Inside The Celtics

What Stood Out from the Celtics' Loss vs. Bucks in Game 3: Boston Blitzed in Third Quarter, Nearly Wins in the Fourth

Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics' offense with 27 points, and Al Horford contributed 22, helping them bounce back from a third quarter dominated by the Bucks. Boston couldn't rally for a win Saturday, but it can draw confidence from how it played in the final frame.

Bobby Krivitsky

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

With four days between Games 2 and 3, there figured to be significant adjustments as both teams looked to deliver the caliber of counterpunch that would help them walk out of Saturday's matchup with a 2-1 lead, perhaps even finding a wrinkle that could sway the series.

The Bucks for instance, took Bobby Portis out of the starting lineup in exchange for Grayson Allen, looking to go smaller and surround Giannis Antetokounmpo with more shooting at the beginning of the game.

But the turning point in Game 3 came in the third quarter, which was as bad as the Celtics have played this postseason. They took a 50-46 lead into halftime, but the Bucks then suffocated their offense, holding Boston to 17 points. 

Still, it was encouraging to see the Celtics bounce back and rediscover the ball movement their offensive success stems from in the final frame. That gave the visitors a chance to escape with a win despite Jayson Tatum scoring only ten points.

Now, for a deep dive into Game 3, a defensive slugfest where the defending NBA champions flexed their muscle, then saw the Celtics respond, as Boston nearly walked away from Saturday's matchup with a victory.

Both Teams Held Under 23 Points in the First Quarter

Tatum opened the scoring by attacking off the catch, getting into the paint, and converting on a floater. After that, Jaylen Brown drove, drew Brook Lopez, and dished to Robert Williams for a dunk.

A few minutes later, Grant Williams caught the ball in the right corner, attacked off the dribble, something he created favorable outcomes for Boston on multiple occasions in Game 2, and kicked it to Al Horford for a three from the left corner that knotted the score at nine.

Just over halfway through the frame, Brown got the rebound off a missed three from Pat Connaughton, but Jrue Holiday swiped it from him, only to sail a pass into the backcourt, where Robert Williams grabbed it and coasted in for a dunk that brought Boston within two, 13-11.

At the 5:21 mark, Brown hit a pull-up jumper from the midrange for his first field goal, tying the game at 13. Marcus Smart then tried to strip the ball from Lopez but got whistled for a foul, his second and the team's fourth. That brought Derrick White into the game.

Milwaukee then went on an 8-2 run, capped by a Bobby Portis three that put them ahead 21-15 with 3:03 remaining.

With 1:05 left, White, who didn't score in Game 2, got the ball after flaring out following setting a screen for Tatum, attacked off the catch, and got two points on a floater from 11-feet out. That made the score 22-19 in favor of the home team.

With just under 40 seconds on the clock, Antetokounmpo attempted to euro-step his way around Grant Williams, but Williams held his ground, drawing a charge. It was only Antetokounmpo's first foul, but Mike Budenholzer challenged the call. The juice wasn't worth the squeeze, and making matters worse for the Bucks, the call stood.

As the quarter closed, Tatum was lucky not to get called for a push-off, but his shot didn't go down, and Milwaukee entered the second period leading 22-19.

Celtics' Late Surge Gives Them the Lead at Halftime

Horford kicked off the second-quarter scoring with a three from the left corner that tied the game at 22.

A few minutes later, in a turnover-filled start to the frame, an errant pass from Holiday produced a fast-break dunk for Tatum. Antetokounmpo went for the chase-down block, bumping Tatum in the air, leading to a hard fall that had the Celtics' star clutching his wrist. It was dangerous. But it was also a basketball play, persuading the officials not to deem it a flagrant foul.

Tatum stayed in the game and made the following free-throw, turning it into a three-point play that cut the Bucks' lead to 30-28.

At the 7:27 mark, Brown drove and finished in traffic, cashing in on an off-balance shot over Antetokounmpo. That gave Boston a 32-31 advantage.

About a minute and a half later, Robert Williams blocked Grayson Allen's three from the top of the key. As Tatum neared the loose ball, Allen fouled him, grabbing at his lower arm, but the officials let it go; Tatum went to the ground, and Holiday buried a three from the right wing to put Milwaukee ahead 36-34.

