Boston Celtics

BOSTON — The Milwaukee Bucks' Game 1 win over the Boston Celtics did more than just assert the Bucks' control of the series. 

It was a wake-up call for the NBA's most consistently elite team since Jan. 1 and carried a simple message: The championship still runs through the squad with the most dominant player in the world.  

Dealing with Kevin Durant in Round 1 now feels like a trial run for playing against Giannis Antetokounmpo, who presents a different challenge for the Celtics.

Antetokounmpo is a wrecking ball when driving toward the rim, capable of finishing with and through contact. Boston has talked about putting up a defensive wall to limit his aggressive drives, but in Game 1, those walls were more like sliding doors.

Still, there were a few silver linings for Boston to try to build on in its hopes of limiting Antetokounmpo's impact. 

Get Bigs Switching onto Giannis

One of the keys to Boston's defense being so successful this season was its ability to switch everything. While the idea of Al Horford or Robert Williams III defending Antetokounmpo for an entire game isn't ideal, both are good enough defenders to hold their own for stretches. 

Antetokounmpo had a 24-point, 13-rebound, 12-assist triple-double and didn't have much trouble against Grant Williams and Boston's other wings and guards. But the Celtics' center duo did its job in making Antetokounmpo work for his points.

Horford spent more time guarding Antetokounmpo (5:11 of game time) than any other player. The Bucks star shot just 2-of-10 from the field with one assist and three turnovers in that span.

Robert Williams was also excellent against the two-time league MVP, limiting Antetokounmpo to three assists and one turnover while forcing a miss in each of his three shot attempts.

But even when you defend him well, Antetokounmpo still has the ability to score, as seen in the alley-oop he threw off the backboard to himself after being defended well by Grant Williams. 

Nonetheless, Horford and Robert Williams are capable enough to prevent Antetokounmpo from consistently imposing his will in the paint.

Force Giannis Off the Stars

In Game 1, Antetokounmpo defended nine different players, who combined to shoot 5-of-15 when he was the primary defender. 

Antetokounmpo was especially impactful against Boston's top two scorers, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Using his length, athleticism and uncanny instincts, Antetokounmpo gave both Tatum and Brown fits inside the paint as well as on the perimeter.

Boston's one-two punch of went a combined 2-of-10 shooting from the field when Antetokounmpo was the primary defender. Going into Game 2, getting Tatum and Brown to challenge someone other than Antetokounmpo has to be a priority. Both should look to target the likes of Grayson Allen or Wes Matthews, or get Brook Lopez out on the perimeter in space. 

If Antetokounmpo continues to keep Tatum and Brown in check, the Celtics will have to generate points elsewhere. The most likely suspects? Marcus Smart, Horford, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard, all of whom struggled to make shots in Game 1.

In any case, minimizing Antetokounmpo's impact must be a central focus for Boston as it looks to shore up its play amid what should be some noticeable adjustments on the Celtics' from Game 1 to Game 2.

None of its changes may end up making a difference, but should Boston continue its formula from Game 1, then Tatum and Co. are destined to find themselves on vacation one month earlier than they'd like.

To Celtics fans, the sky might feel like its falling after Boston's 101-89 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of their second-round series on Sunday at TD Garden.

However, Jayson Tatum isn't ready to push the panic button just yet despite the fact that both he and Jaylen Brown struggled in the loss. 

"I mean, s--t, we all had a rough night," Tatum told reporters when asked about Brown's struggles. "Nobody should hang their heads down. We in this together, right? All that matters is if you win or lose. I got all the faith in the world in JB."

Brown also discussed Boston's struggles Sunday, saying "it's all about how" they respond in Game 2 on Tuesday. 

"We’ve been resilient all year," Brown said. "This is just a testament to what we have experienced throughout the season, the ups and downs…This group is tested, so just gotta come out with confidence and not lose our faith in each other."

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka added that both Brown and Tatum probably should have made some of the shots they missed Sunday afternoon.

"I don't think our decision-making was great when we got to the paint," Udoka said. "Whether it was drop-offs or kickouts. I thought Jayson and Jaylen were off their games and missed some that they usually make."

This was, by far, Brown's worst game of the 2022 postseason. Entering Sunday's game, the 25-year-old had scored at least 22 points in each contest of Boston's four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in Round 1. 

In Game 1 against the Bucks, Brown finished with just 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the floor and 3-of-9 shooting from deep in 38 minutes. He also had a whopping seven turnovers, the most of any player on either team. 

That being said, the Celtics struggled shooting as a whole. They made just 28 of 84 shots from the field, 18 of 50 shots from deep and turned the ball over 18 times. That's not going to be acceptable against the defending champion Bucks. 

