1. Hugo Gonzalez Profession Evening
After Neemias Queta had a profession night time towards the 76ers the night time earlier than, Hugo Gonzalez determined it was his flip to have the perfect recreation of his younger profession on the second night time of a back-to-back in a commanding 108-81 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. In his third profession begin, Gonzalez completed with profession highs of 18 factors, 16 rebounds, and three steals whereas tying his profession excessive with 2 blocks on 7-15 capturing from the sphere and 3-8 from three. He’s the primary Celtics rookie to have a stat line like this since Larry Chicken on November 14th, 1979 towards the Detroit Pistons.
After making the primary basket of the sport for the Celtics, there was an opportunity Gonzalez might have a great offensive night time however I don’t suppose anybody anticipated him to place up this kind of efficiency. He drove to the basket with pressure, made some nice hustle performs on put-backs, and was capable of shoot the three ball comfortably.
Hugo made the Bucks work on each possession, flying across the court docket on protection for his rebounds, blocks and steals. He did an unbelievable job when it got here to locking down his offensive matchup and did stable when it got here to guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo on just a few possessions. His hustle and skill to be in the best place on the proper time was completely large for the Celtics and with out Gonzalez, there’s a likelihood Boston loses this recreation.
In a recreation the place Jaylen Brown (sickness) and Neemias Queta (relaxation) have been dominated OUT, Boston was nonetheless capable of maintain the Bucks to solely 81 factors, their second lowest scoring output of the season solely behind the 79 level efficiency that the Celtics held them to on February 1st in TD Backyard.
Boston held Milwaukee to 27-74 (37%) capturing from the sphere and 13-36 (36%) from three level vary. They pressured 16 turnovers on the Bucks whereas additionally getting 7 steals and 6 blocks. With out two key defensive stoppers within the entrance court docket, the Celtics have been capable of as soon as once more dominate the Bucks.
3. Dominance within the Paint
Boston completely owned the paint towards Milwaukee on this matchup. Within the rebounding division, the Celtics crushed the Bucks on the boards 54-32. Out of the 54 rebounds, 19 of them resulted in offensive rebounds and normally led to a basket on the second-chance alternative.
When it got here to the factors within the paint battle I assumed that Milwaukee would have the sting given they obtained Giannis again however that wasn’t the case. The Celtics outscored them 34-22 when it got here to factors within the paint. This was a results of Boston’s elite rebounding and Milwaukee’s total lack of curiosity when it got here to desirous to play protection.
4. Payton Pritchard Bounce Again
Coming off a recreation towards the 76ers the place Payton Pritchard scored 0 Factors, he was capable of bounce again in a giant method towards the Bucks, ending with 25 factors and 9 assists on 10-23 capturing from the sphere and 5-10 from three. This was a a lot wanted recreation for Pritchard who had scored within the single-digits in 3 of his final 4 video games.
He began the sport out form of gradual, however as soon as he hit a midrange nearly buzzer beater on the finish of the third quarter, Pritchard turned it on within the fourth quarter. Payton scored 12 of his 25 factors within the fourth quarter and was the Celtics nearer, icing the sport.
5. Derrick White Steadied the Ship
Derrick White didn’t have the perfect capturing night time on this recreation, going 5-18 from the sphere and 4-12 from three, however watching the sport it felt like he was the stabilizer for the Celtics offense. He completed with 18 factors and 9 assists, persevering with his nice stretch of facilitating. Relationship again to February third, White is averaging 7.1 assists since Pritchard beginning coming off the bench.
Towards the Bucks this season, the on/off numbers present that the Celtics are a +65 when White is on the court docket in 95 minutes versus a -25 when he has been off the court docket in 49 minutes. He has been the right connector for this group and with a whole lot of younger guys taking part in for the Celtics, he’s the veteran that may hold them afloat.
Rising up in Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin, Sam Hauser grew up a Milwaukee Bucks fan as a child and has had some particular performances towards them up to now. The sport on December eleventh of this season was not a type of good video games, ending with 0 factors on 0-10 capturing in a 116-101 Celtics loss.
This recreation was a distinct story for Sam, ending with 14 factors on 5-9 capturing from the sphere and 4-8 from three. He torched the Bucks from past the arc and his shoot regarded easy all night time lengthy. This was some becoming redemption for Hauser, with the ability to take the win towards his hometown group.
Ever for the reason that Celtics traded for Nikola Vucevic, Luka Garza has discovered himself slowly falling out of the rotation. Earlier than this recreation towards the Bucks, the final time Garza obtained actual significant minutes in a recreation was on February eighth towards the New York Knicks when he performed quarter-hour.
Nonetheless, with Queta out and Vucevic within the beginning lineup, Garza was capable of be the backup heart on this recreation and he stayed prepared. He completed with 7 factors and 10 rebounds on 3-6 capturing in 20 minutes of play. He was a giant purpose as to why the Celtics have been capable of dominate Milwaukee on the glass and within the paint, utilizing his physicality to get beneath the basket with ease. My favourite play of the night time was his turnaround hook shot after bodying Myles Turner.
8. Nikola Vucevic First Celtics Begin
For the primary time in his Celtics profession, Nikola Vucevic was named as a starter with Brown and Queta out. It is a function he was aware of over the course of his NBA profession, and he performed a reasonably stable recreation, ending with 10 factors, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds on 5-12 capturing. He was the first defender on Giannis for many of the night time and did a fantastic job of controlling Antetokounmpo within the paint, even getting a block on him.
His passing was the most important story for me on this recreation. Vucevic did a fantastic job with handoffs when he set a display screen and likewise made just a few good cross-court passes. I’ve been extremely shocked along with his passing potential since he’s come to Boston and he continues to indicate it off in video games like tonight.
9. C’s Spoil Giannis Return
After weeks of commerce rumors, flip-flopping feelings, and prediction market partnerships, Giannis Antetokounmpo suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks for the primary time since January twenty third. In a recreation the place Boston was lacking two key gamers, you’d suppose Giannis would be capable to wild towards the Celtics however that wasn’t essentially the case.
He completed with 19 factors and 11 rebounds on 7-18 capturing from the sphere and 0-2 capturing from three whereas lacking his remaining 7 pictures in a row. He was capable of get his typical baskets on occasion by ramming his strategy to the basket however the Celtics did an unbelievable job constructing the wall and making each shot a tough look. Out of any group within the NBA, I’d say the Celtics have traditionally accomplished the perfect job when defending Giannis and even with completely different and depleted personnel, they nonetheless discovered a strategy to get the job accomplished.
What extra are you able to say concerning the brilliance of Joe Mazzulla. This recreation was an ideal illustration of why he must win Coach of the 12 months. He ran a beginning lineup of White-Gonzalez-Scheierman-Hauser-Vucevic, a lineup that had by no means seen the ground collectively and dominated Milwaukee on the street. This was the seventh time the Celtics have gained a recreation on the street by 20+ factors and the thirteenth time this season.
This recreation is a testomony to Joe Mazzulla and your entire teaching workers spending tons of hours in Celtics College drilling the gamers heads with info, it’s a testomony to Brad Stevens and the entrance workplace for figuring out these gamers for the system, and it’s a testomony to the Celtics gamers as an entire for all the time being able to play their roles when known as upon. This recreation was one other nice group win a season stuffed with unbelievable group wins.
