times, the Celtics looked like the team they will become, heavy on ball movement and extra passes. At other times, they slogged behind Irving pounding the floor and stagnating the offense. In his defense, Irving comes from a system that was either LeBron James doing everything, or Irving going isolation.
Irving’s value was apparent in crunch time, when he was able to get a couple baskets late and was able to dish out to Smart for a 3-pointer. Smart didn’t make it. Irving’s shotmaking will be his biggest asset and maybe his biggest detriment on a team that thrives off team ball. The Celtics are 0-2, but panic is still far from the horizon.
Thon Maker is still learning: He only played 14 minutes, but the five-man lineup with Maker was the Bucks’ worst of the night. The Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell, Khris Middleton, Antetokounmpo, Maker unit was a sieve defensively, and finished with a rating of minus-22.1. It was the only lineup the Bucks fielded that had a negative rating.
Despite his length, Maker was pushed out of the way multiple times, even by players like Brown and Jayson Tatum. He showed a little baby hook that counted for his only basket. Maker is still young, which is saying a lot on a team of youth.
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I like coach Jason Kidd allowing him to start and getting run in with the best players on the team. The Bucks got off to a slow start, so the holes in their defense to start should sharpen up as Maker’s running mates are all good defenders. His shooting potential is a must-have, especially in lineups with Antetokounmpo. It’s a long road, but Maker and the Bucks seem determined.