To be fair, though, Boston hadn't played a game since closing out its first-round series against the Nets on April 25. Some rust was to be expected. Now that the C's have one game under their belt, Green Teamers will be hoping they can settle in and find their rhythm moving forward. 

The Milwaukee Bucks are making things look easy so far this postseason, earning their fourth straight victory overall with a 101-89 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

After their sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, the Celtics were riding high on a wave of momentum. It came crashing to earth Sunday, as they were held to 33.3 percent shooting from the field and made just 10 two-point field goals.

Jaylen Brown had a day he will want to immediately forget. The All-Star forward had just 12 points with as many turnovers as defensive rebounds (seven) in 38 minutes.

Brown made four field goals in the game but was 1-of-4 on two-point attempts.

If there is one silver lining for the Celtics looking ahead in the series, Brown has done a good job of bouncing back this season after rough performances. He shot worse than 32 percent from the field five times during the regular season but went a combined 49-of-93 in the next games he played.

Milwaukee's defense was the story of this game. Brown and Jayson Tatum, who combined to average 53.0 points on 46.2 percent shooting against the Nets, had a total of 33 points and went 10-of-31 from the field.

Boston's offense didn't score more than 24 points in a single quarter, including just 19 in the fourth. It committed 18 turnovers in the loss, tied for its most in a game since Feb. 2.

The Celtics defense did hold up well against the Bucks. The reigning NBA champions went 37-of-90 from the field. Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't have his most efficient game with 24 points on 25 shots, but he did finish with a triple-double.

There were still moments on the offensive end when Antetokounmpo was able to take advantage of Boston's defense.

Neither team played their best Sunday, yet the Bucks were still able to win fairly comfortably.

This is bad news for the Celtics because Milwaukee is still playing without Khris Middleton. They also got a scare when Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart briefly left the game in the first half with a shoulder stinger and quad contusion. He was able to return to the game before limping to the locker room in the fourth quarter.

Game 1 was proof that Boston is going to need Brown and Tatum to play at the level they did against the Nets to win this series. Brown, in particular, struggled to score and was turning the ball over.

If that trend continues, the Bucks could end this series much faster than anyone was anticipating.

The Celtics will look to salvage a split in Boston when they host the Bucks for Game 2 on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

The B/R readers have spoken: Jayson Tatum is the Most Valuable Player of the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs.

Tatum received 76 percent of the vote on the B/R app, with Stephen Curry receiving 11 percent, Joel Embiid at 8 percent and the remaining 6 percent going to the "other" option.

The Celtics forward averaged 29.5 points, 7.3 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game while leading Boston to a first-round sweep over the Brooklyn Nets.

Curry averaged 28.0 points and 5.4 assists in the Warriors' first-round win over the Denver Nuggets despite his minutes being limited as he returned from a foot injury.

Embiid led the Sixers to a six-game win over the Toronto Raptors with averages of 26.2 points and 11.3 rebounds but will miss the beginning of Philadelphia's second-round matchup against the Miami Heat after suffering a concussion and fractured orbital bone in his left eye. There is no timetable for his return. 

Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens is one of the names floating around as a potential candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers' head coach opening, but Stevens quickly put an end to that speculation Thursday.

Appearing on Toucher and Rich (h/t Keith Smith), Stevens said he "definitely would not leave the Celtics to go to the Lakers." Stevens emphatically added, "Like, I'm definitely not doing that. I know that for a fact."

After spending the previous eight seasons as Celtics head coach, Stevens made the transition from the sidelines to the front office in June after former team president Danny Ainge announced his retirement. Stevens has thrived in his new role so far, helping construct a team that finished second in the Eastern Conference with a 51-31 record.

Stevens made his mark on the Celtics by committing to the team's core, signing Marcus Smart and Robert Williams to long-term extensions over the summer. He also clearly made the right decision by hiring head coach Ime Udoka, who is a candidate for Coach of the Year. He also shored up the team's rotation at the trade deadline by bringing in point guard Derrick White and veteran center Daniel Theis.

Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports reported on Monday that Stevens seems to be enjoying his front-office role, and he has "privately insisted for years" that he isn't interested in being a coaching lifer.

The Lakers parted ways with coach Frank Vogel on Monday after a disappointing 33-49 season. The team failed to qualify for the play-in tournament after entering the year with championship aspirations.

Stevens is the latest candidate to not be interested in the Lakers head coaching position. Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard reportedly wants to continue coaching his sons, so he's not going anywhere. Quin Snyder, Doc Rivers and Nick Nurse are all reportedly on Los Angeles' radar, but they are all under contract with their respective teams.

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams is expected to be out through at least the first round of the playoffs, coach Ime Udoka told reporters Wednesday.

