Celtics

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.

The Defensive Player of the Year missed Game 2 with a bruised quad but will return Saturday.

"If I'm out there, I should be able to do the things that I was doing, or I shouldn't be out there," Smart said. And if I'm not out there, it's because I didn't feel like I was 100 percent to be out there to do the things that I'm supposed to be doing." "It's literally the exact same one in the exact same spot," he said. "It's just the quad, the fluid," Smart said. It was "very difficult," he said, to watch from the sideline. "Strong likelihood that I should be back for Game 3," Smart said earlier in the week.

Here's what you need to know about the Milwaukee Bucks' NBA playoff game Saturday against the Boston Celtics, including how to watch.

The over/under for the game is 211.5. - 1230-WCLO (AM), 92.7-WCLO (FM) in Janesville - 580-WKTY (AM), 96.7-WKTY (FM) in La Crosse - 790-WAYY (AM), 105.1-WAYY (FM) in Eau Claire - 1150-WHBY (AM), 103.5/106.3-WHBY (FM) in Appleton - 1440-WNFL (AM), 101.9-WNFL (FM) in Green Bay

The Celtics are getting their starting point guard and the Defensive Player of the Year back for Game 3. Read more on Boston.com.

Guard Derrick White struggled offensively while filling in for Smart in the starting lineup in Game 2. The Celtics have allowed 105.8 points per game when Smart’s been out this season, up from the 104.5 points per game they allowed on average during the regular season. That’s down from the 111.8 points per game they averaged throughout the regular season.

Two games highlight today's NBA playoffs action, with the Bucks, Celtics, Warriors and Grizzlies all looking to go up 2-1 in their best-of-seven series ...

Tatum held his left wrist for at least a minute on the ground, but was able to shake it off. Celtics are 3-of-14 from 3. Bucks are 2-of-12 from 3. We're all going to get subpoenaed as witnesses by the time this game is over. Giannis Antetokounmpo has put together a strong first half though with 20 points and nine rebounds on 8-of-14 shooting. The Bucks were 3-of-18 from 3 in Game 2. If one of them has to sit for foul trouble, Boston can finally start getting some of their side-to-side drive and kick action that dominated in Game 2. Giannis has been a monster tearing through Boston’s defense and already has his best scoring game of the series. Bucks just forced another miss. •2h ago the Miami Heat on May 6 at Wells Fargo Center. Two games highlight today's NBA playoffs action, with the Bucks, Celtics, Warriors and Grizzlies all looking to go up 2-1 in their best-of-seven series after a four-day break.

Boston Celtics Coach Ime Udoka struggled to catch on in the N.B.A. as a player. But once he did, he leveraged his experience to become a leader on the ...

“When he got the job, I knew I wanted to help him,” Jackson said. Back at the hotel one night, he was on the phone with a college coach who was curious about Udoka: What was he like to be around? In 2012, Gregg Popovich, the coach of the Spurs, called to offer him a job as an assistant. Udoka wrestled with the decision: Did he want to close the book on his playing career? He spent nine seasons as an N.B.A. assistant before the Celtics hired him last summer, and he brought some familiar faces with him. When Udoka finally landed with the Trail Blazers in 2006, it was the break he needed and the start of a productive career that included two seasons and part of a third with the San Antonio Spurs. He also pounced on an opportunity when Nico Harrison, a marketing executive at Nike, set aside a few dollars for Udoka to launch an A.A.U. team, Memory said. As soon as Udoka’s N.B.A. season ended, he would rush to the airport to meet up with I-5 Elite. “We were never just going to roll the balls out there,” Udoka said. Udoka grew up in Portland obsessed with basketball, a student of the game who skipped his prom to play hoops. Boston Celtics Coach Ime Udoka struggled to catch on in the N.B.A. as a player. He emerged as an N.B.A. prospect at Portland State, only to tear up his knee before the draft. So Udoka would hop on the phone and summon old friends from the neighborhood.

