2022 East Second Round – Page 4

Celtics, NBA Twitter react to Boston’s 110-107 Game 5 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee’s comeback took the Celtics by surprise — and put their season in danger.

The Boston Celtics were sitting on a 14-point lead in the second half of their Game 5 contest with the Milwaukee Bucks, only to see a lack of rebounding and defensive lapses see them lose the tilt 110-107, falling into a 2-3 series deficit as the Eastern Conference semifinals heads back to Wisconsin.

It was clearly not how the Celtics and their fans expected the game to end, surprising even the NBA analysts who were dialed into the intense game with the Bucks’ impressive comeback. All took to the league’s unofficial social media site to share their thoughts on how the game went, tweeting their ebullience — and then dismay — as the game fell apart for the Celtics.

Let’s take a look at some of the better reactions to Milwaukee’s Game 5 win on Twitter Wednesday night.

Boston Celtics highlights: Bucks steal Game 5 at the buzzer 110-107 as series heads back to Milwaukee

A rough end to an otherwise solid effort puts Boston’s season in jeopardy.

Somehow, the Boston Celtics found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with ill-timed defensive lapses and a lack of awareness at several key junctures in the waning moments of the fourth quarter of their Game 5 tilt with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Bucks taking a dangerous 3-2 series lead as the East semis head back to Wisconsin after the Celtics failed to win Game 5 at TD Garden.

With Milwaukee star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Bucks battling back from a 14-point deficit (and in the Greek Freak’s case, a cut by his eye as well) to get the key 110-107 win, it will take a near-perfect effort over two games for Boston to have a real chance at advancing.

All is not lost, but with two must-win games to contend with, the Celtics will have their work cut out for them if they don’t want their season to end in the second round.

Check out the clip embedded above to see how things went sideways while we wait for Game 6 to arrive on Friday.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

[mm-video type=video id=01g2mjqh1gf9xvjdt51g playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g2mjqh1gf9xvjdt51g/01g2mjqh1gf9xvjdt51g-3a0a87a40fab63bd7b20e6f115544212.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=102344,102342,102333,102334]

[listicle id=102289]

[vertical-gallery id=102267]

[listicle id=102285]

Bucks at Celtics: Boston chokes in the fourth quarter, loses to Bucks in Game 5 110-107

Some of the best plays of the game captured in images.

The Boston Celtics fell apart late in the fourth quarter of their Game 5 contest with the Milwaukee Bucks to lose the tilt 110-107 despite leading for nearly the entire game and by as much as 14 points. The loss puts their season in jeopardy as they head to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Friday, with Boston needing to win two games in a row in order to advance to the Bucks one.

The Celtics saw solid games from All-Star swingman Jayson Tatum (34 points, 6 rebounds), star forward Jayle Brown (26 points, 8 boards, 6 assists), and guard Marcus Smart (14 points) among the starters, with Daniel Theis having a great night off the bench with 11 points.

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays of the game captured in images.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

Celtics injury update: Robert Williams III OUT vs. Milwaukee Bucks for Game 5

Timelord is still feeling knee discomfort.

The Boston Celtics will be without the services of big man Robert Williams III for the second straight game on Wednesday night as they take on the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden for Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series, with the Celtics sharing that the Texas A&M product will sit with knee soreness continuing to bother him.

Given it is the same knee Timelord went under the knife in March to repair a torn meniscus, the team is proceeding with an abundance of caution. Celtics head coach Ime Udoka related that Williams “still has some soreness and is going to be overly cautious coming off of surgery until it’s pain-free.”

Given the importance to Boston’s future a healthy Timelord may have, it makes sense to proceed with caution on the Celtics’ part.

#NEBHInjuryReport update: Rob Williams is OUT tonight, as he is still dealing with left knee soreness, says Coach Udoka.https://t.co/r40fSMzxGQ

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 11, 2022

In his place, forward Grant Williams will start for the night.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

[lawrence-related id=102344,102342,102333,102334]

[listicle id=102289]

[vertical-gallery id=102267]

[listicle id=102285]

How can the Boston Celtics ensure they’ll win their critical Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks?

with 88% of Game 5 winners of series tied 2-2, Boston defending their home court tonight is imperative.

The Boston Celtics seem to have the momentum heading into Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night as homecourt advantage tilts back Boston’s way with the series tied 2-2.

But the Celtics ought not to expect anything but the Bucks’ very best on their home court of TD Garden given the import of winning the fifth game of the series; as NBA TV recently pointed out, the team that takes Game 5 in postseason series tied up at 2 games each has gone on to win the series 147 out of 180 times — a staggering 82% of such series throughout the history of the league.

How can the Celtics ensure they’ll win Game 5? What lineups, players, and plays should they lean on? Who should they keep on the bench?

On the latest episode of the CLNS Media Celtics Lab podcast, this critical question gets considerable treatment; watch the clip embedded above to hear the host’s takes.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

[lawrence-related id=102344,102342,102333,102334]

[listicle id=102289]

[vertical-gallery id=102267]

[listicle id=102285]

Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Derrick White comment on officiating in Celtics-Bucks series

The ref’s whistle (or lack of one) has become a distraction in several postseason series, Boston’s included.

