Bucks (10-4) at Celtics (11-3) Game #15 11/22/23

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Horford 11pts 8reb 6ast 1blk 31min

He was really good, he hand his hand in breaking up a lot of offense for the Bucks too which might not showup in the statline.
I wish we could get that primo version of Al every game.

[ozgod]

Wow went out for dinner we were leading by 15 came back to see we won by 3…late TPs for the clutch win! I felt the Bucks were going to come back in the 2nd half, they have a lot of pride and some fun players, good to see we withstood them

[kraidstar]

Getting tired of refball.  I felt that there was an unequal standard of physicality down the stretch.  I don't know if the refs were just genuinely incompetent, or if they were pushing for a close game for entertainment value in a nationally-televised game, or if they were trying to tinker with betting lines.  Or maybe I'm just wrong.  Maybe I'm being paranoid and Milwaukee closed the margin by playing with desperate intensity while we were just trying not to lose.  Really don't think so though - not entirely, at least. 

Good win anyway.  Lots of contributions from our entire eight-man lineup tonight.  I do hope Jrue finds his offense with this group at some point though.  I appreciate his ability to impact the game without scoring but we're going to need that side of his game too.

Refs always push to make these nationally-televised games close, especially when it's the first of a doubleheader.

My buddy asked me if he should take the C's at -4.5. I told him the Celtics would outplay the Bucks but the refs would get it down to 1 possession. Turns out the refs needed some help from Beasley at the end, but they got there.

[Goldstar88]

Bench was really good tonight. Only played Hauser, Pritchard and Horford, but they put up 30+ on 12-19 shooting. [dang]!

[kraidstar]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

REFUSE TO LOSE MIKE TYSON STYLE BABY

Wooooooooo!!!

[kraidstar]

Brown was looking to pass tonight and had a fantastic game. Not only did he get his teammates involved, but he put uncertainty into the minds of the Bucks.

Middleton otoh looks nearly washed. I watched him all game long, he is a sub-par athlete at this point.

Lillard struggles mightily against good defense and only got going at the end because the Celtics started running out the clock playing prevent defense.

Bucks are in big trouble.

[ozgod]

Brown was looking to pass tonight and had a fantastic game. Not only did he get his teammates involved, but he put uncertainty into the minds of the Bucks.

Middleton otoh looks nearly washed. I watched him all game long, he is a sub-par athlete at this point.

Lillard struggles mightily against good defense and only got going at the end because the Celtics started running out the clock playing prevent defense.

Bucks are in big trouble.

That Jaylen KP combo really did a lot of damage to the Bucks, they're developing some good chemistry. Jaylen's reads tonight were much better than against Charlotte. He didn't premeditate as much but he knew what the main play was. They get on well off the court and they're building a good rapport on the court too. KP probably reminded Jaylen that he didn't pass to him at the end of the Charlotte game so he made sure to pass to him tonight 


https://x.com/taylorcsnow/status/1727548505827180809?s=20

[angryguy77]

I'm enjoying bucks fan standing on an "almost win"

I can't understand how people don't see this fake rally was due to. Orton being dumb down the stretch rather than Milwaukee riding talent to close the gap.

I mean bucks fans shouldn't throw in the towel. There's a lot of ball left to be played, but there's no positives to be taken from this game. They never led!

[kraidstar]

I'm enjoying bucks fan standing on an "almost win"

I can't understand how people don't see this fake rally was due to. Orton being dumb down the stretch rather than Milwaukee riding talent to close the gap.

I mean bucks fans shouldn't throw in the towel. There's a lot of ball left to be played, but there's no positives to be taken from this game. They never led!

Agree. Boston might have only won by 3 but it looked like they won by 20. They're faster, more balanced, and don't have gaping holes in their defense. The Celtics were the better team almost wire-to-wire.

[Kernewek]

I'm enjoying bucks fan standing on an "almost win"

I can't understand how people don't see this fake rally was due to. Orton being dumb down the stretch rather than Milwaukee riding talent to close the gap.

I mean bucks fans shouldn't throw in the towel. There's a lot of ball left to be played, but there's no positives to be taken from this game. They never led!