All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook. What you need to know for Saturday's playoff games. Putting The A In Jaylen: Boston's offense is paced by their ...

Best bet: Ja Morant under 44.5 points+assists+rebounds. It's hard to fade a superstar like Morant, especially after he just posted a career high 47 points in the Grizzlies' Game 2 win over the Warriors. Morant has been sensational and deserves all the credit, but with that said all good things must come to an end. With the game also returning to the Warriors' home court, the conditions seem ripe for Thompson to get back to his normal shooting stroke. Bane entered the series having averaged 27.0 PPG (51.4 FG%, 52.3 3P%) in his previous four outings, but he struggled in the first two games to the tune of 7.0 PPG (29.4 FG%, 22.2 3P%). It was reported after Game 1 that Bane was battling a sore back, and to me it seems clear that's what's caused his production dropoff. This pick relies on the extra rest between Games 2 and 3 having been a benefit to Bane's health. Best bet: Stephen Curry over 33.5 points+assists. Curry has averaged 25.5 PPG and 6.0 APG while shooting 42.2% from the field so far against the Grizzlies. The Warriors haven't shot particularly well from beyond the arc thus far in the series. Thompson is not shooting the basketball well at the moment. The Warriors will have a hard time slowing him down. Now, the line is up to 5.5 boards...but he's still been over the 5.5 line in both games against the Celtics thus far. Best bet: Jayson Tatum over 42.5 points+assists+rebounds. With Jaylen Brown going off in Game 2, Tatum got off to a slow start, but the pendulum could swing back to Tatum with Brown dealing with a right hamstring injury ahead of Game 3. Best bet: Robert Williams III over 14.5 points+rebounds. So far in this series, Williams has averaged 8.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG in 23.5 MPG as he continues to return to form following a torn meniscus. Counting Curry: In Game 1, Stephen Curry took 60% of his shots from distance and pulled down three rebounds. During the regular season, Jaylen Brown averaged one assist every 7.6 minutes in games where the Celtics chuck up at least 45 threes, up from one every 10.3 minutes in which they don't. Boston is averaging 46.5 triples per game thus far in this series, and if that continues, Brown should cruise past his assist total in his playoff role that has him playing over 40 minutes a night.

The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon, and the game had an absolutely wild ending. Marcus Smart got fouled with less than five seconds left (the Celtics trailed by 3) and he had two free throw attempts.

Devin Booker had 30 points in Game 2, and he spoke to the media postgame.CLICK HERE. In the first-round this season, the Celtics swept the Brooklyn Nets and the Bucks beat the Chicago Bulls in five games. The Bucks now take a 2-1 lead in the series (they won the game 103-101) after the teams split the first two games in Wisconsin.

Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday in Milwaukee.

But Brown and Al Horford picked up the slack in a close fourth quarter. The Celtics were down by as many as 14 points and they took the lead with less than two minutes left to play. It was a treacherous third quarter that made life so difficult for the Celtics. They were doubled up 34-17 by the Bucks in the frame as Milwaukee stole the lead and momentum behind its home court.

The starters for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics spent the conclusions of Games 1 and 2 on their respective benches, with the first two games of ...

Though he didn’t score, he did draw two key offensive fouls and provided some relief as the Bucks perimeter players had foul trouble. Jayson Tatum was held to 10 points on 4 of 19 shooting. “It felt like somebody else got it, Brook felt like he blocked the shot, off the block they got one more, it felt like they shot it again and missed it again and obviously Horford’s tip was after the buzzer. Grayson Allen started in place of Portis, but he was plagued with foul trouble and did not score and attempted just three shots. Antetokounmpo, who shot just 38% from the floor (10-for-52) over the first two games for 52 points went 16-for-30 on Saturday for 42 to lead all scorers. Guard Jrue Holiday then hit the eventual game-winner with 11.2 seconds left to give the Bucks a 103-100 lead.

Marcus Smart intentionally missed his second free throw attempt to give the Celtics a chance to close the gap with just seconds on the clock; ...

