Bucks

Live from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, the Globe will have updates and analysis throughout Game 3. Follow along.

“Whatever the minutes are, you have to be physically ready, mentally ready, and be at your best. The Celtics smothered Antetokounmpo in the first half of their Game 2 win, mostly turning him into an ineffective perimeter shooter. On the previous possession, Williams missed a floater in the lane but thought he was fouled. The Celtics have got to be pleased with a four-point lead heading into the half. And he sees how some minor adjustments in Game 2, when the Celtics trusted their top defenders to battle Antetokounmpo one-on-one, yielded encouraging results. Mike Budenholzer is using his challenge early, calling for a review on an offensive foul committed by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Officials stuck with their ruling, so give Grant Williams credit for holding his ground in the lane. It immediately benefited the Celtics because their last four points all came at the line. They're 16 for 17 at the line.— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) May 7, 2022 The Celtics held a four-point lead at halftime, but scored just 17 points in the third quarter. The Celtics made all of their free throws after entering the bonus, scoring 8 points. It appeared he took an elbow to the face. Al Horford finally got it in the hoop, but the ball left his hand a millisecond too late.

The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks have finalized their injury reports for Game 3 on Sunday afternoon in Wisconsin.

Devin Booker had 30 points in Game 2, and he spoke to the media postgame.CLICK HERE. The Bucks won the first game on the road in Boston by double-digits, and the Celtics roared back in the second game to blowout the Bucks. The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are facing off in Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon for Game 3 of their second-round playoff series, and for the game both teams have released their final injury reports.

The Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks will play Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals playoff series on Saturday. Here's how to watch, ...

- The Bucks and Celtics have played a total of 41 playoff games and seven playoff series all-time. We will update this story daily with results and updated betting lines, so bookmark it and follow along for the next two months of a wide-open postseason.CLICK HERE. The Celtics led for all 48 minutes of Tuesday’s game and the three-point shot was working for them, as they shot 20-43 from downtown. Milwaukee however was dominant in the paint, outscoring Boston 54-24 on the interior. In Game 1, the Bucks’ defense took care of Boston and they came away with a 101-89 win on the road. - The Celtics recorded 28 assists on a total of 38 made shots (73.7%), whereas the Bucks recorded 16 assists on a total of 34 made shots (47.1%). - The Bucks turned the ball over 17 times, resulting in 24 points for the Celtics. Boston turned the ball over 16 times that resulted in 17 points for Milwaukee. - The Celtics finished the regular season ranking second in defensive rating and first in points allowed per game (104.5), while the Bucks finished the regular season ranking third in offensive rating and third in points per game (115.5). - Boston went 20-43 (46.5%) and Milwaukee went 3-18 (16.7%) from three-point range in Game 2. From the opening tip of Game 2, the Boston Celtics took control and dominated the Milwaukee Bucks on both ends of the floor. - Milwaukee is 29-15 at home this season and Boston is 25-18 on the road, including the postseason. - The Bucks and Celtics faced off four times during the regular season with the two teams splitting the season series 2-2 and both teams winning two games on their home floor.

The Eastern Conference Semifinals shift to Milwaukee for a pivotal Game 3 with the series tied at 1 game a piece.

Trends-wise, the Celtics were able to weather the storm away from TD Garden and a slightly better road team after January 1st; they shot the ball better from behind the arc and were stingier on defense. Play Hard for 48 minutes - The Celtics need to hit first and come out strong as they did in Game 2. The Celtics have to move the ball up the court quickly and get easy baskets before the Bucks get their defense set up. It was reversed in Game 2 with the Bucks defense holding the Celtics to 109 points while the Celtics defense was even better, holding the Bucks to 86 points. Keep Moving - When the Celtics keep the ball moving and keep moving without the ball to get open, they are tough to beat. Take Care of the Ball - The Celtics turned the ball over 18 times in Game 1, giving the Bucks 27 points off those 18 turnovers. The Bucks are first in the post season with a defensive rating of 96.8. The Celtics are 5th with a defensive rating of 108.5. The Celtics defense was good in Game 1, holding the Bucks to 101 points. The Bucks out-rebounded the Celtics 66-54 in Game 1 and the Celtics came back to out-rebound the Bucks 40-37 in Game 2. The Bucks are first in the playoffs with 50.0 rebounds per game. The Celtics returned the favor in the second game, beating the Bucks 109-86 also at Boston. The Celtics defense was excellent in this game, holding the Bucks to just 86 points and limiting the production from Milwaukee’s players other than Giannis. The biggest change in this game was that their offense was much better. They also allowed the Bucks to get 27 points off of 18 Celtics turnovers in the game. The Bucks were 27-15 at home this season while the Celtics were 23-18 on the road.

A lot of credit can be attributed to the Celtics' defense for Giannis' struggles, as Grant Williams and Al Horford have done a sensational job of keeping ...

And if Giannis does have the ball at the top of the key, the Bucks must run actions alongside that. The Bucks have struggled mightily to score in the half-court this series when the Celtics are able to set their defense and load up on Giannis. The Bucks must get out and run after every defensive rebound, and convert on their opportunities when Boston turns it over. As the series shifts back to Milwaukee, here are three adjustments the Bucks should make to regain the upper hand.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will look to swing homecourt advantage back in Boston's favor when the Celtics hit the road to face the Milwaukee Bucks on ...

In the wake of the injuries, Connaughton has provided meaningful bench minutes through the first two games. Marcus Smart, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is expected to be back for Game 3. Derrick White started for Smart in Game 2 but was held scoreless through 28 minutes. George Hill is also out with an abdomen injury. Grant Williams also played a vital role off the bench, supplying 21 points, while going on 6 of 9 from 3-point range. "We expected our guys to respond like they did (Tuesday)."