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Celtics Wrap: Boston Advances Past Bucks With Game 7 Thriller
Boston will take on the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals


NESN by Sean T. McGuire


BOSTON — The Boston Celtics eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs with a Game 7 victory, a 109-81 verdict, in the Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday at TD Garden.

The Celtics, who needed to win consecutive games to take the series, did just that and claimed the best-of-seven series, 4-3.


ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
It came down to Game 7 on Sunday and nothing else mattered. Boston losing home court advantage in the first game of the series did not matter. The fact that Boston faced one-game deficits three different times in the series did not matter. And most notably, the Celtics’ Game 5 collapse at TD Garden, which would have haunted Green Teamers for the remainder of their years, did not matter.

Instead, Boston overcame its biggest test of adversity and claimed consecutive wins in Games 6 and 7 to eliminate the Bucks.

There was one glaring difference in Game 7 and it came down to exactly how the Celtics won each of their other three games earlier in the series. Boston shot 40% from 3-point range compared to just 12% from the Bucks. Every contest Boston shot over 38% from long range — Game 2 (47%), Game 4 (38%), Game 6 (40%) and Game 7 (40%) — the Celtics earned a win. Milwaukee’s game plan entering the series was to pack the paint and make the Celtics beat them from downtown, and that’s exactly what Boston did. It helped the C’s on their biggest stretches during Game 7, most notably the start of the second half where Boston shot 3-for-4 from long range and took control of the game. Grant Williams (7-for-18) and Payton Pritchard (4-for-6) were pivotal in that area throughout the second half as Boston pulled away.


STARS OF THE GAME
— Williams got off to a slow start from the field and continued to ride the roller coaster from long range, missing devastating open looks while hitting momentum-building shots. In the end, however, Williams was among the biggest factors in Boston’s win. Williams, who recorded a team-best plus-25 rating, finished with a game-high 27 points (10-for-22) and six rebounds all while bringing his defense on the other end.

— Jayson Tatum dealt with some foul trouble throughout the contest, but made his presence felt when it mattered most. Tatum finished with 23 points (7-for-14). He also contributed eight assists and six rebounds.

— Giannis Antetokounmpo got off to a remarkable start during the first quarter (10 points, eight rebounds, six assists) before coming back down to earth. With the Celtics making it difficult on him, the Bucks superstar finished with 25 points (10-for-26) with 20 rebounds and nine assists.

WAGER WATCH
The favored Celtics took the series. DraftKings Sportsbook opened the series prices with the second-seeded Celtics as a favorite (-190) and the Bucks a slight underdog (+160). The Westgate SuperBook, similarly, favored the Celtics (-200) over the Bucks (+175). Bettors who took the Celtics to advance benefitted from a payday after Game 7.

ON DECK
Boston will advance to face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals starting on Tuesday while the 2021-22 season coming to an end for Milwaukee.
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Williams has 27, Celtics make 22 3s in Game 7 rout of Bucks

BOSTON -- — Grant Williams scored a career-high 27 points and hit seven 3-pointers, Jayson Tatum added 23 and the Boston Celtics set a Game 7 record with 22 3-pointers to eliminate the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks 109-81 on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Boston will face top-seeded Miami beginning Tuesday in a rematch of the 2020 East finals. The Heat beat the Celtics in six games in that series at Walt Disney World.

The Celtics trailed early but outscored the Bucks 61- 38 in the second half to cruise to the victory. Boston used a whopping 54-point advantage from behind the arc to improve to 25-9 in decisive seventh games.

The Bucks are now 3-9. They went 4 for 33 (12.1%) from the 3-point line. That's the second-worst 3-point percentage in a playoff game ever (minimum 30 attempts).

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists. But he was just 3 of 11 in the paint in the second half, including 1 for 6 the fourth quarter. Jrue Holiday added 21 points and eight assists. Brook Lopez finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Williams finished 7 for 18 behind the arc as the Celtics finished the comeback after dropping Game 5 at home to fall into a 3-2 hole.

Boston started the second half on an 11-4 run to open a 59-47 lead.

It was 63-53 when Tatum went to the bench after being whistled for his fourth foul. But the Celtics rallied without him, outscoring the Bucks 16-11 the rest of the quarter to take a 79-64 lead to the fourth.

The Bucks led the entire first quarter as Antetokounmpo scored or assisted on 24 of Milwaukee's 26 first-quarter points.

He ended the period with 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists to help the Bucks grab a 26-20 lead.

Boston began to claw back in the second quarter, drawing a third foul on Bobby Portis at the 8:49 mark. TV cameras showed him tossing his goggles as he went to the bench area. He'd been wearing the goggles since suffering a right eye abrasion in Game 2 of Milwaukee's first-round series against the Bulls.

With Portis on the bench, the Celtics took their first lead of the game on a dunk by Al Horford that punctuated a 12-2 run.

Boston led 45-43 in the final minute of the half when Tatum was called for an offensive foul on Grayson Allen – Tatum's third foul of the game.

Following an unsuccessful challenge by Celtics coach Ime Udoka, the teams exchanged misses. But after Smart's steal near midcourt, Antetokounmpo fouled Smart as he attempted a last-second, 3-point heave.

Smart connected on each of his three free throws to give Boston the 48-43 halftime lead.


Celtics center Robert Williams III was available to play after missing three straight games with soreness and a bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee. But he didn't play.

TIP-INS

Bucks: There was a pregame moment of silence held for the victims of mass shootings this past week in Milwaukee and Buffalo. … F Khris Middleton missed his 10th straight playoff game with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. … Milwaukee missed their final 11 3-point attempts of the first half.

Celtics: Were 9 of 22 from the 3-point line in the first half. … Patriots team owner Robert Kraft sat courtside, along with Patriots quarterback Mac Jones and receiver Kendrick Bourne.

112288

Well I guess IME read my last games post comment that Grant Williams did not shoot any 3 point shots!  

If IME did not read my comment, then let's just say ........... great minds think alike!  LOL

Fantastic finish 8 wins down, 8 wins to go!

112288

Read a stat that the Bucks were held under 90 points only twice this year…games 2&7 of this series! Outstanding defensive effort by an outstanding defensive team.
#LETS BEAT THE HEAT!

Damn these guys flying to Miami already, would have preferred this series starting Wednesday or Thursday for obvious reasons.

Super posts Gyso. Awesome new avatar too.

Peyton you are a god

Hi,
The better team won!
Now beat the heat

AK

Grant is so smart and fearless. Yes, Rondo pioneered this move.

gyso wrote:New Avatar

Love it!