The Boston Celtics did something last night against the Milwaukee Bucks that few teams have been able to do: they made Giannis Antetokounmpo look human.

In what was nothing short of an absolute drubbing, the Celtics crushed the Bucks 140-99 on Thursday night. Boston's offense was firing on all cylinders, as Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for a whopping 70 points in just three quarters. All Giannis could do at that point was watch sadly from the bench, as Milwaukee waved the white flag early and sat most of its starters in the second half:

But how did Boston come into the Bucks' building and give them one of the worst beatdowns of the entire season? Here are three reactions to the Celtics' stunning blowout victory over the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Celtics had the perfect Giannis-stopping formula

The “Greek Freak” is a two-time MVP who has terrorized opposing teams all year. He puts up 31.1 points per game and averages 11.8 boards per outing too, yet the C's had him way off his game last night.

Although Antetokounmpo still had a respectable 24 points and seven rebounds, those stats don't tell the whole story. For the night, the Bucks star had a horrid plus-minus rating of -32.

For the most part, the Celtics played near-perfect defense on the 2021 Finals MVP. They kept away from the free-throw line, made his life difficult when he drove to the hoop, and let him take ill-advised 3-pointers. He connected on none of the five triples he attempted.

Boston's help defense was crucial in the win, as the Celtics never let Giannis get a clear run to the rim without multiple defenders swarming him. If the Celtics happen to meet up with Milwaukee again in the NBA playoffs, they have to utilize this kind of team defense to stop Antetokounmpo.

Celtics aren't afraid of the bright lights

On Tuesday night, the C's squared off against a shorthanded Washington Wizards squad that's been underwhelming this season, to say the least. Yet, they ended up getting embarrassed in D.C., as they fell 130-111 in a game that never felt that close.

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While the Celtics have had some puzzling losses to bad teams this season, they've also repeatedly bounced back and showed up in big games. Boston responded to that ugly Washington loss by completely dismantling the top seed in the Eastern Conference on national television.

Additionally, the Green Team has an impressive 30-14 record versus teams that are .500 and above. To delve further into that, so far the C's are 2-1 against Milwaukee, 3-0 against Philadelphia, 2-0 against Memphis, and 2-0 against Sacramento. Every one of those teams is currently a three-seed or higher.

Of course, the regular season is a different beast in comparison to the NBA playoffs. Yet, if the Celtics have proven anything this year, it's that they aren't afraid to take on the best of the best in the league.

Robert Williams III is the key

Just a week ago, Brown told the media that Robert Williams III is the key to Boston's success. During the win over Milwaukee, it seemed as if Brown was spot on with his assessment.

Even though Timelord isn't a focus of Boston's offense, he keeps plays alive with his offensive rebounding and finishes them with thunderous dunks. He notched four offensive boards in last night's win and was dominating the glass despite Milwaukee's towering height.

Plus, Williams had seven points, four blocks, and a plus-minus rating of +20 in just 19 minutes of play. He played excellent help defense on Giannis and helped lock down the paint for the Celtics, as the Bucks had only 36 points in that area compared to Boston's 54.

As always, what's crucial for the Celtics center is that he stays healthy. The injury bug sidelined him for 44 games this season, and Boston can't have him missing big games when the playoffs come around.

If the Boston big can stay on the court, the C's will be a formidable matchup for any squad in the 2023 NBA playoffs.