Bucks vs Celtics

For consisting of merely two games, we've already seen our share of rollercoaster highs and lows, from a dominant defensive display to forgetting that the goal ...

ESPN+ 30 For 30 Between that and hopefully a rowdy home crowd, they’ll have better luck this time around. As an icon of Middle America once said, “there’s no place like home”; the Milwaukee Bucks will be hoping that shows through this afternoon when they play host to the Boston Celtics in Game Three of the series.

The Boston Celtics are back. After losing in blowout fashion in Game 1, the Celtics showcased why they've been anointed championship contenders by ...

The Bucks and Celtics will battle in Game 3 on Saturday, May 7. It was quite the all-around performance from Boston. Now, Milwaukee will have to figure out how to bounce back from such a disheartening loss. Boston was an efficient machine, shooting 47.5 percent from the field and a whopping 46.5 percent from 3-point range. Grant Williams, Al Horford and Robert Williams III were especially key, stalling Antetokounmpo's inside game (11-of-27 from the field) and preventing Milwaukee from getting anything at the rim. It was back, disrupting Milwaukee's offense and making life difficult for Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even with Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart sidelined with an injury, Boston's defense remained elite. The second-round series is now all tied up at 1-1.

Marcus Smart intentionally missed his second free throw attempt to give the Celtics a chance to close the gap with just seconds on the clock; ...

Here's everything you need to know to watch Saturday's Celtics vs. … Grayson Allen made his first career playoff start Saturday as part of a lineup change after the Bucks posted their lowest point total of the season in a 109-86 Game 2 loss. Celtics Pregame Live stream: NBC Sports Boston Celtics: Robert Williams went to the locker room in the third quarter after taking an elbow to the face from Milwaukee's Bobby Portis as they tangled under the basket while pursuing the ball. Smart hit his first free throw and intentionally missed the second, with Robert Williams grabbing the offensive board. Williams returned later in the third.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics continue to trade blows. The Bucks won the first game in the series in Boston, but the Celtics bounced back and took ...

At this point, it's a matter of which team will execute better down the stretch. 🔥— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) pic.twitter.com/Srv5O9yEwM May 7, 2022 Bucks win!!— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) pic.twitter.com/pKr3nwzHXv May 7, 2022 🔥— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) pic.twitter.com/thyZ3XAMmE May 7, 2022 In Game 3, Holiday attempted 30 shots and scored 25 points. The Celtics had a four-point lead at halftime, but the Bucks came out and put on a clinic in the third quarter. So far in this series, Jrue Holiday has tried to do just that. A successful tip from Al Horford came just after the final buzzer sounded. Tatum just couldn't find any sort of rhythm or consistency over the course of the contest. Antetokounmpo was phenomenal in the game, as he finished with 42 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. The Bucks won the first game in the series in Boston, but the Celtics bounced back and took Game 2. Fueled by a monster performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks were able to pull out a 103-101 victory over the Celtics to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Before Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics tips off, here are three players of interest.

In that timeframe, Brown has gotten the upper hand as he has scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-4 from deep. The Bucks must look to limit Brown from the opening tip in Game 3 to prevent the All-Star guard from heating up as he did in Game 2. Browns’s poor performance in Game 1 seemingly ignited something in him, as the guard came out firing in the first few minutes of Game 2, having scored 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the first quarter alone.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will look to swing homecourt advantage back in Boston's favor when the Celtics hit the road to face the Milwaukee Bucks on ...

In the wake of the injuries, Connaughton has provided meaningful bench minutes through the first two games. Marcus Smart, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is expected to be back for Game 3. Derrick White started for Smart in Game 2 but was held scoreless through 28 minutes. George Hill is also out with an abdomen injury. Grant Williams also played a vital role off the bench, supplying 21 points, while going on 6 of 9 from 3-point range. "We expected our guys to respond like they did (Tuesday)."

The refs didn't give Marcus Smart three shots on late foul vs. the Bucks in Game 3.

How on Earth is that not a shooting foul? The Celtics then came out and ran a dribble handoff with Jaylen Brown pitching the ball to Marcus Smart. Smart was fouled by Holiday as soon as he caught the ball, but it looked like he was in the act of shooting. Antetokounmpo also went 9-of-12 from the foul line in the win. The Bucks used a huge third quarter to take a 13-point lead into the final period, but the Celtics would charge back. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the star for Milwaukee, finishing with 42 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists on 16-of-30 shooting from the field. The series was tied entering the Saturday afternoon matchup, and the most physical series of the playoffs so far once again lived up to the hype.

MILWAUKEE -- As the referees made their way to the monitor to review the final play of regulation, a replay popped up on the big screen inside of Fiserv ...

