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The Boston Celtics bounced back in a big way in Game 2 of their NBA Playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, securing a 109-86 win to even up the series at a game apiece. Boston rained 3s down on the Bucks while holding them to just 86 points, a playoff low for Milwaukee. What's impressive is that such a stout defensive effort occurred with Marcus Smart, who missed Game 2 with a thigh injury, on the bench.
Such a beatdown is bound to be accompanied by plenty of things learned about both teams. It's natural to even overreact, especially considering how impressive Boston looked. That's what we'll do here, with three overreactions to the Celtics‘ Game 2 win over the Bucks.
Overreactions To Celtics' Game 2 Win Over Bucks
3. The Celtics' offense can't be stopped by the Bucks when the ball is moving
Boston certainly looked unstoppable, shooting 47.5 percent from the field while knocking down a franchise-record 20 3-pointers. The Celtics had 28 assists as a team, moving the ball around perfectly, a staple of Ime Udoka's offense, to get excellent shots against the Bucks.
Milwaukee's defense had no answer for the offensive onslaught — and may not in this series. However, the Celtics' worst enemy at times is, well, themselves. An offense that was stagnant for large parts of the season did resort to old habits in the second half, scoring just 44 points after dropping 65 in the first two periods.
Yes, Boston was playing with a big lead and could take their foot off of the gas pedal. However, they can't afford to sink back into the offensive rut they were in back in Game 1.
2. Grant Williams is more important than Marcus Smart in this series
The Celtics, who utilized a ‘wall' approach in their 2019 playoff series against the Bucks in an effort to dissuade Giannis Antetokounmpo from making his way to the basket with ease, have trusted forwards Al Horford and Grant Williams with a ton of responsibility on the defensive end.
The results were promising on Tuesday night, as Antetokounmpo struggled from the field once again, shooting 11-of-27 after going 9-for-25 in Game 1. It's clear that Boston has figured something out — and Williams is a huge part of it. Per Chris Forsberg, Giannis shot 4-of-10 and had eight points with one turnover when being guarded by Williams in Game 2.
Make no mistake, Williams is a pivotal defender for the Celtics in this series, one of the few players who can be trusted in a one-on-one matchup against a league MVP. However, Smart, the Defensive Player of the Year and the Celtics' defensive pitbull, remains the most important defender on the team.
1. The Celtics will take control of the series in Milwaukee
Boston certainly looked the part of a team that was seizing momentum, especially considering their margin of victory without Smart. However, the Bucks, who have battled and shown fight without Khris Middleton, aren't just going to be pushovers. Giannis was the front man for this championship team last year, though Milwaukee still has one of the very best two-way players in the league in Jrue Holiday, as well as key secondary contributors in Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, and Grayson Allen. They're a deep and experienced team.
An overconfident Celtics squad could easily get jumped in Game 3 if they're not careful. However, they clearly responded well to getting punched in the mouth in Game 1, and now they're ready to flex their muscles in Milwaukee.
