Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo put forth a heroic effort in Game 3 against the Boston Celtics, going for 42 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals in the pivotal 103-101 victory to go up 2-1 in the second-round series. While Giannis was the obvious hero of the game for the Bucks, he needed some help to get the win.
Jrue Holiday had 25 points (on 30 shots) and a clutch basket in the final minute, but the real unsung hero was Wesley Matthews. The veteran harassed Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum into one of the worst games of his career (4-of-19 shooting), and here's one wild stat that shows just how dominant Matthews' defensive performance was:
Jayson Tatum posted the 2nd-worst shooting performance of his playoff career in Game 3, shooting 4-19 (21%) from the field.
With Wesley Matthews as his primary defender, Tatum was 0-10. pic.twitter.com/vo4SAcyn4P
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 7, 2022
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
While some of this was just Tatum missing shots, Matthews made Game 3 a living hell for the Celtics star with his physicality, toughness and defensive smarts. Tatum rarely was able to get free for good looks and had very little going to the basket, settling for tough jumpers for the majority of the game while also not making an impact with his playmaking.
Boston was still almost able to pull out a comeback victory thanks to huge games from Jaylen Brown and Al Horford, only to fall just short. It's a major missed opportunity for them, especially given how bad Tatum was. Even a merely bad Tatum game gets the Celtics a win, so Matthews deserves a ton of credit for playing such a key role in his truly awful performance.
The Bucks should expect a much more determined Tatum in Game 4, so Matthews will need to be ready. Milwaukee's defense must be in top form again because its offense hasn't had much success against an elite Celtics defense without Khris Middleton. Game 3 was a ferocious battle with all the physicality, and Game 4 shouldn't be much different.
Follow Us
Subscribe