With 3:54 remaining, following an Antetokounmpo dunk, he appeared to goaltend a Tatum floater, altering the shot when it seemed to be on the way down, but the referees felt otherwise. Grant Williams then missed a three, and Antetokounmpo laid the ball in at the other end, giving the Bucks a 42-39 lead.

At the 2:48 mark, Holiday missed a three; Smart and Lopez, jockeying for position for the rebound, sent each other to the floor, picking up double fouls, their third each. Smart went to the bench in exchange for Tatum. Lopez stayed in the game.

With 57 seconds left, Grant Williams, attacking off the catch from the right corner, shouldered into Antetokounmpo, drawing the third foul on the former league MVP. That also sent Williams to the line, where he made both free throws to cut Boston's deficit to one, 46-45. The foul also sent Antetokounmpo to the bench.

As the quarter came to a close, Brown called Robert Williams up to set a high-ball screen, spun past Williams' defender, Portis, and delivered a pass into the shooting pocket of Grant Williams. Williams then drilled a three from the left corner with 0.9 on the clock to give the Celtics a 50-46 advantage at halftime.

Entering the break, Brown had ten points and was the only player on Boston scoring in double-figures. The Celtics got seven points apiece from Grant Williams and White, though. As for the eighth member of their rotation, Pritchard had played only five minutes.

Boston wasn't moving the ball effectively, often shooting after one pass, making it hard to find a rhythm. The Celtics assisted on 11/15 field goals, but shot 33.3 percent from the floor and 4/18 (22.2 percent) from beyond the arc. At the root of their point production was a 16/17 performance at the free-throw line.

But the real star for Boston was its defense. The Celtics held the Bucks to 39.1 percent shooting from the field and 3/18 (16/7 percent) from long range. They also converted seven turnovers from the hosts into ten points at the other end. However, Antetokounmpo generated a game-high 20 points, leading Milwaukee to 26 points in the paint.

Bucks Seize Control of the Game in the Third Quarter

Two minutes into the third quarter, Holiday capitalized on a clean look at a three from the right wing, putting the Bucks back on top 51-50.

In an impressive defensive sequence by the Celtics a little more than three minutes into the second half, Tatum blocked Wesley Matthews twice; Smart then stole his attempted kick-out pass, prompting Matthews to foul him to prevent a transition opportunity for Boston.

At the 8:39 mark, after Holiday picked off a pass from Brown, Grant Williams grabbed Antetokounmpo to prevent the latter from euro-stepping for a transition dunk. Antetokounmpo went to the ground, which evoked a reaction from the crowd, and while it got reviewed for a flagrant foul, it stood as a common one. Antetokounmpo made both free throws, giving Milwaukee a 56-54 lead.

With 6:37 left, Holiday hit a mid-range jumper from the top of the key. On the other end, Portis inadvertently elbowed Robert Williams in the temple, which went uncalled but forced Williams to leave the game briefly. Then, Holiday took a pass from Antetokounmpo and scored on a fast-break layup to put the home team ahead 66-56.

In perhaps the Celtics' best example of ball movement in the game, and certainly in the third quarter, to that point, Brown drove, kicked it out, and after multiple swing passes that kept Milwaukee scrambling, Grant Williams attacked out of the right corner, finishing above the rim. That trimmed Boston's deficit to 66-58.

At the 4:59 mark, with four fouls on Grant Williams, Daniel Theis checked in for the first time since Game 1.

With 2:05 left, Holiday dribbled into an open mid-range jumper as no one on the Celtics picked him up. The bucket gave the Bucks their largest lead of the game, putting them on top 75-64.

With 1:08 left, Tatum got to the basket for a layup, just his third field goal of the game. He was 3/16 with eight points. But then, he missed a contested layup the next time down, and Holiday drilled a three from the left corner, extending Milwaukee's lead to 78-66.

The Bucks entered the final frame with an 80-67 advantage. They were suffocating the Celtics defensively, forcing them to create outside the design of their plays. That prevented Boston from finding a rhythm and fueled the defending champs' transition attack. Antetokounmpo entered the fourth quarter with a game-high 31 points.

