Top Takeaways from Giannis, Bucks' Win vs. Celtics with Jayson Tatum Out
In a critical showdown between Eastern Conference elites Thursday, the Milwaukee Bucks boosted their chances of securing the No. 2 seed with a 127-121 triumph over the Boston Celtics.
Despite the game's importance to the standings, the Shamrocks opted against putting all of their chips on the table and instead gave rest days to Jayson Tatum and Al Horford. Boston still managed to make it a nail-biter thanks to a 29-point, seven-triple eruption from Marcus Smart, plus 22 points each out of Jaylen Brown and Daniel Theis.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, got most everything it wanted offensively and used 50.5 percent shooting to post its highest point total in nearly a month. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday tied for the team lead with 29 points each, while Khris Middleton narrowly missed a triple-double with his 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
The Bucks, who grabbed a half-game lead on the Celtics for No. 2, close out the 2021-22 NBA campaign with road games against the Detroit Pistons on Friday and Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The Celtics won't play again until Sunday's finale at the Memphis Grizzlies.
Daniel Theis Trade Delivering Instant Dividends
The loss of starting center and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Robert Williams to a torn meniscus threatened to derail Boston's series.
While there's still a chance that happens come playoff time, there's a big reason why it hasn't so far. His name is Daniel Theis.
The Celtics reunited with their former center at the trade deadline in a deal that keeps looking smarter by the day. The 30-year-old has looked right at home in his old frontcourt spot, boosting Boston with solid two-way play at both ends of the floor.
Thursday, he authored his biggest output since his return, netting 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting (3-of-3 from range). It was his fifth double-digit effort in six contests, pushing his averages over this stretch to 13.5 points on 58.9 percent shooting and 5.3 rebounds in 28.9 minutes.
The Celtics are technically 3-3 since Williams' exit, but they have played better than the record suggests. The three losses were all by single digits to Eastern Conference clubs locked into a playoff spot. The three wins, meanwhile, were decided by a combined 70 points.
When Jrue Holiday Has a Big Night, the Bucks Are Almost Impossible to Beat
The Bucks have an MVP candidate in Antetokounmpo and an All-Star sidekick in Middleton. If the team visits an arena near you, those are the names that would make the marquee.
However, not enough attention is paid to the fact that, in Holiday, they also happen to have one of the best third options in the business.
He typically gets locked into a complementary scoring role, sitting closer to Bobby Portis than Antetokounmpo in average shots per game. The formula works just fine, though, since that allows Holiday to lock in with his defense and distributing.
But when he dials up his point production, Milwaukee often grows to Goliath status. Thursday marked the 27th time this season he has netted more than 20 points. The Bucks are 20-7 in those contests, which equates to a .741 winning percentage (or a 61-win pace). They were also 7-1 in last year's playoffs when Holiday tallied 20-plus.
It's hard enough handling—or attempting to handle, rather—Antetokounmpo and Middleton. When Holiday makes Milwaukee's offense a three-headed monster, the deer are worth fearing.