POST GAME MIL BUCKS - HOME

C's kick off homestand with 112-107 win vs. Bucks

CSNNE

A. SHERROD BLAKLEY

BOSTON – Just as the Boston Celtics’ unexpected climb to the upper echelon was unexpected this season, the same can be said for the expectations they now play with on a nightly basis.

Especially at home which is where the best teams, the teams with legit aspirations of deep playoff runs, find ways to consistently take care of business.

And the Celtics are doing just that with Thursday’s 112-107 win over the Milwaukee Bucks giving them nine straight victories at home – the longest success at the TD Garden since 2013.

Making the win over the Bucks even more impressive was the fact that Milwaukee is one of the few teams that the Celtics have major problems matching up with defensively.

For most of the game, that wasn’t an issue with the Celtics storming ahead by as many as 18 points.

But in the fourth quarter, the Bucks began to string together strong plays at both ends of the floor and found themselves within two possessions with about a minute to play.

Fueling Milwaukee’s fourth quarter comeback was a series of Boston mistakes, like Avery Bradley slipping and ultimately losing the ball which led to an uncontested lay-up for Khris Middleton with 1:12 to play that made it a 106-102 game.

Brad Stevens knew his team was reeling when he called a time-out. As has been the case whenever this team has faced late-game adversity, the coaches and players were extremely positive on the sideline.

That’s because they have managed to come away with victories in too many down-to-the-wire games to ever feel that it’s not their game for the taking.

Out of the time-out, the Bucks did their best to make sure Isaiah Thomas didn’t get a clean look at the rim. So he did what he has done all season – he attacked the rim. As he drove into the lane and the Bucks’ defense collapsed around him, he kicked the ball out to Crowder in the corner … swish!

Fist-pumping ensued among the TD Garden faithful, well aware that Crowder’s shot which put the Celtics ahead 109-102, was the dagger shot they needed.

From there, Boston’s control of the game was never in question.

Being home has been a good thing for the Boston Celtics lately, and Thursday night proved to be no exception.

Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd said prior to the game how impressed he has been with Crowder this season.

“He’s a tough player,” Kidd said. “He plays both ends. He can shoot the 3 and can also drive and get to the basket and get to the free throw line. You can’t forget about him.”

Crowder validated the praise afterwards with a dominant first quarter of play. He led all scorers with 14 points in the first half on 6-for-7 shooting along with a couple of rebounds. He would finish with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting to go with eight rebounds.

And when Crowder wasn’t controlling the action, Amir Johnson was making a huge impact both scoring the ball as well as rebounding. At the half, he had a near double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds in just 17 minutes. He had 15 points and eight rebounds. It was his first double-digit game since Jan. 15 against Phoenix, a span of 18 games.

Boston also got a strong game from Isaiah Thomas who led all scorers with 27 points along with seven assists. For the Bucks (24-34), Jabari Parker continues to step his game up and led Milwaukee with 22 points and six rebounds. Khris Middleton and Greg Monroe had strong games for the Bucks as well, with 21 and 20 points, respectively.
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STUDS AND DUDS: JOHNSON AND STARTERS LEAD CELTICS PAST BUCKS

WEEI

By Sam Packard

Celtics forward Amir Johnson celebrates against the Bucks during the first half of a bounce-back victory. (Mark L. Baer/USA Today Sports)

It’s good to be home.

In their first game back in TD Garden since the All-Star break, the Celtics defeated the Bucks 112-107 on Thursday night.

The C’s greatest strength may be their bench depth, but the starters led the way Thursday, dominating the Bucks in the first and third quarters. All five starters scored in double figures, led by Isaiah Thomas (27 points, 7 assists).

Jabari Parker, Khris Middleton and Greg Monroe each scored more than 20 points for Milwaukee, while 6-foot-11 “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo flirted with a triple-double (14 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds) from his recently adopted point guard position.

The Celtics opened the game on an incredible pace, scoring 18 fast-break points in the first half. Despite missing their first 3-point attempts, the Celtics shot 55 percent, building a 62-52 lead at the break.

Two minutes into the third quarter, Jae Crowder was forced to the bench after picking up his fifth foul with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting. In the fourth quarter, with Marcus Smart and Amir Johnson also in foul trouble, the Bucks turned up the defensive intensity and dominated the paint, cutting the Celtics’ 18-point lead to just four with a minute to play.

After a Brad Stevens timeout, Thomas made an absurd behind-the-back pass to an open Crowder in the right corner. Crowder swished the 3 and effectively buried the Bucks. With the win, the Celtics (34-25) remain the third-best team in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of the Miami Heat, who they will play on Saturday afternoon in Boston.


STUD OF THE NIGHT: Amir Johnson.

Thursday marked Johnson’s best game of the past month. Since the C’s went small in early January, his averages dipped to six points and six boards over 21 games. Against the Bucks, he was active, especially in the first quarter, and finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.

DUD OF THE NIGHT: Marcus Smart.

Smart missed all of his attempts from the field, and the Celtics were a minus-4 in his 24 minutes on the floor.

WHINE OF THE NIGHT: Too many fouls, again.

The Celtics and Bucks combined for 48 fouls and two technicals, many of which came off the ball. It’s been an issue for the C’s since they returned from the All-Star break, as our own Mike Petraglia detailed, and they showed little improvement Thursday.

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Greg Monroe is very tough inside.  Having him come off the bench was a great decision by Kidd since it really firms their bench up.  You would think it would already be pretty good with ROY Michael Carter-Williams on it, but it wasn't.

We won this despite the refs.  I'm saying they suck after a win, so it's not sour grapes.  I have been watching NBA basketball for probably 50 years and I have never seen it as bad, overall, as it is nowadays.

Monroe finally heated up but Amir absolutely outplayed minute-for-minute.  15 points, 8 boards in 25 minutes for Amir vs 20 and 8 in 34.  Best game I've seen from Amir in a long time.

Crowder was going hog wild against the team that plays in his old gym (Marquette and the Bucks share the same arena) until the refs decided to put an end to that.  Great game.  He was assigned to everybody at one time or another: Freak, Parker, Monroe, Middleton.

Thomas was 10-21 on the night and 2-10 from 3.  So he was 8-11 from 2.  What should that tell you, Isaiah?  He also had 7 assists and 3 TOs.  Two of those assists were absolutely eye-popping.  One, he drove into the paint, got swarmed by at least 2 if not 3 Bucks and then did a behind the neck pass to Crowder in the corner.  Crowder didn't even have to move his feet, the ball hit him right in the hands, right between the numbers.  For a player who came to us with a rep for being only a scorer he has turned into a very good point guard.

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bob


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