Celtics Rally but Can't Close

Just under a minute into the fourth quarter, Horford buried a three to cut the Celtics' deficit to 80-72. Unfortunately for the visitors, Connaughton answered with a triple at the opposite end.

At the 9:48 mark, Antetokounmpo cashed in on a three, giving him 34 points and putting Milwaukee ahead 86-73. White countered with a bucket from long range. And after a Portis tip-in, Brown knocked down a three to bring Boston within single digits, 88-79. Horford then got a layup to make it a seven-point game.

With 7:36 left, after Grant Williams blocked Holiday at the basket, Brown got a transition layup, pulling the visitors within five. That prompted coach Budenholzer to halt the action and take a timeout.

With 6:29 remaining and the Celtics down seven, Brown, attacking in transition, went hard to the rim, getting a layup and a foul on Antetokounmpo, his fourth. Brown converted at the charity stripe, making the score 92-88.

With 5:57 to play, Grant Williams drove by a Portis closeout and tried to get all the way to the basket. Connaughton held his ground, though, drawing a charge on Williams. However, Ime Udoka decided to challenge the call. Unfortunately for Boston, the ruling on the court stood. It was Williams's fifth foul.

With 4:43 on the clock, Smart drove and kicked it out to Horford for a three from the left wing that trimmed the Bucks' lead to 97-93. 

Horford then hit a jump hook on the Celtics' next possession, making it a two-point game.

After that, a careless pass from an indecisive Antetokounmpo got picked off by Tatum. Smart got fouled by Matthews in the backcourt, sending him to the free-throw line where he went 1/2, bringing Milwaukee's lead down to one.

With 2:48 remaining, Antetokounmpo spun, Brown took the bump, but the former league and Finals MVP made a one-handed push shot, giving him 40 points and the Bucks a 99-96 advantage.

With 1:49 to play, Antetokounmpo missed near the basket, and Brown charged his way to the rim, drawing a foul on Holiday. Brown capitalized on both free throws, giving Boston a 100-99 lead.

Grant Williams then blocked a three from Holiday, and the Celtics held firm, forcing a shot clock violation. They got multiple opportunities at the other end, but they couldn't convert, and Grant Williams couldn't control a rebound after a missed three from Smart, getting Milwaukee the ball back.

Antetokounmpo stepped through to get by Grant Williams for a layup that gave the Bucks a 101-100 advantage. After that, Antetokounmpo denied Brown at the rim, and Holiday hit a floater that extended Milwaukee's lead to 103-100 with 11.2 seconds left.

With 4.6 seconds remaining, Brown pitched Smart the ball while they were beyond the arc, and he appeared to get fouled rising for a shot, but the officials deemed it a foul on the floor. That sent Smart to the line for two free throws instead of three. He made the first, then intentionally missed the second.

Smart grabbed the miss but couldn't get the putback to go. Neither could Robert Williams or Horford. The latter made his second crack at it, but after the game clock expired. As a result, Milwaukee won 103-101, taking a 2-1 series lead.

Antetokounmpo finished with a game-high 42 points, and the Bucks scored 52 points in the paint. Still, the Celtics held them to 103 points and, overall, played terrific defense.

Unfortunately for Boston, so did Milwaukee. The visitors shot 37.6 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Celtics also didn't move the ball nearly as effectively in Game 3.

But after the Bucks suffocated their offense in the third frame, resulting in the Celtics having their worst quarter of the playoffs, it was encouraging to see them battle back in the fourth. They got back to the ball movement their offensive success is predicated on, nearly pulling out a win despite Tatum finishing with ten points on 4/19 shooting, including going 0/6 on threes. That's reason to be optimistic heading into Game 4.

Up Next

Game 4 between the Celtics and Bucks tips off Monday night at 7:30 ET. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Ime Udoka Discusses Derrick White's Impact: 'the shots are just icing on the cake'

One-on-One with Cameron Look on His Improbable Journey to Designing Jayson Tatum's Jordans

What Stood Out from the Celtics' Win vs. Bucks in Game 2: Boston Gets Back to Winning Formula to Tie Series at 1

The Top 5 Plays from Game 1 Between the Celtics and Bucks

What Stood Out from the Celtics' Loss vs. Bucks in Game 1: Boston 'Caught Off Guard' by Milwaukee's Physicality in Series Opener

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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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