After colliding on one finish of the courtroom, Grant Williams and Mike Muscala tumbled to the ground and will solely watch the motion go the opposite method. Moments later, Derrick White bent down along with his fingers on his knees.
The Celtics ran out of fuel in Milwaukee.
On paper, the Celtics didn’t stand a lot of an opportunity on Tuesday night time. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart have been all out, and Al Horford joined them shortly earlier than tip. As depleted as they’ve been all season towards the second-place Bucks, the C’s have been 10-point underdogs.
But these Celtics refuse to put down irrespective of the circumstances or how undermanned they’re. They confirmed unbelievable struggle as they compelled extra time and almost pulled off an upset, however they in the end didn’t have sufficient in a 131-125 loss.
The Celtics led by as many as 14 within the second half earlier than the Bucks surged and took the lead late however stayed poised. Sam Hauser sank a 30-foot 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation that compelled the additional session, the place the Celtics took an early five-point lead. But Jrue Holiday’s 40 factors – together with a go-ahead 3-pointer with 25 seconds remaining – pushed the Bucks to victory because the Celtics misplaced steam in an inspiring effort.
“We were detailed, focused, effort, did all the right things to win,” Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla informed reporters in Milwaukee. “They made a couple more than we did down the stretch. But that’s two great teams playing against each other regardless of who’s in and who’s out. We played hard, and credit to our guys.”
The Celtics are actually a half-game in entrance of the Bucks atop the Eastern Conference and are even within the season collection with one sport left in Milwaukee subsequent month.
White led the Celtics with 27 factors and 12 assists whereas Malcolm Brogdon scored 26 factors off the bench. But even with out 4 starters, their fifth common within the beginning lineup, Robert Williams – who was initially listed as questionable with left ankle soreness – was confusingly the fourth large man used and solely performed 13 minutes. But Mazzulla didn’t supply a proof.
Still, with a beginning lineup that included Hauser, Muscala and Blake Griffin, the Celtics regarded poised for an unlikely victory from the opening tip. They led for almost all of the primary half and behind Griffin and Muscala, they stored turning away Bucks runs. Muscala was whistled for a technical foul after a dunk – seemingly for barking at an official – but it surely didn’t matter as they went on to go forward by 14 within the third quarter after a pair of free throws from Brogdon with 2:55 left.
But the Bucks – fueled by Holiday – had loads of solutions. After Payton Pritchard transformed a three-point play, Holiday’s 41-foot heave on the buzzer went by means of to chop the Bucks’ deficit to 4 coming into the fourth. Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetekounmpo then led a 9-0 spurt to present Milwaukee the lead.
But the Celtics didn’t give up as they stored combating again all through the fourth. They trailed by 4 with lower than three minutes left when White drew an offensive foul on Antetekounmpo, then hit a pair of free throws. It regarded dire for the Celtics with seven seconds left after Holiday’s two free throws put the Bucks up three, however Mazzulla drew up a play for Hauser, who pulled up and drained a game-tying 30-foot 3-pointer.
“Just tried to get to a spot where I felt comfortable and got it up in time,” Hauser informed reporters.
The Celtics rode that momentum into extra time as White scored 5 factors to open the interval. But it didn’t final for the depleted, drained C’s. Holiday transformed a steal right into a transition dunk to make it a one-point sport, and after Muscala missed a 3, Grayson Allen was fouled for 2 free throws because the Bucks retook the lead.
Brogdon was given a late whistle on the following possession and knocked down each free throws to make it 125-124 earlier than Holiday hit a 3 on the Bucks’ subsequent journey. The Celtics then had an opportunity to tie or take the lead, however Grant Williams misplaced the ball in entrance of the Bucks bench on a damaged play and Antetekounmpo was granted a clear-path foul the opposite method that basically sealed the loss.
Mazzulla mentioned he ought to have known as a timeout, however Grant Williams took accountability, saying he ought to have shot the ball earlier within the play.
“That last play, me not shooting the ball, that’s not on Joe,” Williams mentioned.
Still, it was a valiant effort for a Celtics workforce lacking its most essential items. Five gamers – together with Hauser and Muscala – performed a minimum of 39 minutes, which can come again to hang-out them in Wednesday’s sport towards the Pistons. But regardless of a tricky loss towards their prime East rival, it was one other instance of how scary their depth is.
“I think it’s good for Joe knowing he has a lot of guys that have shown that they can play in big games and crucial situations,” Hauser informed reporters. “If he gets in a pinch, he can throw guys in there, and I guess it just goes to show how deep our team is, and for a coach that’s a good problem to have.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com