Inside The Celtics

[Film Room] What the Celtics Did to Slow Down Giannis Antetokounmpo in Blowout vs. Bucks

The Celtics' disciplined approach against Giannis Antetokounmpo limited him to 24 points on 27 shots, and he only attempted three free throws.

Bobby Krivitsky

Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
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The Celtics' 140-99 win against the Bucks was arguably their best performance this season. Boston was stellar at both ends of the floor, and the visitors never let their foot off the gas, resulting in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford getting the final frame off.

In Thursday's victory, the defending Eastern Conference champions were disciplined and consistent in carrying out their defensive game plan, a prerequisite to slowing down Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Sticking to the script while playing on a string, with excellent rotations and on-ball pressure that kept Milwaukee from collapsing the defense, led to the hosts shooting 37.6 percent from the field, including 14/43 (32.6 percent) from three-point range and committing 14 turnovers.

Antetokounmpo finished with 24 points on 27 shots and only attempted three free throws.

The Celtics did an excellent job showing the two-time league MVP multiple bodies when he caught the ball in the low post. A prime example came the first time he received the ball there.

After Malcolm Brogdon's swipe and turning the corner on Brown, Antetokounmpo has to think this ends with a dunk, only for Robert Williams to swoop in from behind and swat his shot from over the top.

In the play below, he gets the ball in the low post with Horford on him. Williams and Smart wait to bring help until the seven-time All-Star starts his move, just like Brogdon did on his swipe. Surrounded, Antetokounmpo settles for a push shot as he's fading from the rim, and it's off the mark.

Like when dealing with Joel Embiid, Boston was willing to live with whatever damage Antetokounmpo inflicted from the mid-range.

In the example below, the Celtics are in "15," meaning they're switching one through five. Horford stays just below the level of the screen, keeping his hands on Brook Lopez as he passes him off to Smart. He invites Antetokounmpo to elevate for a mid-range jumper, and the six-time All-NBA member obliges, clanging a shot off the front rim.

And, of course, the defending Eastern Conference champions were content with Antetokounmpo launching shots from behind the arc. He's a 28.7 percent three-point shooter for his career, and he's converted less than 31 percent of his threes every season since his rookie year.

And while Boston, leading by over 20, wasn't as good about forming a wall to keep Antetokounmpo from the rim in the final four minutes of the second quarter, for the most part, they made a concerted effort to do so, understanding the repercussions for not forcing him to deal with multiple bodies when he drove to the cup.

If Antetokounmpo slows down his attack just a bit, he might dish to one of his several outlets, including Khris Middleton and Lopez, who could potentially have clean looks from three-point range. But that's not the nature of the former Finals MVP's game.

Still, it's something he has seen on film plenty of times. And just as his game went to a higher level as he led Milwaukee on a championship run in 2019, the Bucks become more dangerous if teams are getting burnt beyond the arc for forming a wall against Antetokounmpo.

Further Reading

Joe Mazzulla and Will Hardy Discuss Becoming Head Coaches, What the Former Learned from the Latter and Hardy's Evaluation of the Celtics

Jayson Tatum Discusses Closing in on Another Milestone

Celtics Discuss Blake Griffin's Impact in Their Win vs. the Jazz

Jayson Tatum Wasn't Supposed to Play vs. the Jazz, But Celtics' Travel Delay Added to His Motivation to 'Go Through it with the Guys'

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Jazz: On a Chippy Night in Boston, Counterpunches Propel the Hosts to Victory

The Celtics are Proud of Their Growth, Including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's Maturation: 'I think We're a Better Team'

Celtics Discuss Dominating Performance in 140-99 Win Over Bucks

Former Warriors' Director of Performance Keke Lyles Shares His Perspective on Load Management, Changing Stephen Curry's Movement Patterns, And What's Helped Jayson Tatum's Durability

Published
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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