Here's everything you need to know to watch Saturday's Celtics vs. … Grayson Allen made his first career playoff start Saturday as part of a lineup change after the Bucks posted their lowest point total of the season in a 109-86 Game 2 loss. Celtics Pregame Live stream: NBC Sports Boston Celtics: Robert Williams went to the locker room in the third quarter after taking an elbow to the face from Milwaukee's Bobby Portis as they tangled under the basket while pursuing the ball. Smart hit his first free throw and intentionally missed the second, with Robert Williams grabbing the offensive board. Williams returned later in the third.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics continue to trade blows. The Bucks won the first game in the series in Boston, but the Celtics bounced back and took ...

At this point, it's a matter of which team will execute better down the stretch. 🔥— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) pic.twitter.com/Srv5O9yEwM May 7, 2022 Bucks win!!— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) pic.twitter.com/pKr3nwzHXv May 7, 2022 🔥— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) pic.twitter.com/thyZ3XAMmE May 7, 2022 In Game 3, Holiday attempted 30 shots and scored 25 points. The Celtics had a four-point lead at halftime, but the Bucks came out and put on a clinic in the third quarter. So far in this series, Jrue Holiday has tried to do just that. A successful tip from Al Horford came just after the final buzzer sounded. Tatum just couldn't find any sort of rhythm or consistency over the course of the contest. Antetokounmpo was phenomenal in the game, as he finished with 42 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. The Bucks won the first game in the series in Boston, but the Celtics bounced back and took Game 2. Fueled by a monster performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks were able to pull out a 103-101 victory over the Celtics to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals was one of the most physical basketball games of the entire NBA season, a miserably ugly slugfest featuring no ...

Excellent defense from Horford forced an Antetokounmpo miss at the rim, and Brown drew a foul on the other end to connect on a pair of free throws and put the Celtics ahead 100-99. The Celtics trimmed the lead down to just two points after a Horford hook shot, and then turned the Bucks over on the ensuing possession and drew a foul in transition to send Marcus Smart to the free throw line. Brown connected on a quick left-handed layup to push the Celtics’ run to 12-4, and suddenly, the Celtics found themselves back within five, prompting a Mike Budenholzer timeout with 7:30 remaining in regulation. Smart attempted to draw a foul on a three-point jumper, but it was ruled a rip-through foul, awarding two free throws instead of three. Early in the quarter, Antetokounmpo knocked Robert Williams to the floor with an elbow to the chin on a drive, which was ruled a common foul that Udoka declined to challenge. Williams went to the floor while the Bucks ran in transition, and immediately signaled for the Celtics’ training staff. Midway through the quarter, Robert Williams took an elbow to the face from Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis while battling for a rebound. The Celtics finally found some uninterrupted success, led by heady play from Brown, and began to cut the Bucks’ lead down to size. A few possessions later, Antetokounmpo got tied up with Grant Williams after a play, but after a brief potential altercation, the fallout was merely a common foul on Williams. The ice began to thaw as play resume, at least a bit. But the Celtics couldn’t overcome a gigantic performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo — 42 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists, and they now trail in the series, two games to one. The Boston offense resembled its Game 1 self in the early going this afternoon, kicking off the game shooting an anemic 33% from the field in the opening quarter.

Jrue Holiday's pass to Brook Lopez gets deflected by Derrick White, and Grant Williams quickly gets the ball to Jayson Tatum. Giannis Antetokounmpo makes a ...

What Stood Out from the Celtics' Loss vs. Brown then cashed in on the free throw. Williams then up-fakes Antetokounmpo and drives to the rim, leaping off two feet for a two-handed jam.

The Celtics lost Game 3 to the Bucks 103-101 despite attempting to erase a 14-point comeback in the fourth quarter.

Game 4 between the Bucks and Celtics is on May 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics lost Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Milwaukee Bucks 103-101, despite nearly mounting a 14-point comeback in the fourth quarter. Smart was fouled from beyond the arc while seemingly attempting a 3-pointer.