Agree. Boston might have only won by 3 but it looked like they won by 20. They're faster, more balanced, and don't have gaping holes in their defense. The Celtics were the better team almost wire-to-wire.

Hopefully we make it to the postseason with our health and our stride intact

[Vermont Green]

13 ORebs for MIL vs. 4 for BOS.  15 Turnovers for BOS to 9 for MIL.  Total FGA MIL 101, BOS 84.  That is a lot of extra possessions to give up.  The ORebs are going to come with the territory when you play small but no reason we should have 6 more turnovers.

In the end, we had more talent and were able to overcome this with better shooting.  As to lineups, just one game but Horford and Porzingis were on the court together for 9.4 minutes and did not give up a single OReb in that time (18 FGA by MIL, 12 missed so 12 OReb opportunities).

[celticinorlando]

1. Doris Burke was absolutely gushing over Dame in the last 4 minutes. Over and over. She is nauseating.
2. C's need to work on rebounding vs the Bucks. Honestly think it is the only way they stay in the game.
3. Boston is better than the Bucks. Series will be 6 games max.
4. Fix the final 4 minutes of a game and stop allowing teams to make late runs.
5. Middleton looks cooked.
6. Bucks can't guard Boston.

Boston has now beaten a few of the other EC contenders. Need to keep building.

Tomorrow is a HUGE game in Orlando.

[Phantom255x]

ESPN kept talking about Lillard needing to make adjustments and how it'd take time even though the C's literally also added KP and Holiday and the same would apply to them 

The C's need to simply do better closing out games, period. That's a fact. With that said, I still feel good about us against the Bucks. If Lillard isn't putting up 35+ he's not really helping them because he's a complete liability on defense. We've also defended Giannis better lately and have some answers to throw at him even besides Horford. Not much you can do about the FTs though (stupid refs).

Middleton being cooked pretty much is what'll cost them though. When Milwaukee was extremely fierce a few years ago, it was not only because Giannis was at his peak, but they had both Holiday and a HEALTHY Middleton who could flip a switch if needed. Now they are very limited, and their bench isn't too great either. I'm also not expecting Lopez to drop 28 on us often in games. He definitely kept MIL in the game with his shooting, as did the refs with all those bogus calls late in the 4th (a clear bias)

[cman88]

Thing with the media excuses for Milwaukee

1. Giannis has always struggled against Boston. They just defend him well. If you put him in the half court he's pretty guardable.

2. Milwaukee s defense isn't going to get much better. It's a personnel problem. Their guards aren't going to suddenly become good defenders. I laugh at bucks fans now looking to Jae Crowder as their secret weapon. Meanwhile we can throw white/Jrue/brown at Dame.

3. kris Middleton isn't suddenly going to be a 20ppg scorer. He hasn't been that since his injury nearly 2 years ago. Wasn't that last season. The idea that he will somehow suddenly go back to his all-star ways is just not based on reality. Plenty of players have had injuries and never returned to their pre-injury selves. See Gordon Hayward.

Celtics are a better team. Just need to get out of this habit of playing slow and playing not to lose.

I mean you can burn 24 seconds running a set and passing the ball around just as likely as dribbling for 24 seconds and shooting a step back 3

[PAOBoston]

Brown was looking to pass tonight and had a fantastic game. Not only did he get his teammates involved, but he put uncertainty into the minds of the Bucks.

Middleton otoh looks nearly washed. I watched him all game long, he is a sub-par athlete at this point.

Lillard struggles mightily against good defense and only got going at the end because the Celtics started running out the clock playing prevent defense.

Bucks are in big trouble.

That Jaylen KP combo really did a lot of damage to the Bucks, they're developing some good chemistry. Jaylen's reads tonight were much better than against Charlotte. He didn't premeditate as much but he knew what the main play was. They get on well off the court and they're building a good rapport on the court too. KP probably reminded Jaylen that he didn't pass to him at the end of the Charlotte game so he made sure to pass to him tonight 


https://x.com/taylorcsnow/status/1727548505827180809?s=20

I hope this continues and can be the fix to the non JT minutes where the team has struggled. JB looked fantastic last night and he and KP definitely click together. As the season goes on, hoping this combo becomes a game changer.