NBA PLAYOFFS -- Blown in Game 1, Bucks brace for Game 2
By Taha Qureshi
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 30 Apr 2019
MILWAUKEE -- After coasting through the regular season with a 60-22 slate and then sweeping the Detroit Pistons in the opening round of these 2019 NBA playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks found themselves in an unfamiliar place peculiar place on Sunday as they lost Game 1 of the East Conference semifinals at home.
Losing to the fourth-seeded Celtics wasn't a surprise. But being blown away, 112-90, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, in front of a capacity crowd of 17,561 fans, was disconcerting.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will likely pocket this season's MVP award, looked like a different player against the pesky Celtics defense. He scored only 22 points and missed 14 of his 21 field goals.
So what happened?
"Whenever I got in the paint, when I spin or try to change direction, the second guy was right there," he said during his post-game media availability.
The Celtics defense didn't just do a good job of containing The Greek Freak, they pretty much shackled the entire Bucks team, which shot only 34.8 percent from the field (31-of-89) and 33.3 percent (13-of-39) from 3-point range. Ranked the No.1 offense during the regular season with a 118.1 points per game average, Milwaukee scored only 90 in Game 1, a shortfall of 18 points.
Khris Middleton helped Milwaukee's cause with 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists but the rest of the starters struggled mightily as Brook Lopez, Sterling Brown and Eric Bledsoe accounted only for 12 among them.
The Celtics, meanwhile, connected 47 of 87 shots and 13 of 31 triples. They also won the rebounding war, 51-44, while issuing more assists, 25-19.
Kyrie Irving had 26 points and 11 assists while veteran Al Horford tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 19 points and Gordon Hayward came off the bench with 13. The Celtics converted 47 of 87 field goals (54 percent) and
"I can't promise that we will win Game 2 but we will try hard," Antetokounmpo told reporters as both teams practiced on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Game 2 returns Wednesday morning at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Taha Qureshi.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS PRESENTS “COUNTDOWN TO THRILLA IN MANILA” AND “THRILLA IN MANILA 50”
Fri, 17 Oct 2025Rafael Espinoza-Arnold Khegai Featherweight World Title Showdown Set for Nov. 15 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
Fri, 17 Oct 2025Irish welterweight contender Paddy Donovan Positioned for another World title shot
Fri, 17 Oct 2025DAY ONE: TEAM ASIA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT WHITEWASH AS AJ ‘STARBOY’ MANAS SHINES
Fri, 17 Oct 2025CONNOR MITCHELL SIGNS FOR MATCHROOM BOXING AND DREAMS OF SURPASSING HIS LEGENDARY FATHER
Fri, 17 Oct 2025CONWAY-LIDDARD YORK HALL WEIGH-IN RESULTS
Thu, 16 Oct 2025PR Run - Break Your Record on Oct. 19
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 16 Oct 2025PIONEERING FILIPINO BOXERS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT ON FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH (PART I)
By Dong Secuya, Thu, 16 Oct 2025BOXING HALL OF FAME RELEASES FALL 2025 LETTER OF APPEAL SEEKING FUNDRAISING SUPPORT
Thu, 16 Oct 2025Mendoza bags bronze
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 16 Oct 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 20: MUHAMMAD ALI VS. JOE FRAZIER III ON OCTOBER 1, 1975 AT THE ARANETA COLISEUM
By Maloney L. Samaco, Thu, 16 Oct 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: History of Boxing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 16 Oct 2025YORK HALL PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AS CONWAY AND LIDDARD GET SET FOR HUGE DOMESTIC CLASH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Unbeaten Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes Set for Return on October 18 Against Derlyn Hernandez-Geraldo in Long Beach
Wed, 15 Oct 2025JOEL “LETHAL” LEWIS RETURNS NOV 28TH THUNDERDOME 52 – METRO CITY PERTH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025