3 takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ Christmas win over Boston Celtics
By Dalton Sell
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominant second half for the Milwaukee Bucks paved the way for a massive comeback
After missing the previous five games for the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo was cleared to make his return to the lineup for the Christmas game. Initially, there was some discussion as to whether or not he would even play due to conditioning, but it seemed clear that the Greek Freak would not miss a game on such a massive stage like this for the world. Thankfully, he received the go-ahead and suited up for the matchup as he put together a masterful performance.
It was not great to start as Antetokounmpo had a measly seven points at the half, having his share of struggles to find a groove offensively. Knowing that his team needed him, Antetokounmpo did a complete 180 in the second half and propelled his team to a win. When that final buzzer sounded, he walked off the court with 36 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocked shots as he had himself a dominant game, especially late.
A chunk of his scoring damage came in the fourth quarter, specifically when he had 12 of the team’s 14 points between the 5:12 mark and 1:29 mark in the game. Speaking of being clutch, the Greek Freak had a block on Boston’s Robert Williams III that practically sealed the win and was incredibly reminiscent of his iconic block in Game 4 of the 2021 NBA Finals. That play surely had to bring back some fond memories for Bucks fans.
The crazy thing is that the team was initially unsure if Antetokounmpo would even play in this one. Antetokounmpo did not look like a player that just missed the last five games, especially one that had tested positive for COVID-19, which he confirmed to reporters after the game. After a game like the one he just had, one certainly could not tell as Antetokounmpo continued to amaze.
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The Bucks will get some more time off with their next matchup coming this Tuesday on the road against the Orlando Magic. Be sure to catch that game at 6:00 p.m. CST on Bally Sports Wisconsin.