Inside The Celtics

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Best Bucks to Stay atop East at Thanksgiving

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis combined for 60 points as the Celtics knocked off the Bucks, 119-116, in what may be an Eastern Conference Finals preview.

Bobby Krivitsky

Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
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Wednesday night's battle between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks represented Jrue Holiday's first chance to face his former team since they traded him to acquire Damian Lillard, something he discussed with Inside The Celtics earlier in the day.

In what could prove an Eastern Conference Finals preview, the hosts came out firing, building a 10-0 lead in a game they led from start to finish. Jaylen Brown produced eight of those points.

He continued to atone for an underwhelming performance in Monday's 121-118 overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The two-time All-Star finished with a team-high 26 points, eight assists, leading all participants, and only one turnover. 

It was his best game as a facilitator this season and ranks highly among his career performances in that category.

Jayson Tatum stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, a team-best 11 rebounds, four assists, and a block in Boston's 119-116 victory.

The Celtics also got a terrific game from Kristaps Porzingis, who, in a matchup against a top-tier opponent, showcased how important he is to this team's championship aspirations.

The seven-foot-three center registered 21 points and six rebounds, but his impact went well beyond the stat sheet. 

Whether it was with his screens or representing an easy option to get the ball to in the mid-post to maintain a balanced attack, the former All-Star kept their offense humming in the first half and was often involved in the action when they needed a bucket in the final two frames.

And while Boston struggled to maintain a double-digit lead for the second-straight contest, the hosts made enough plays in the home stretch to close out a win that keeps them atop the Eastern Conference at Thanksgiving.

Now, a deep dive into what stood out as the Celtics improved to 12-3 by besting the Bucks.

1. Between repeatedly making the extra pass, going from good to great shots, like when Derrick White pump faked to draw the nearest defender before swinging the ball to Jaylen Brown for a corner three, to Jrue Holiday stonewalling Giannis Antetokounmpo in the low post, the Celtics got off to an excellent start at both ends on Wednesday.

After jumping out to a 10-0 lead, with Brown registering eight of those, Boston built a 24-10 advantage in the first frame.

2. With Holiday silencing Damian Lillard, the player the Bucks traded him to acquire, limiting him to three points on 1/7 shooting -- he also had two turnovers, but one was on an overthrown outlet pass -- and Antetokounmpo starting the game 2/9 with five points, the hosts held Milwaukee to 17 in the first quarter.

Conversely, they put 29 on the board, drilling 6/12 attempts from beyond the arc.

3. The Celtics continued utilizing a balanced attack to bludgeon the Bucks in the first half.

Their ball movement was outstanding, accurately reflected by their assisting on 15/25 field goals. And they did an excellent job of playing inside-out basketball and getting downhill rather than just working from the perimeter.

That translated to 24 points in the paint, including 16 in the second quarter, and shooting 12/23 (52.2 percent) from three-point range.

It also created opportunities like the one below, where Al Horford kept it and went to work against Bobby Portis in the low post. The result was an old-school three-point play for the former Florida Gator.

Their approach helped them grow their advantage as large as 21 in the first 24 minutes.

4. They needed that to maintain a double-digit lead at halftime after the second quarter turned into a shootout.

With Kristaps Porzingis generating nine of his ten first-half points and Jayson Tatum and Brown entering the break with 13 apiece, Boston narrowly outpaced its visitors, 38-36 in the period, leading 67-53 after the opening 24 minutes.

The hosts also got 17 points from its second unit in the second frame and 25 in the first half. Horford had nine at the break, while Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard produced eight. All three shot 3/4 from the field.

As for Milwaukee, with Lillard and Antetokounmpo struggling, combining for 17 points on 24 attempts and three turnovers, Brook Lopez paced them and all scorers with 14 points.

5. Three qualities on display for the Celtics after halftime was that they were sluggish to start the third quarter, a years-long trend.

Their ball movement and security also got worse as they attacked less and committed five turnovers. And 13 of their 21 shots came from behind the arc despite shooting a frigid 3/13 (23.1 percent), mainly due to lower quality looks stemming from no longer playing inside-out basketball.

But despite their offensive struggles and giving up seven points off giveaways, the hosts stayed locked in defensively in the half court, limiting the Bucks to 26 points in a period the former only scored 27.

Thanks to those stops and a 6-2 run to end the frame, including a transition alley-oop from Brown to Hauser (!), Boston took a 94-79 advantage into the final 12 minutes.

6. Three turnovers and Porzingis picking up his fifth foul, sending him to the bench, didn't help the Celtics' effort to close out a contest they led by double digits for most of.

But a Porzingis pick-and-pop three upon re-entering the game, an MVP-caliber drive from Tatum, creating separation off the dribble, then finishing with force on a two-handed flush, and Derrick White getting a piece of a Damian Lillard dunk attempt with Milwaukee down five with 13.2 seconds left, propelled them to the finish line.

And after a few free throws to put a bow on the victory, Boston earned a 119-116 win to remain atop the Eastern Conference standings entering Thanksgiving.

7. The Celtics next face the Magic on Friday in Orlando. That game will tip off at 2:30 EST.

Further Reading

Jrue Holiday Shares His Perspective on First Matchup vs. Bucks Since They Traded Him

Celtics Stumble in Charlotte as Hornets Snap Their Six-Game Win Streak

Kristaps Porzingis Explains Why Celtics Have NBA's Best Clutch Record

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Weather the Storm to Prevail vs. Raptors

Jaylen Brown Blasts In-Season Tournament Court After Injury in Celtics’ Win vs. Raptors

Celtics Discuss Significance of Rivalry Win vs. 76ers for No. 1 Seed in East

Joe Mazzulla Believes Celtics' Second Unit is 'Starting to Develop an Identity'

Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Chemistry with Jaylen Brown: 'I Love Playing with Him'

Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense

Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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