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Post by Admin on Apr 28, 2018 17:29:19 GMT -5
Five key questions heading into Game 7 of Celtics vs. BucksBy: Greg Cassoli The first-round series between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks is headed to Game 7. We laid out five key questions that will define which team will emerge victorious from their winner-take-all showdown on Saturday. 1. Will homecourt advantage continue to matter?Neither Boston nor Milwaukee has won a single game on the road in this series. The Celtics have outscored the Bucks by an average of 7.9 points per 100 possessions in the friendly confines of the TD Garden. Milwaukee has bested Boston by 17.3 points per 100 possessions at the Bradley Center. Much of that disparity has been driven by the performance of each team’s supplemental pieces. The old adage that role players don’t travel in the playoffs is cliché, misleading and overused, but it’s been decidedly true in this series. The Bucks bench trio of Jabari Parker, Thon Maker and Matthew Dellavedova has averaged a combined 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.9 steals and 5 blocks per game at home, while shooting 47.9% from the field and 38.5% from deep. In Boston they’re averaging just 7.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2 assists, 0.8 steals and 0 blocks, with 27.6% and 12.3% marks from the field and three respectively. If Milwaukee can find a way to get just the slightest bit more from its role players it has a legitimate chance to steal Game 7 on the road. The first six games of the series offer very little evidence that such an outcome is likely, but anything can happen in a single-elimination situation. 2. Can Boston get its offense going consistently?The Celtics offense has been prone to long stretches of stagnancy. That’s not particularly surprising given the absence of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Boston simply doesn’t have many players capable of creating off the bounce. The Celtics’ limited personnel requires that they move the ball, set crisp screens and force the Bucks into as many difficult decisions as possible, both on and off the ball. Milwaukee has countered such a strategy by using switches as a means of simplifying their defensive gameplan. Boston has attempted to pick at the resulting mismatches. It’s had some success, but if attempting to exploit size advantages turns exclusively into isolation basketball than the strategic advantage lies with Milwaukee. The Bucks have too much length and athleticism to make help assignments simple via a lack of motion. There is a middle ground to be found. The Celtics can continue to attack mismatches and also focus on putting pressure on the Bucks with smart, hard cuts. ssl.cdn.turner.com/nba/big/nba/wsc/2018/04/25/league_a3934d36-da20-59fb-5492-979de1fa6d0a.nba_2336775_1920x1080_5904.mp4?_=1 ssl.cdn.turner.com/nba/big/nba/wsc/2018/04/25/league_a3934d36-da20-59fb-5492-979de1fa6d0a.nba_2336775_1920x1080_5904.mp4?_=1 3. Does either coach have one more adjustment in his back pocket?Joe Prunty stumbled into the series’ first major adjustment when John Henson sustained a back injury. The Bucks turned to smaller more switchable lineups when their starting center went down. Units with Thon Maker or Giannis Antetokounmpo at center have increased Milwaukee’s versatility on the defensive end and breathed a bit of additional spacing into its offense. Brad Stevens countered with a surprise start for Semi Ojeleye in Game 5. The Celtics’ powerful rookie gave Boston’s starting unit an additional dose of athleticism, allowing them to pressure the ball with greater intensity. Ojeleye drew the individual assignment of attempting to slow Antetokounmpo. He was as effective as anyone could have hoped he would be. The Celtics stuck with Ojeleye in the starting group in Game 6 and tare likely to turn to him once more on Saturday. Milwaukee has an opportunity to attempt to exploit Ojeleye’s lack of offensive polish by abandoning him to send extra help to clog driving and passing lanes. Whether or not it wants to pursue such a strategy is unclear. The Bucks have shown an ability to defend well enough without doing so, though not on the road. Game planning around the Celtics’ new look starting lineup is, of course, just one of many adjustments that might be pursued. Coaches walk a delicate line of being proactive in the ways in which they alter their game plans from one playoff contest to the next and trusting the systems and schemes that got them there in the first place. Whoever does so more effectively on Saturday may very well walk away with a win. 4. How will the Bucks fare in transition?The Bucks can be devastating in transition, particularly if Giannis can grab a defensive rebound and push the tempo. His combination of burst and length make the threat of an easy transition layup or dunk a constant threat in such scenarios. Step up to cut off his path to the hoop and he’ll Eurostep your soul out of your body. Send multiple players to wall him off and he’ll find an open shooter behind the arc. Get caught somewhere in between those things and you’ll be on a poster as Giannis dunks on your head. The more often Milwaukee can put itself in a position to leverage Giannis’ strengths on the break the better. It’s had trouble taking advantage of them at times. The Celtics deserve a ton of credit in that regard. Boston has done an excellent job defending in transition, selling out on slowing Giannis’ momentum before he’s within close proximity of the basket and busting their tails to recover to open shooters with an impressive blend of intensity and attention to detail. Milwaukee needs to force them to continue doing so. The Bucks will get points if they find opportunities to run. They’re too athletic not to. Limiting Milwaukee in transition means keeping turnovers down for Boston. 