Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum electricity Boston Celtics' bounce-returned performance for sport 2 win over Milwaukee greenbacks
BOSTON -- when the Celtics needed their stars the maximum, they both came thru. Jaylen Brown got matters going, and Jayson Tatum finished it off.
After Boston failed to match the physicality of the Milwaukee dollars in sport 1 of their East semifinal collection on Sunday, the Celtics got here out with a far unique mind-set on Tuesday, controlling the sport from the opening tip and leading twine-to-wire in a 109-86 victory.
"We knew we had to pop out and play like our season changed into on the line," Brown said, "and we did that."
Brown completed with a game-excessive 30 factors and knocked down a playoff-career-excessive six 3-guidelines. He set the tone for the crew early on as they looked to bounce back from a lackluster performance in recreation 1.
"We adjusted nicely," Celtics train Ime Udoka said. "We discovered some matters from recreation 1 and felt like we knew we didn't react accordingly to the way that we're gambling. two massive teams however we have not been outmuscled like that each one yr. I assume our guys took satisfaction in that, took that to heart and we knew we would pop out with the right effort this night."
main that charge was Brown, who had a playoff-profession-high 25 points inside the first half. He became key as Boston spread out an 18-3 lead and by no means regarded again.
"it's the playoffs," Brown stated. "Survival of the fittest. each recreation counts."
In recreation 1, the Celtics made handiest 10 -point discipline dreams, a franchise low for a playoff recreation or a ordinary-season sport. Udoka lamented how the team strayed from the mid-range game. That wasn't the case on Tuesday, as Brown hit three mid-stages early on to set the tone there.
Udoka stated he spoke to Brown and Tatum about that prior to the game.
"We knew the ones are open," Udoka said. "You don't must over penetrate and pressure into the bigs and take the 3 handiest. we've simply elite mid-range shooters and we welcome those pictures, specially while they're lower back in that drop."
Celtics forward provide Williams said he knew hours earlier than the game commenced that Brown turned into going to have a massive night time.
"I saw it in his eyes," Williams stated. "So at the begin the game, i used to be similar to, 'All proper, do your issue' and we are supporting and cheering. He mounted that tone and set the mark of aggression at the offensive stop, no longer simplest flattening open photographs but also shifting it."
at the same time as Brown became main the fee early, Tatum took care of factors overdue, scoring 19 of his 29 factors inside the second 1/2.
Like Williams, Tatum stated he knew Brown was going to be geared up for a huge night coming into the sport. but more so, he knew his crew turned into prepared to get better.
"We had been annoyed in how we performed closing recreation and from top to bottom we knew that we simply needed to play better," Tatum stated. "simple as that."
The Celtics performed stellar defense all round but did a miles better activity of creating life hard for greenbacks celebrity Giannis Antetokounmpo. the 2-time MVP had 28 points, however he went 11-of-27 from the field and five-of-nine from the line.
bucks coach Mike Budenholzer stated credit turned into due to the Celtics' defenders for the way they guarded him throughout the night time.
"The men on him, they're solid, suitable, top defenders and then pretty a bit of assist," Budenholzer said. "that is where he's simply were given to see and feel it -- do we kick it and get greater 3s or he's got to finish in opposition to one-on-one protection. So, I think it is a bit bit of each. however Giannis, he usually figures matters out."
when a reporter advised Antetokounmpo what Budenholzer stated approximately figuring matters out, he said, "I attempt. I attempt to parent it out."
"it's the playoffs," Antetokounmpo stated. "manifestly they're going to be physical. they are going to be greater bodily. it is no longer going to be a number of fouls called, there's going to be more energetic, more subject, however on the cease of the day, it is the equal mentality, the attitude does not trade, you have got to maintain chipping away, keep finding answers to make the game yours. Make excellent plays. discover your teammates, get inside the paint. no matter what they do, my attitude and the team's mindset cannot alternate."
Boston were given things accomplished defensively with out the NBA's 2021-22 protective participant of the yr as Marcus smart sat out with a right quad contusion. With 3 days off among recreation 2 and recreation 3 in Milwaukee on Saturday, the Celtics are hopeful he will make his go back to the lineup then.
Brown has been handling a lingering hamstring harm, and Udoka stated pulling him a minute in advance than the alternative starters, with Boston up 99-86 with 2:51 to go, was approximately maintaining him because he had performed 38 mins. Brown stated his hamstring felt nice, he'll be equipped to go for game three and that injuries are simply some thing every player has to address at this factor within the season.
"The handiest component that topics is the playoffs," Brown stated. "every body, we've were given to do what we got to do to make sure we are prepared to perform. at this time of yr, each person has nagging injuries or things that they are handling, so can't let that be an excuse. you bought to discover a way mentally and bodily to overcome some thing it is and simply get it completed."
Brown introduced that this changed into the Celtics' first genuine test of the playoffs after sweeping the Brooklyn Nets within the first spherical and he changed into curious as to how the crew might reply. Tatum become confident the reaction became going be a positive one.
"each sport isn't always gonna be best," Tatum stated. "we are gambling in opposition to the protecting champs. They punched inside the mouth first recreation. I knew we have been gonna be geared up this night from a competitiveness perspective. Making changes from sport to sport, I think that is what the playoffs are approximately."