The Boston Celtics easily dispatched the Brooklyn Nets in their first-round playoff series. Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum played like an All-NBA player during the series on both ends of the court. Boston's defense as a whole was smothering, as both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were completely shut down as the Celtics swept them in four straight games. Things do not get any easier for Boston though. Next up is the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, led by reigning NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Celtics and Bucks each won two meetings against one another this season. Boston won the first two, with Milwaukee taking the most recent two games. Antetokounmpo posted close to his season averages, despite the excellent Boston defense. But this matchup will be very different, as Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton has been ruled out with his sprained MCL.
So, let's discuss our four Boston Celtics bold predictions for their second-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Here are the odds for the Celtics vs. Bucks 2nd Round NBA Playoff Series, Courtesy of FanDuel.
Boston Celtics: 3 Bold Predictions for 2022 NBA Eastern Conference SemiFinals vs Bucks
1. Jaylen Brown struggles offensively
One of the biggest reasons the Celtics have become a force in the NBA has been the emergence of Jaylen Brown. Since coming out of Cal, he had struggled with his shooting but was always an elite defender. Over the last two seasons, we have seen a big jump in his game offensively. Brown now consistently scores in the 20's and averaged around 24 points per game for a second straight season.
But after hitting a career-high 39.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc in 2020, he dropped back down to just over 35 percent this season. With Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez manning the middle of the paint, it's going to be difficult for Brown to take advantage of his game as a slasher.
There is also the tidbit of the recent hamstring injury Brown is dealing with. He talked about it on court after Game 4's win against the Nets. He said that it cropped up during the fourth quarter. Celtics coach Ime Udoka said it could linger into this series but that he is expected to play.
Ime Udoka said that Jaylen Brown is dealing with "tightness in his right hamstring" and that the team is managing that this week.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 28, 2022
I believe the Bucks will make Brown a jump shooter in this series, which is not his strength. Do not expect a huge series from Jaylen Brown.
2. Al Horford – Grant Williams have big impact
Celtics' star center Robert Williams is still not 100 percent healthy. He played limited minutes in the Nets series, as he was still recovering from a torn meniscus in his knee. In his absence, both Al Horford and Grant Williams shined.
Horford, the wily veteran, had an unbelievably productive year for Boston. If you play fantasy basketball, you know what I am talking about, as he posted fourth round value. The Celtics aging star averaged over 10 points and eight rebounds per game, while dishing out over three assists. But defensively he really made a mark, blocking 1.3 shots per game this season.
Meanwhile, the sudden emergence of Grant Williams has really been a surprise. He quietly had a productive year, in limited minutes. But with Robert Williams limited against the Nets, he got a lot more run and made the most of it.
Grant Williams' defense on Durant was truly spectacular. He held the future Hall of Famer to just 6-for-20 shooting with five turnovers. Just watch this defense he played on KD. The Celtics are finally reaping the rewards for drafting the Tennessee product.
We need to talk about Grant Williams. Matched up with KD for 70 possessions and held him to 18 points on 6/20 (30%) shooting with five turnovers. pic.twitter.com/0mIvpHQQam
— Pull up shoot (@NElGHT_) April 26, 2022
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo held to worst playoff series of career
The Boston Celtics proved against the Nets that they can slow down one of the greatest pure scorers the NBA has ever seen. Now, they get their chance at a different challenge.
Antetokounmpo is a very different type player than Durant. If he has the ball in the paint, he is almost unstoppable. The Celtics are obviously aware of this. But the tactic that they used against both Durant and Kyrie Irving last series, should be employed here.
Seemingly every time KD or Irving got into the paint, they were met with a wall of defenders. They either forced shots up, turned the ball over, or on occasion kicked it out to shooters. The Nets do not have very many great shooters. The Bucks do. I believe that Boston will employ the same strategy, and throw bodies at Antetokounmpo throughout the series.
Celtics coach Ime Udoka is going to take a page out of fellow Boston coach, Bill Belichick, and refuse to let the opponents best player beat him. Giannis will turn the ball over at a higher rate than he is used to, and will also struggle to shoot. But unlike Durant and the Nets, the Bucks feature plenty of outside shooting.
So, even though I believe Boston will hold Antetokounmpo to his worst offensive series of his career, by no means does that mean the Celtics are a shoe-in to win the series. Jrue Holiday, Pat Connaughton, Grayson Allen and even Brook Lopez are all effective three-p0int shooters. They will all have a heightened importance and be the difference, one way or another.
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