The Milwaukee Bucks lost a 13 point fourth quarter lead Saturday afternoon, but made a few key plays late to escape with a 103-101 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference Semifinal Playoff series at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Bucks now lead the best of seven 2-1.
Despite not playing well on only 33% shooting in the first half, Boston was able to score the final seven points of the second quarter with both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez on the bench with three fouls each to take their biggest lead at 50-46 at the halftime break. The bad shooting continued in the third quarter, and Milwaukee took advantage of that and also some Celtics turnovers. After only four turnovers in the first half for just one point by the Bucks, the green turned it over eight times leading to 11 points for their opponent in the period. Milwaukee started the quarter on a 20-6 run for a 10 point lead, and built it to 14 and 13 headed to the fourth after outscoring Boston 34-17. The hosts still had a 13 point lead when Antetokounmpo knocked down a three-pointer with 9:48 left to play, before the C’s made their run by playing better offensively and not turning the ball over. A three-point play by Jaylen Brown sliced it to 92-88 with 6:29 to go, and they eventually took their first lead since early in the third quarter at 100-99 when Brown knocked in two free throws with 1:49 remaining. After a pair of misses from the Bucks, the Celtics had a pair of good three-point looks from Brown and Marcus Smart on their next possession that also missed. Antetokounmpo, who was the games high scorer and huge all day, would score on the other end to put Milwaukee back ahead for good. Brown couldn’t respond for Boston, and Jrue Holiday hit a turnaround jumper for the hosts for a three point lead with 11 seconds showing on the clock. Smart went up for a shot from three-point range to try to tie it in the final seconds and was fouled, but the referees ruled the foul was on the floor sending Smart to the line for two shots. Smart made the first, and with only 4.6 seconds left he missed the second intentionally and got his own rebound. He missed an attempted shot in the lane and there was a scurry at the rim for the board in which Al Horford was able to get to and tip the ball in to tie it, but unfortunately it wasn’t before the buzzer and the Bucks escaped with the two point win.
Antetokounmpo finished with 42 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and two blocked shots. Holiday continued his solid play in the series with 25 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Brown led Boston in the loss with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. Horford came up big especially in the comeback in the fourth quarter finishing with 22 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. Derrick White played solidly in 20 minutes of action putting in 14 points. Jayson Tatum had a real bad day scoring just 10 points on 4-19 shooting (0-6 three-pointers) and grabbing just one rebound. The Celtics also shot 9-33 from long range in the defeat, after shooting an average of 46.5% from three-point territory over the first two games of the series. Game 4 is set for Monday night in Milwaukee at 7:30 p.m.