5. Will Giannis prove to be the ultimate trump card?Having the best player in a winner-take-all scenario is never a trivial advantage. Milwaukee has that in Giannis, He’s made difficult shots over superlative defense all series long. ssl.cdn.turner.com/nba/big/nba/wsc/2018/04/27/league_ba0e1ffc-dad1-b414-b66b-f1ad36afc10e.nba_2342937_1920x1080_5904.mp4?_=2He’s good enough to win Game 7 more or less on his own. That’s incredibly reassuring for Bucks’ supporters and a terrifying reality for Celtics’ fans. celticswire.usatoday.com/2018/04/27/five-key-questions-heading-into-game-7-of-boston-celtics-vs-milwaukee-bucks/
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Post by Admin on Apr 28, 2018 17:34:55 GMT -5
Keys to a game 7 victoryby Lucio Vainesman Three keys to the Boston Celtics getting a game seven victory at TD Garden
In the first 6 games of this series, we saw the home team come away victorious. As the Boston Celtics come back home and prepare for what should be a thrilling game seven, the Milwaukee Bucks are also attempting to continue their hot shooting and slide on through to the next round. From games 1 to 6 we can see the recipe for success for our Celtics. Here are some keys to victory in this elimination game: 1) Hot shooting from Marcus Morris and Terry Rozier:It is no mystery that without Kyrie Irving on the floor, the Celtics have struggled with putting the ball in the hoop. Morris and Rozier have found success with their, at times, erratic shot selection. It is by no coincidence that in the Celtics’ three home victories, Rozier and Morris have been both efficient and clutch on the offensive side of the ball. Yet, in the three away losses, both Morris and Rozier had trouble getting any penetration or finishing the ball. 2) Jaylen Brown has to get to the foul line (and makes his free-throws):The difference maker in this series for Milwaukee hasn’t been Giannis Antetokounmpo or Khris Middleton – even though both have been amazing – rather, it has been Thon Maker. He has been a force to reckon with in the paint and has the ability to spread the court on offense for Milwaukee. In game 6, a game that looked lost during the third quarter, the Celtics went on a big run when Maker had to sit due to foul trouble. It has become blatantly clear now that Maker is willing to bite on any pump fake. When Brown puts his head down and charges to the hoop, where very few defenders in this league can match his athleticism, he will almost always get a whistle or have a chance to finish at the rim. Getting Maker in foul trouble is a key to this game and Brown has to force that issue. 3) Marcus Smart has to set the tone for the defense.In five of the six games in this series the Bucks have shot for over 50 percent from the field. The one game they shot below happened to be the Celtics’ game five victory in the Garden, also happening to be Smarts’ first game back. Smart’s energy is infectious, as within the first seconds of him entering the game, he stole the ball from Giannis and then dove on it immediately. Then, he followed it up by swatting the Greek Freaks’ alley-oop attempt. Middleton has been lights out this series, and in order for the Celtics to close out this series, they need Smart to be Smart and disrupt Middleton’s flow. hardwoodhoudini.com/2018/04/28/boston-celtics-keys-to-a-game-7-victory/
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Post by Admin on Apr 28, 2018 17:37:31 GMT -5
Boston Celtics need a signature game 7 from Jaylen Brownby Joshua BatemanThe Boston Celtics need Jaylen Brown to have a signature game seven at TD GardenJaylen Brown has stepped in a special way this postseason, and that was after already being one of the most improved played in the NBA. He is averaging over 20 points, while shooting 48 percent overall and 40 percent from three. Brown has looked like the best player on the court at times, and has shown the highest offensive ceiling on the Boston Celtics against the Milwaukee Bucks. Brown already has two signature 30+ point games in this series, and has hit double digits in every game. The problem is that this Celtics roster needs more than just reliability, and a special game seven performance would make a new kind of statement in his young career. Brown plays with all the aggressiveness and intensity that is needed to take over games, and his ability to score at all three levels has made him the top scoring option in this series. In game seven, however, they need the very best of Brown, because they have no been able to trust anything on offense the last two games. The Celtics would love to see someone else break out too, but Brown is the one player who has already done it these playoffs. He has elevated his game in a way that no one else on the roster has, and they need to be able to expect that in game seven. The Celtics always have to do things as a unit, but that may not be enough when you are accounting for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Brown does not have the be the best player on the court, but he needs to close the gap on Antetokounmpo. The Celtics can be confident in the ability of their secondary players to get an advantage, but Giannis is a terrifying game seven force, and the Celtics need to have something special to account for him. There still are options, because Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford have all shown this ability this season, but Brown has