Subscribe
Follow Us
The Boston Celtics absorbed a narrow loss at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks with a 103-101 defeat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. A poor outing in the third quarter put Ime Udoka's squad in a deep hole heading into the final frame. They managed to mount a big comeback to take the lead with two minutes left but were unable to eke out the win in the end.
A better performance is expected from the Celtics, who greatly missed the production of Jayson Tatum during a poor outing in Game 3. It will surely be a tough challenge to overcome the Bucks with the way Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing. Still, Boston has to learn from its lapses and make quick adjustments in order to even the series at two games apiece in Game 4.
Let's take a look at three bold predictions for the Celtics in Game 4 against the Bucks.
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Boston Celtics predictions for Game 4 vs. Bucks
3. Boston's defense will limit Giannis Antetokounmpo to under 25 points
Giannis Antetokounmpo was the man for the Bucks in Game 3. He had an all-around performance of 42 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in 39 minutes of action. Amid the extended absence of Khris Middleton due to a knee injury, the Celtics can resort to focusing their defense on Antetokounmpo.
Despite failing to do so in Game 3, Boston was able to keep the two-time MVP to only 24 points back in Game 1. They also held him to 28 points and poor efficiency in Game 2, which led them to a 109-86 victory. Without a doubt, Antetokounmpo can still affect the game in many ways aside from scoring, but successfully limiting his point production will give the Celtics a major advantage in Game 4. Al Horford and Grant Williams will be counted on to step up and slow down the two-time MVP.
2. Jayson Tatum will bounce back and score at least 30 points
Another primary reason why the Celtics lost Game 3 was due to Jayson Tatum's poor outing. He only came out with 10 points on 4-of-19 shooting from the field to go with three assists and a rebound in 41 minutes. Amid his struggles, Boston received a lift from Jaylen Brown and Al Horford, who finished with 27 and 22 points, respectively.
As the Celtics' top option on offense, it is only necessary for Tatum to be consistent with his scoring in order to give his team a good chance to win games in this series. After a lackluster showing, the 24-year-old is expected to bounce back and have a better groove in Game 4. If he manages to get his rhythm going early, 30 points should be a realistic target for him to achieve.
1. The Celtics will escape with a narrow win and tie the series at 2-2
In Game 3, the Celtics were rewarded with 34 total free-throw attempts compared to the Bucks' 17. Despite getting a huge advantage in this department, they were unable to capitalize as they shot a dismal 36.8% shooting from the field. Their failure to make their shots certainly hurt them as they had to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter just to get back in the thick of things in the final minutes of the game.
Overall, the Celtics must see a better outing from Jayson Tatum and contain the offensive production of Giannis Antetokounmpo in order to get back on track in Game 4. It's easier said than done, but they are still in a good position while Khris Middleton remains out. Even with Giannis going off, Milwaukee's offense has struggled with Middleton out.
Despite absorbing a tough loss in Game 3, all is not yet lost for the Celtics at this point. By making the necessary adjustments, they have a good chance of bouncing back and carving out a narrow win in Game 4 to even the series at two games apiece, with the series then shifting back to Boston.
