3 takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ gutting loss to Boston Celtics
By Dalton Sell
The Boston Celtics kept Giannis Antetokounmpo in check as he struggled to find a groove for Milwaukee Bucks
There are not many teams or players in the league that can slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is a two-time MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP, after all. However, the Celtics are among the few rare exceptions as they have the defensive personnel to make life challenging for him, which was on display last night.
Antetokounmpo did not look like himself for most of the night, finishing with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 0-of-3 from behind the arc. He looked indecisive with the basketball in his hands all night long, logging four turnovers in the process. After three subpar quarters, Giannis finally started to play more aggressively in the fourth quarter as he tried to make one last heroic effort, but the comeback never quite came to fruition as it was all too late.
A massive factor in Antetokounmpo’s struggles was the presence of Boston’s Al Horford. The big man has been known to be a formidable matchup for the MVP by playing hard-nosed defense and not allowing him to go to work down low. This forced Antetokounmpo to rely more on his 3-point shot and his mid-range jumpers, which were not falling. His 14 shot attempts were far lower than he typically gets as Horford and the Celtics did everything possible to keep him in check. As players like Middleton, Grayson Allen, and Bobby Portis also struggled in addition to Antetokounmpo, the Bucks did not stand a chance of pulling this one out.
In a season where he has been making an early case for his third MVP award, Antetokounmpo has not had many bad games. This surely falls into that category, but if one thing is clear, it is that he is bound to bounce back from a performance like this. Onto the next one.
Next. Pass or pursue on Bleacher Report’s trade targets for Milwaukee Bucks. dark
That next game will be against the Indiana Pacers, where Donte DiVincenzo will make his season debut. Be sure to catch him in action this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. CST on Bally Sports Wisconsin.