Not much went wrong for the Boston Celtics in their 112-90 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday afternoon. The Celtics applied tremendous defensive pressure the entire game, squeezing Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and collapsing the paint with their slashers.
If there is any reason to be slightly anxious, however, it might stem from an ankle injury that backup center Aron Baynes suffered in the third quarter. Although Baynes did not return to the game, he was in good spirits afterwards, indicating that he will hope to be ready in time for Game 2.
Baynes had a bucket of ice for his ankle, but appeared to be walking well in the locker room after the game. https://t.co/KrJFxJaOe7
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) April 28, 2019
The Celtics can ill afford to lose Aron Baynes, who had actually become a massive bench piece — especially for his defensive abilities and knack for clogging the lane — for head coach Brad Stevens. He is also one of the more dependable rebounding centers on the roster.
Baynes missed 31 games during the regular season, and the Celtics often struggled to control the paint in his absence. Although Al Horford was fantastic on Sunday afternoon (20 points and 11 rebounds), the Celtics need Baynes to back him up in order to keep their starting big man fresh and productive.
That said, the injury does not appear to be serious, and Baynes has shown earlier this season that he has no problem attempting to play through injuries. The Celtics have a chance to go back to Boston with a 2-0 series lead, and the guess here is that Baynes will be a full go for Game 2.