The refs didn't give Marcus Smart three shots on late foul vs. the Bucks in Game 3.

How on Earth is that not a shooting foul? The Celtics then came out and ran a dribble handoff with Jaylen Brown pitching the ball to Marcus Smart. Smart was fouled by Holiday as soon as he caught the ball, but it looked like he was in the act of shooting. Antetokounmpo also went 9-of-12 from the foul line in the win. The Bucks used a huge third quarter to take a 13-point lead into the final period, but the Celtics would charge back. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the star for Milwaukee, finishing with 42 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists on 16-of-30 shooting from the field. The series was tied entering the Saturday afternoon matchup, and the most physical series of the playoffs so far once again lived up to the hype.

The Celtics were furious that a foul on Jrue Holiday against Marcus Smart was called on the floor instead of a three-shot foul that would have given Boston ...

"You'd like to save it more towards the end," Udoka said. "Smart threw it to me in the corner," Brown said. "But I think the frustrating part is all things considered, we still had opportunities and came back and gave ourselves a chance to win the game. There were a few times where Udoka thought about using his challenge before deciding to go with it on a block/charge call that went against Grant Williams with 5:57 in the fourth quarter. I got it on the rim. Holiday said he thought Smart was still facing the sidelines when the contact occurred. I missed it perfectly," Smart said. "Was able to get the rebound. "It was a foul. "It was perfect. It was a foul. Smart made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second to give Boston another chance but none of the three putbacks went in, giving Milwaukee a 103-101 win and 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Bucks held off a late charge by the Celtics to claim Game 3 in Milwaukee on Saturday, as Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 42 points.

“I just got to be better in that aspect of just making the right play and reading it better. 5. Wesley Matthews played phenomenal defense against Tatum, but the Celtics need to figure out a way to get their own superstar going. Brown had an excellent game and was crucial down the stretch as Tatum struggled to find his shot, but Antetokounmpo is too tall and his strides are too long. 4. The Celtics need to avoid letting Brown get switched onto Antetokounmpo, which is how the Bucks star got a lot of his easiest points in the fourth quarter. 3. The Celtics had a chance because of Al Horford, who made a series of crucial shots down the stretch as they rallied en route to 22 points and 16 rebounds. After a game like that, it’s easy to project a Celtics win assuming Tatum doesn’t continue to shoot that poorly, and assuming Antetokounmpo doesn’t score 42 again.

The Boston coach was not pleased with the officials following the Celtics' Saturday loss to the Bucks.

After all, there’s often an element of gamesmanship involved in the playoffs, where coaches will sometimes lobby for calls in the media in hopes that the officials will side with them in the next game. Udoka was later asked about some other calls that weren’t made, specifically those involving Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the lane. “He caught the ball, he was trying to enter a shot with both feet set.

The Boston Celtics came within milliseconds of tying up the Milwaukee Bucks at the buzzer of a Game 3 loss at Fiserv Forum on Saturday.

He missed a tip-in with 1.8 seconds left, before Al Horford came in for another tip-in try with 1.4 to go and again came up short. Marcus Smart, for his part, appeared to draw a foul while attempting a 3 in the waning seconds. Officials ruled that Smart had been fouled before he was in the act of shooting, however; with the Bucks in the penalty, it sent Smart to the line for two shots with 4.6 seconds left.

Giannis Antetokounmpo hulks out for 42 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals in the Bucks' Game 3 victory. MILWAUKEE – Five takeaways from the ...