taken on that role more than anyone else these playoffs, and he has taken on the burden of that responsibility, at least to the largest degree. Brown also lives for these moments. He understands what a game seven in TD Garden is like, but this is a completely different situation with him being a primary option. Brown has an opportunity to have the definitive performance of his young career, and doing that in game seven is how you start a real legacy in Boston. Brown is ready to embrace everything about this franchise, and is preparing to be a cornerstone for a generation. You do not get that kind of recognition if you are not stepping up in these game seven situations, and Brown is going to be ready to do anything that his team needs, and he will be the last person to hesitate in any situation. The Celtics cannot have Brown thinking he needs to do this on his own. Any kind of hero ball will shatter Brown’s chance to have a signature game, because the most important thing is always going to be getting that win. The Celtics needs Brown to step up, but what everyone else doesn’t is still more important. Brown needs to find a way to make it work with all the pieces around him, because if he has a signature career performance while the rest of the team does their job without being a liability, the Celtics should be getting ready for a second round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. hardwoodhoudini.com/2018/04/27/boston-celtics-need-a-signature-game-7-from-jaylen-brown/
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Post by Admin on Apr 28, 2018 17:39:53 GMT -5
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Post by cole on Apr 28, 2018 18:12:08 GMT -5
Win or else... Or else we come back in 5 months as the clear favorite in the East, I think. Even if Toronto goes to the finals.
Thinking along those lines, I wonder if Tatum will play summer league? Lol.
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Post by fierce on Apr 28, 2018 19:03:00 GMT -5
This is it!
It's been frustrating all season, with all the injuries.
I want to see the Celts in the east finals.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 19:23:15 GMT -5
Need to get JB going. Good to see that Tatum has come to play. Lets play a good game guys.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 19:33:23 GMT -5
Cool first qtr. Only issue is that JBrown has been quiet. Nice to see that the Bucks are tight. Hopefully the deficit will only increase the pressure.
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Post by kivancb on Apr 28, 2018 19:33:55 GMT -5
Who is Bledsoe?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 19:39:19 GMT -5
Cmon JB, get in the game.
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Post by jdm894g on Apr 28, 2018 19:41:32 GMT -5
JB needs to hit his free trows...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 19:42:31 GMT -5
We can't have JB get awed by the moment. Get it going man. Play free.
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Post by jdm894g on Apr 28, 2018 19:42:45 GMT -5
Brad, time to get the starters back in. This is game 7. Leave it all on the court.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 19:43:50 GMT -5
Marcus Morris got in the game and ball movement stopped. Plus, it would have helped if JB had hit one of those 3s.
Lets go guys. Don't start settling.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 19:57:17 GMT -5
Get it going JB and we send them them home in a big way. Every one else has come to play.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 19:57:35 GMT -5
We need one of JB and Morris to get going.
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Post by kivancb on Apr 28, 2018 19:58:45 GMT -5
The very existence of Marcus Smart has been huge. He truly has an affect which cannot be measured by statistics.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 20:02:00 GMT -5
Darn! Now we lose JB.
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Post by petey62 on Apr 28, 2018 20:05:42 GMT -5
Very sloppy end to the 2nd quarter with their best player on the bench. Disappointing. We should be up by 20 had we executed better.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 20:07:47 GMT -5
Marcus Smart's offensive limitation clogs things up for the Celts because the Bucks are just so long. Losing JB is going to be very tough. This one will be tough to overcome.
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Post by kivancb on Apr 28, 2018 20:11:17 GMT -5
Aside from Parker; Zeller, Delly and Terry of Bucks' bench has contributed to a real Voskuhl of 0 rebounds points assists steals and blocks with two turnovers and a foul in a combined 13 minutes. I have found out to be a very good stat for us.
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Post by sfbosfan on Apr 28, 2018 20:17:44 GMT -5
Very sloppy end to the 2nd quarter with their best player on the bench. Disappointing. We should be up by 20 had we executed better. NEED TO COME OUT AS IF WE WERE TIED OR BEHIND!
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Post by sfbosfan on Apr 28, 2018 20:21:18 GMT -5
I am at my tennis club in Mill Valley, Ca and sports fans waiting for Warrior game but SF does not have an animosity toward Boston teams as they do LA teams so I do have some support.
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Post by kivancb on Apr 28, 2018 20:21:24 GMT -5
Some good news:
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Post by kivancb on Apr 28, 2018 20:23:56 GMT -5
Brown did not start the second half. Not a very good sign.
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