Williams underwent a successful meniscectomy in his left knee on March 30. He was expected to miss four-to-six weeks at the time of the surgery, making a return for Round 1 nearly impossible. Getting back in the lineup for the Eastern Conference semifinals would be more realistic should the Celtics advance past the first round.

Williams, 24, was the defensive fulcrum in the middle for the Celtics for much of the regular season. He averaged 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks while also using his athleticism and lateral quickness to switch off on smaller players when needed.

 The Celtics have been the East's hottest team in the second half of the season, thanks in large part to their defensive dominance. Boston leads the NBA in defensive efficiency overall for the season while also being the NBA's best offensive team since the All-Star break.

The Celtics are just 2-2 over the four games Williams has missed so far, with the losses coming against a pair of playoff teams (Miami, Toronto). 

Al Horford has stepped into a bigger role in Williams' absence, something that could be a concern over the course of a grueling playoff series. Horford has been solid all season in his return to Boston, but as he turns 36 in June, there's only so much Udoka can ask of him on a night-to-night basis.

The Celtics can likely get out of the first round without Williams, but any hope of a Finals appearance is contingent on him getting back on the floor. 

The Boston Celtics clinched a spot in the 2022 NBA playoffs Thursday with the Cleveland Cavaliers' 131-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. 

This is the eighth straight season Boston has reached the playoffs and the 14th time in the past 15 years. Powered by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics are looking like one of the most promising teams in the league. 

Both Tatum and Brown are averaging more than 20 points per game this season and have played integral roles in the team's success. However, Marcus Smart remains one of the team's best defenders and has finally begun clicking with Tatum and Brown. 

In addition, the Celtics brought back Al Horford and Daniel Theis this season via trade. The familiarity has helped the lineup thrive, while the addition of Derrick White and emergence of Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams have also contributed to Ime Udoka's side finding sustained success.

Unfortunately, Boston will be missing one of its most important players to start the postseason after Robert Williams suffered a torn meniscus. He underwent surgery on March 30 and reportedly is expected to miss four to six weeks. Prior to his injury, Williams was in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year and ranked second in the NBA with 2.2 blocks per game.

Through the first half of the 2021-22 season, the Celtics didn't look like a playoff team. They dealt with injuries, COVID-19-related absences and a lack of connection. However, that changed during the second half of the season and has been a big reason why the team finds itself back in the postseason.

The Celtics are 47-30 and in third place in the Eastern Conference. They will face an uphill battle in the playoffs against teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks, but they won't go down easily.

On Sunday, Enes Freedom said the Boston Celtics asked him to remove sneakers that protested human rights violations this season:

But Celtics president of basketball of operations Brad Stevens told Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald on Tuesday that the Celtics never made that request of Freedom: 

Here's exactly what happened. I was actually at home, and when he decided to wear the sneakers, there was some concern—and I didn't even know until the end of the first quarter—that there was a potential uniform or dress code violation. I don't know what was said—I can't imagine that phrasing was said—but the question to me was what to do about Enes' shoes. I said I think that he's fine, and let me double check with the NBA to see if there's any uniform violation. Double-checked, fine, and he wore those the rest of the game and he wore whatever he wanted the rest of the year. It's interesting, because I feel really good that we truly sat here and supported him and his right to express himself and his freedom of speech, and I even told him the next day that you know I've always done that.

I talked to him the next day, and I said you know I've always supported your right to express yourself, to speak on whatever you speak on. Just let me know in advance, so I'm not checking on these things in the middle of the first quarter from my couch at home. We didn't talk about anything after that, because we weren't checking from that point forward. Wear whatever you want.

Kanter has sported a variety of sneakers this year protesting various dictators and oppressive regimes around the globe.  

Freedom has also taken aim at LeBron James and Nike with his sneaker choices:

The Celtics dealt Freedom, Dennis Schroder and Bruno Fernando to the Houston Rockets in February for center Daniel Theis. Houston then waived Freedom, and he has yet to sign with a new team.  

"I really liked having Enes on our team—he's a good basketball player," Stevens said Tuesday. "When we decided to trade Enes, it was 1,000 percent a basketball decision. Obviously the opportunity to bring Theis back with our defensive identity, and his mobility and the ability to play the way we wanted to as an eighth or ninth guy just made too much sense for us. Enes is a good guy, he has a good heart."

The Celtics, one of the hottest teams in the NBA, have gone 8-2 since the deal, though they were already on a six-game winning streak before acquiring Theis. In his six games, the Celtics are outscoring opponents by 13.1 points per 100 possessions while Theis is on the court, per NBA.com.

The Celtics had a net rating of 7.8 while Freedom was on the floor in his 35 games.