They shot precisely zero free throws over the final 16:33 of the game — that’s right, 0-of-0 in the fourth quarter of a playoff game — and had only 17 all game to Boston’s 34. Some felt Holiday pushed Tatum down when he scored a desperate bucket in the lane to beat the shot clock and take a 103-100 lead (though replays showed Tatum falling when Holiday stepped on his sneaker). “How much does it cost if I say something, a comment about the refs?” he wondered from the podium. He does a great job of sticking with it, staying in the game, and just keeping his mojo … It can be frustrating at times. First guy to the ball as it leaked off to the left? He dished out punishment with his elbows and the ball but took plenty too. He left the scoring to teammates Brown and Al Horford, tried to find open men and launched only two shots. And let’s not forget a pattern that has emerged in these postseason clashes with the Bucks: Tatum’s three worst shooting performances in 57 playoff games have come against Milwaukee. There was a 2-of-9 night in Game 2 in the 2018 first round near the end of Tatum’s rookie year; a 2-of-10 mess in Game 2 of the East semifinals a year later, and then Saturday. Holiday said he wanted to crowd and entice Smart into driving inside the arc. On the scale of coaches who want to foul when protecting a 3-point lead vs. “Marcus Smart tried to do the [Kevin] Durant sweep-through thing,” Budenholzer said. The contact came before any attempt to get off a shot, the referees ruled.

Get a recap of the Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks basketball game.

“There's going to be struggles, but at the end of the day, if you keep with it and you stay with it and you stay on course, you're going to succeed,” Antetokounmpo said. The Celtics were 28 of 33 and the Bucks 14 of 17 on free-throw attempts. On a day when Brown and Horford both produced double-doubles, the Celtics still lost in part because of All-Star forward Jayson Tatum's struggles. Celtics: Robert Williams went to the locker room in the third quarter after taking an elbow to the face from Milwaukee's Bobby Portis as they tangled under the basket while pursuing the ball. Boston trailed by 14 late in the third quarter and was facing a 13-point deficit with less than 10 minutes left before storming back. Sometimes I’m going to make the right play and sometimes I’m going to make the wrong play, but as long as I play within my strengths, we're going to be in a good place.” He had 12 rebounds and eight assists to go along with his 42 points. “Honestly, it looked like he was still facing the sideline,” said Holiday, who scored 25 points. He's getting fouled on the way up. “I saw it in person, but also on the film. Celtics coach Ime Udoka and Smart said it should have been a shooting foul on Holiday. Smart got the rebound, but missed his putback attempt.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics had a wild ending in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon in Wisconsin.

Devin Booker had 30 points in Game 2, and he spoke to the media postgame.CLICK HERE. The Bucks won the game by a score of 103-101 to take a 2-1 lead in the series. The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics had a wild final sequence in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series on Saturday afternoon in Wisconsin.

As the Bucks go up 2-1 in the series, behind exquisite dominance from Giannis, the Celtics know they can expect more from their superstar.

Tatum is better than what he showed Saturday, and the Celtics need the lesson learned. There's a chance Tatum could join Antetokounmpo on the All-NBA First Team this season, and even if he falls short, Tatum is the kind of two-way dominant force who makes a difference in high-value playoff games. Tatum made one basket and took two shots, and the Celtics ended up two points short. He spent the three days between Games 2 and 3 stewing about his subpar Game 2 showing and roared back with a 42-point, 12-rebound, 8-assist masterpiece. That's not a shooting motion," said Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, who committed the foul -- no one was paying attention to where Jayson Tatum was. "He got fouled on the way up," Udoka deadpanned.

Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka wasn't a fan of his team repeatedly complaining to the officials in a Game 3 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

If they're going to call it that way, consistently on both ends, we've got to play through it." "As much as they're going to let you play, we've got to play through that and have our composure. "We gave up two or three baskets I noticed where we were complaining a little bit to the refs and they're coming down and getting 3s," Udoka said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 42 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks survive a last second tip-in by Al Horford to earn a 2-1 series lead ...

The Milwaukee Bucks secured a nail-biting win in Game 3 against the Boston Celtics, and here are three takeaways from the contest.

For now, Matthews deserves his props for a phenomenal defensive effort in Game 3. When it looked like the Bucks may have started to pull away, the Celtics found their stride and trimmed that deficit throughout the fourth to the point where they eventually took the lead in the closing moments. The Celtics held a four-point lead at halftime, but a rejuvenated Bucks team came out to begin the third period and quickly built up a double-digit lead that was 14 at its largest.

