As he sat on the rostrum following the Celtics’ Christmas Day win over the Bucks, Joe Mazzulla seemed down on the field rating on the sheet in entrance of him and chuckled on the suggestion that his group had “limited” Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Limit’s crazy,” the Celtics coach mentioned. “He had 27.”
It could have appeared loopy, but it surely was nonetheless principally true. Antetokounmpo’s 27 factors got here removed from simple, and the two-time MVP by no means obtained going within the Celtics’ dominant 139-118 victory. Antetokounmpo shot 9-for-22 from the ground because the Celtics constantly compelled him to take contested soar photographs. He nonetheless made 12 journeys to the free throw line, however the Bucks star was in any other case principally ineffective.
Mazzulla mentioned the Celtics are lucky to have the proper matchups for one of the crucial distinctive gamers in basketball historical past, with a plethora of versatile wings and bigs. Grant Williams, Al Horford and even Blake Griffin all took turns defending Antetokounmpo, and so they emerged principally efficiently.
“He’s a talented player,” Williams mentioned. “One of the perfect within the league, so for us, it’s only a matter of doing what we will to comprise it, and being bodily and ensure not one of the photographs he takes are simple. For myself, simply do no matter to remain in entrance of him, match the physicality that he brings and pressure him into robust photographs. He made plenty of robust fade-aways in opposition to me in the present day, and people are ones that you simply’ve obtained to reside with. …
“The fouls, I fouled him on every one, I think every single foul was warranted or at least semi-warranted. But outside of that, you just do your best to play with natural physicality, because he’s going to do the same. He’s not going to stop, he’s relentless, and so are we.”
Griffin performed for the primary time since final Friday’s loss to the Magic as he was the primary backup large off the bench as a substitute of Luke Kornet. Mazzulla mentioned it was particularly to fight Antetokounmpo.
“I thought Blake’s physicality, I thought his ability to bring that presence against him and another big body for him to go against him. Blake’s been good against him over the years. And so I really liked what Blake gave us in that second unit.”
The Celtics, too, have deep expertise taking part in in opposition to Antetokounmpo – together with final season’s exhausting seven-game semifinal collection, when the Bucks star put up enormous numbers. But it’s a matchup that Williams relishes regardless of the bodily toll it places on him.
“It’s my favorite matchup in the league, honestly,” Williams mentioned. “He’s old-school, and that’s what I respect about him. He competes every moment of the game, he plays as hard as he can, and plays like it’s his last game no matter whether it’s the regular season or the playoffs, so you’ve got to respect that about someone. That’s why every time we play them, I’m actually pretty happy about the matchup and excited to go out there no matter how physically tolling it is.”
Not backing down
The Celtics’ efficiency on Antetokounmpo appeared to frustrate him. Late within the fourth quarter, when the sport was properly out of attain, he and Jaylen Brown had a short altercation. Antetokounmpo fell to the bottom after screening Brown, and appeared to take problem with the contact he obtained. When he stood up, he elbowed Brown within the again. The two went nose to nose, and it created a skirmish between each groups. Antetokounmpo was issued a technical foul.
“I’m not really sure what happened,” Brown mentioned. “I thought I was playing pretty physical defense, nothing dirty. Seemed like it was a clean play. Maybe he was a little frustrated. He got up and threw an elbow at me for whatever reason. There was a lot of talking and chirping in between, but there’s a difference between trying to be a tough guy and then letting your opponent know that I’m not backing down, I’m not afraid of any challenge or any matchup whatsoever. So in that moment I just was letting him know that.”
The ‘Dmitri Shuffle’
When Williams hit a 3 to place the Celtics up 19 within the fourth, he did a shoulder shimmy celebration harking back to Antoine Walker. But it had a much more vital which means. Williams mentioned the celebration was for his pal Dmitri, who’s recovering from a mind tumor.
“He got diagnosed four days before he went to college and he’s been in recovery now for like a year or so,” Williams mentioned. “So he’s doing so a lot better and he mentioned you must do the ‘Dmitri Shuffle.’ So I forgot about it after my first three, second three goes, I forgot, I used to be like, ‘Oh my goodness, I gotta make one more.’ I gotta make a 3 as a result of I informed him I might. When I hit the third, I attempted my finest impersonation.
“I believed individuals had been gonna confuse it with Antoine Walker, however that was the “Dmitri Shuffle.’ …
Rob Williams returned to the Celtics after lacking Friday’s recreation with a non-COVID sickness. … Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton missed his fifth consecutive recreation with a knee harm.
Source: www.bostonherald.com
