3 takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ thrilling Game 1 win vs. Boston Celtics
By Dalton Sell
Despite tough shooting performances, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday dominated Game 1 for the Milwaukee Bucks
With Khris Middleton on the sidelines due to a grade 2 MCL sprain, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday would have to take on even more responsibility for the Bucks. While neither played their best games as a scorer, the pair stuffed the stat sheet to make sure Milwaukee got the win.
Scoring-wise, it was a tough game from Antetokounmpo as he shot just 9-of-25 from the floor, being pestered by Boston’s defense all afternoon. Al Horford and Robert Williams III did a quality job of limiting the Greek Freak’s scoring contributions, which forced him to be more of a facilitator. Aside from a few ugly turnovers, Antetokounmpo thrived as he dished out 12 assists, having put on a passing clinic with some eye-catching dimes. Antetokounmpo’s passing ability to go along with his scoring is what makes him one of the best offensive engines in the NBA, which was on display throughout the game. With a final line of 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists, Giannis finished the game with a triple-double and a big win on the road.
Meanwhile, Jrue Holiday had some shooting troubles as he went just 8-of-20 for the game, but he was solid from the outside, having buried three of his five attempts. Scoring aside, the guard had a solid all-around game with nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Whether he was attacking the glass, finding his teammates offensively, or keeping active hands defensively, the veteran had a big game on both sides of the basketball. Despite the tough shooting numbers, he even finished with a game-high 25 points thanks to his great 3-point shooting and a 6-for-6 showing at the line. Holiday played a significant part in Milwaukee’s defense tightening up throughout this game, and they will need him to continue setting the tone on that side of things moving forward.
Although one may have liked to see these two shoot the basketball better, both Antetokounmpo and Holiday played good all-around games in yesterday’s opening matchup.