Now, none of that really matters, because the Bucks won. But just like Game 1, the Celtics shouldn't be discouraged. They almost stole one where their best ...

There were a couple of points where a lack of composure cost the team. For the officials to call that a non-shooting foul is ridiculous. Ime Udoka was so frustrated with the lack of calls when Giannis Antetokounmpo slammed into various Celtics that he asked the officials to take a look. Tatum is shooting just 21.4% on shots in the paint in the playoffs. Jayson Tatum is prone to the occasional flop, as is Derrick White. This may not have actually been a foul (one of many mystifying call throughout the game), but this was good basketball from Brown to draw the and-1: If not for the mess of a third quarter, the Celtics probably win this game. After a disappointing 33.6% in the regular season, Horford is knocking down 50% in the postseason. Just a huge game for the veteran big man. This was one of Jayson Tatum’s few offensive highlights, as he zips the pass to Horford, who then goes up quick before Giannis Antetokounmpo can challenge: They had seven turnovers in the third and that helped lead to Milwaukee scoring 18 points in transition. 2. The Celtics third quarter stunk more than the milk you forgot to throw out before leaving on a two-week vacation.

Jrue Holiday was the center of attention in the closing 11.2 seconds of Game 3 that gave the Bucks a 103-101 victory over the Celtics.

Obviously we didn’t want a three and I kind of wanted to get up in him and kind of make him drive into the basket, but ended up overshooting.” “I kind of felt like it was a little bit of the game plan,” Holiday said of his volume performance. In the visiting press conference room down the hall, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka said “It was a foul. "Especially as a defender and somebody who during the playoffs gets away with a little bit more, it makes men out of boys. I felt like ever since I’ve been playing in the playoffs and gotten to the point where these are big games and it’s going to be a mucked up game, I love it. But, yeah, I felt that was part of the game plan.” “I made a move and Jayson fell or grabbed me – whichever one – but had the spin and nobody was there,” Holiday said. It was the last of Holiday’s 30 shots, a career playoff high. “They mixed in some doubles but for the most part it was one-on-one. The two players were so in tune that Tatum’s right foot landed just a split second before Holiday’s, and as Holiday’s right foot came down on top of Tatum’s and immediately spun off it, it sent the Boston defender falling backward. “I think he’s just gotta keep kind of pounding and good things will happen and that’s what happened on the last possession,” Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. As Holiday set up the halfcourt in front of him, Jayson Tatum settled in defensively.

Too many lapses in focus and execution cost the Celtics dearly in their Game 3 loss in Milwaukee. As Chris Forsberg writes, reviewing the film on their off ...

"Onto the next," said Brown, who was brilliant attacking the basket late and gave the Celtics a chance to steal this one. Boston had two chances in the final minute to push a one-point lead higher and couldn’t capitalize. There will be an urge to blame the referees, most notably for not calling a three-shot foul in favor of Marcus Smart with Boston trailing by three in the final seconds. So we’ve just got to continue to be aggressive, that’s it." Tatum had been so good this postseason at finding ways to impact the game in other ways when his shot wasn’t falling. Boston’s offensive rating of 99 wasn’t going to be good enough in a game defined by physicality and defense. Alas, he still missed a bunch of shots (especially beyond the 3-point arc) and the Bucks were outscored by 2 during his 39 minutes of floor time. "Today was just a one-off where I probably was thinking a little bit too much knowing that they give me a lot of attention,” said Tatum. “Obviously, I passed up some open looks that I should have -- that would have been best for the team. The Celtics produced a sloppy third quarter that turned an improbable four-point halftime cushion into the 14-point hole. Lose your focus, lose the game. He was 2-for-16 on all shots away from the rim, including 0-for-6 from beyond the 3-point arc. Horford, who was brilliant throughout a game with more physicality than your typical WrestleMania, deserved a better outcome than watching his third-chance tip waved off.