There is generally a consensus throughout sports even beyond the NBA and basketball more generally that one never wants the game’s referees to become a major part of the story surrounding the game — never mind a playoff series or several of them.

But with fans, players, and coaching staff for several teams around the league’s 2022 NBA Playoffs unhappy with how the league has been refereeing games so far this postseason — the Boston Celtics‘ East semis series vs. the Milwaukee Bucks certainly among them, it’s become an unfortunate topic in NBA media circles, and one addressed by several Celtics after shootaround on Wednesday ahead of Game 5.

“To be honest, the game was called very interestingly,” suggested star Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, who saw a call overturned in a play late in Game 4 that could have very nearly shifted the momentum of a very tight game and even perhaps the series.

Consistency and transparency will help. https://t.co/bWig6nYvIz

— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) May 11, 2022

Are the Boston Celtics finally in control of their East semis series with the Milwaukee Bucks?

Or should we wait and see how Game 5 goes before saying?

So far in a very tightly contested Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Milwaukee Bucks, the momentum in the series doesn’t just seem to shift game to game, it sometimes feels like it shifts quarter to quarter. Such was the case early in Game 4 of the Boston Celtics’ series when, for the first two and half quarters of the contest, the Bucks seemed likely to cruise to a win and a commanding 3-1 series lead.

But after weathering an intense onslaught from Milwaukee and star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Celtics followed veteran big man Al Horford’s lead and wrested control of the game and series back with a massive push to close out the game. Even though the series is tied, is Boston in control with homecourt advantage back in their corner?

The hosts of the CLNS Media “A-List” podcast A. Sherrod Blakely, Gary Washburn, and Kwani A. Lunis recently put Horford and the Celtics’ Game 4 win under the microscope.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

[lawrence-related id=102344,102342,102333,102334]

[listicle id=102289]

[vertical-gallery id=102267]

[listicle id=102285]

How are the Boston Celtics guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo in their East semis series?

The short version? With a LOT of strength and skill.

When it comes to defending Giannis Antetokounmpo, the star forward of the Milwaukee Bucks, in a playoff setting, the conversation usually shifts from stopping the opposing team’s best player to one focused more on containing the Greek Freak, Antetokounmpo’s reputation for a nearly unstoppable assault on the rim precedes him.

And such has been the case with the Boston Celtics in their Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Bucks. Boston is using veteran big man Al Horford and reserve forward Grant Williams as the primary firewalls between the Milwaukee star and the basket behind them. But how exactly do they keep Giannis from scoring?

In a recent segment from the ESPN “NBA Today” show, host Tim Legler breaks down what the Celtics are doing to slow Antetokounmpo enough that they have managed to cling to homecourt advantage heading into Game 5 on Wednesday.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

[lawrence-related id=102282,102265,102244,102221]

[listicle id=102285]

[vertical-gallery id=102267]

[listicle id=102252]

Celtics Lab 109: Sorting out the Milwaukee-Boston East semis heading into Game 5 with Avenue

This pod, we’re joined by Boston-area rapper and Celtics hype video voice Avenue to talk all things East semis.

For much of the Game 4 matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks, it looked like the Celtics’ season might be on the ropes, with star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks pummeling Boston almost as hard as the unfriendly whistle was.

But then, in the second half, after the Greek Freak made another of his typically flashy flushes, Giannis made the mistake of taunting veteran Boston big man Al Horford, kicking his already-excellent play into a career night for the Florida product and elevating the Celtics to a key series win to hand Boston homecourt advantage.

What did we see from Game 4 the team can build on? How will the Bucks respond? To dive into the state of the Eastern Conference semifinals series heading into Game 5, we linked up with the man behind the voice in the Celtics’ East semis hype video, Boston’s own Avenue.

In this episode of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast, we cover everything from Avenue’s hip hop career, how he ended up making that Celtics connection, and what we expect out of the team now that they look like they’ve turned a corner in the series to the officiating issues driving NBA fans around the league up the wall.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear your usual hosts Cameron Tabatabaie, Alex Goldberg, and Justin Quinn as they make some sense about what might come next as the series heads back to TD Garden.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

[lawrence-related id=102282,102265,102244,102221]

[listicle id=102285]

[vertical-gallery id=102267]

[listicle id=102252]

How important was Derrick White to the Boston Celtics’ Game 4 win over the Milwaukee Bucks?

After a rough start to the series, D-White came through in Game 4.

Unfairly pilloried for his play in the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics reserve guard Derrick White turned up the heat in Games 3 and 4, becoming a key part of the Celtics’ closing lineup in the critical Game 4 win on Monday.

It seems some fans and analysts were yet to be convinced that the former Spurs guard’s cost in the trade that brought him over from San Antonio at the 2022 NBA trade deadline was worth it, but the do-everything combo guard more than made up for it with play that very well may have saved the Celtics’ postseason ambitions.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast went deep on the subject of White’s contributions to the must-win game after the dust settled on the win Monday night.

Check out the video embedded above to hear their takes on D-White.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

[lawrence-related id=102282,102265,102244,102221]

[listicle id=102285]

[vertical-gallery id=102267]

[listicle id=102252]