Matthews and the Bucks did their job on Saturday, and if they replicate this performance on Monday, they'll have a chance to grab a commanding 3-1 series lead. The veteran did plenty of work off the ball and early in possessions that often went unnoticed to set himself up for success. Ironically, it's similar to what Tatum and Co. did to Kevin Durant with much success in the first round. He was unbelievable." He snuck under a screen to cut off Tatum's drive and forced the Celtics' star to give the ball up. "I mean, obviously I expect to play better," Tatum said. "He was unbelievable. Brook, Giannis, the activity, the competitiveness was in a good place." It was also tied for his second-lowest scoring output all season, and the first time since March 30 that he failed to make a 3-pointer. Now up 2-1, the Bucks are just two wins away from a second straight trip to the Eastern Conference finals, and third appearance in four seasons. Wesley Matthews] takes on the majority of that assignment, Jrue [Holiday] takes him some and those two guys' individual pride, individual defensive abilities are pretty special and unique," Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. The raucous crowd erupted, and the celebration was on before crew chief Zach Zarba could officially declare the Milwaukee Bucks had won Game 3 of their second-round series with the Boston Celtics, 103-101.

Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics' offense with 27 points, and Al Horford contributed 22, helping them bounce back from a third quarter dominated by the Bucks.

With 4.6 seconds remaining, Brown pitched Smart the ball while they were beyond the arc, and he appeared to get fouled rising for a shot, but the officials deemed it a foul on the floor. With 5:57 to play, Grant Williams drove by a Portis closeout and tried to get all the way to the basket. After that, Antetokounmpo denied Brown at the rim, and Holiday hit a floater that extended Milwaukee's lead to 103-100 with 11.2 seconds left. Grant Williams then blocked a three from Holiday, and the Celtics held firm, forcing a shot clock violation. Antetokounmpo went to the ground, which evoked a reaction from the crowd, and while it got reviewed for a flagrant foul, it stood as a common one. But then, he missed a contested layup the next time down, and Holiday drilled a three from the left corner, extending Milwaukee's lead to 78-66. At the 8:39 mark, after Holiday picked off a pass from Brown, Grant Williams grabbed Antetokounmpo to prevent the latter from euro-stepping for a transition dunk. The Celtics held the Bucks to 39.1 percent shooting from the field and 3/18 (16/7 percent) from long range. About a minute and a half later, Robert Williams blocked Grayson Allen's three from the top of the key. With 1:05 left, White, who didn't score in Game 2, got the ball after flaring out following setting a screen for Tatum, attacked off the catch, and got two points on a floater from 11-feet out. Marcus Smart then tried to strip the ball from Lopez but got whistled for a foul, his second and the team's fourth. At the 5:21 mark, Brown hit a pull-up jumper from the midrange for his first field goal, tying the game at 13.

Giannis Antetokounmpo hulks out for 42 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals in the Bucks' Game 3 victory. MILWAUKEE – Five takeaways from the ...

They shot precisely zero free throws over the final 16:33 of the game — that’s right, 0-of-0 in the fourth quarter of a playoff game — and had only 17 all game to Boston’s 34. Some felt Holiday pushed Tatum down when he scored a desperate bucket in the lane to beat the shot clock and take a 103-100 lead (though replays showed Tatum falling when Holiday stepped on his sneaker). “How much does it cost if I say something, a comment about the refs?” he wondered from the podium. He does a great job of sticking with it, staying in the game, and just keeping his mojo … It can be frustrating at times. First guy to the ball as it leaked off to the left? He dished out punishment with his elbows and the ball but took plenty too. He left the scoring to teammates Brown and Al Horford, tried to find open men and launched only two shots. And let’s not forget a pattern that has emerged in these postseason clashes with the Bucks: Tatum’s three worst shooting performances in 57 playoff games have come against Milwaukee. There was a 2-of-9 night in Game 2 in the 2018 first round near the end of Tatum’s rookie year; a 2-of-10 mess in Game 2 of the East semifinals a year later, and then Saturday. Holiday said he wanted to crowd and entice Smart into driving inside the arc. On the scale of coaches who want to foul when protecting a 3-point lead vs. “Marcus Smart tried to do the [Kevin] Durant sweep-through thing,” Budenholzer said. The contact came before any attempt to get off a shot, the referees ruled.

Get a recap of the Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks basketball game.

“There's going to be struggles, but at the end of the day, if you keep with it and you stay with it and you stay on course, you're going to succeed,” Antetokounmpo said. The Celtics were 28 of 33 and the Bucks 14 of 17 on free-throw attempts. On a day when Brown and Horford both produced double-doubles, the Celtics still lost in part because of All-Star forward Jayson Tatum's struggles. Celtics: Robert Williams went to the locker room in the third quarter after taking an elbow to the face from Milwaukee's Bobby Portis as they tangled under the basket while pursuing the ball. Boston trailed by 14 late in the third quarter and was facing a 13-point deficit with less than 10 minutes left before storming back. Sometimes I’m going to make the right play and sometimes I’m going to make the wrong play, but as long as I play within my strengths, we're going to be in a good place.” He had 12 rebounds and eight assists to go along with his 42 points. “Honestly, it looked like he was still facing the sideline,” said Holiday, who scored 25 points. He's getting fouled on the way up. “I saw it in person, but also on the film. Celtics coach Ime Udoka and Smart said it should have been a shooting foul on Holiday. Smart got the rebound, but missed his putback attempt.