Celtics 120, Bucks 106: Lackluster Milwaukee falls into a 2-0 hole in the series

BOSTON - The Milwaukee Bucks didn't fix anything between Game 1 and Game 2 of their Eastern Conference playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

Turnovers remained a huge problem, with 15 giveaways leading to 21 points. The Celtics still owned the glass, putting in 20 second-chance points. Milwaukee again didn't get much of anything outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, who combined for 55 points on 23 for 31 shooting.

Unlike Game 1 on Sunday, when at least Milwaukee battled to the end and used a late surge to force overtime, there was no fight from the Bucks on Tuesday night during a 120-106 loss at TD Garden that sent them home trailing, 2-0, in the series.

The Bucks spent most of the second half down by double digits, simultaneously looking passionless, demoralized and defeated. They shot 59.7% from the field and still got crushed. There were numerous reasons for that — the turnovers, the lack of defensive rebounds, the porous defense, the fruitless lineup rotations, the inability to force turnovers — but there was one major difference between the two teams that stood out:

BOX SCORE: Celtics 120, Bucks 106

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Boston obviously was playing harder, and it wasn't close.

“Boston, from the jump, I thought they played harder," Bucks coach Joe Prunty said. "The little things were the problems and a lot of that added up throughout the entire game. We will regroup and head back home for Game 3.”

The Celtics were crisp offensively, attacked every possession with purpose and battled at both ends. The Bucks — for as well as they shot — looked disconnected offensively and couldn't always count on everyone getting back on defense.

If someone — a teammate or coach — was pushing for the Bucks to show more urgency, the message didn't take.

“Us. It’s us two," Antetokounmpo said, referring to himself and Middleton as the two players who need to hold the team accountable. "We are the leaders of this team and it starts from us. We got to lead by example and hopefully, the other guys can follow behind. I think guys are going to do a better job. Just play harder and do whatever it takes to help this team be successful.”

Milwaukee's malaise didn't start from the beginning, but like Game 1 it didn't take long to set in.

Antetokounmpo, who finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, got off to a torrid start to the game, going 4 of 4 from the field in the first 3 1/2 minutes. As he went so did the Bucks, as they hung tight with the Celtics midway through the period.

Then Antetokounmpo checked out with the Bucks down by three and Milwaukee slipped behind by six by the time he came back in about three minutes later. By the end of the quarter, the Celtics' lead was 11, growing even after Antetokounmpo subbed back in.

“They were the more desperate team tonight," Middleton said. "Started off poorly again with the offensive rebounds, a couple turnovers, 50-50 balls. We just have to be more into it, got to be a more desperate and hungry team.”

After the opening 3 1/2 minutes, Antetokounmpo didn't attempt a field goal and the Bucks went 5 of 12 from the field with six turnovers to close the quarter. Middleton, who had 31 points Sunday, didn't so much as put up a shot in the first quarter, but ultimately finished with 25 points.

Boston's 11-point advantage by the end of the first quarter came thanks in large part to its 12 second-chance points and seven points off seven Bucks turnovers, including three giveaways by Malcolm Brogdon in less than six minutes off the bench. It was the same recipe the Celtics used to build an early lead on Sunday.

In the familiar spot of trailing by double figures heading into the second — something the Bucks have had a habit of doing all season — Milwaukee mounted a comeback. One of the main components of that turnaround was forward Shabazz Muhammad, who made his playoff debut to start the second.

Muhammad immediately injected confidence and energy into the Bucks at both ends, attacking the basket early and often while holding his ground on defense. With the Bucks down, 35-22, Antetokounmpo and Muhammad launched a 13-0 run over 2 1/2 minutes. Antetokounmpo scored six points and Muhammad contributed seven of his 11 points, including a steal for a dunk followed by a three-pointer to conclude the run.

But  Boston quickly rattled off a 7-0 run of its own and kept Milwaukee at arm's length for the rest of the half, owning a 60-51 advantage at the break.

The Bucks trailed at halftime despite shooting 62.2%. Ten turnovers leading to 11 Celtics points and 18 second-chance points for Boston had a lot to do with that, as did 16 points from Boston's Jaylen Brown and 14 from Terry Rozier.

"Definitely frustrating," Middleton said of constantly trailing despite shooting well as a team. "We are showing that we can get any shot we want. We (need to) take care of the ball instead of turning it over and then the second-chance points — that is just really killing us right now.”

Brown and Rozier led a group of six Celtics that scored in double figures. Brown finished with a personal playoff-best 30 points while Rozier added 23 points. In 78 minutes running the point for the Celtics during the series, Rozier heads into Game 3 with zero turnovers.

For the Bucks, Antetokounmpo and Middleton didn't get much help. Eric Bledsoe, who made news for his colorful way of saying he doesn't know who Rozier is after the game, finished with 12 points on 5 of 13 shooting. Brogdon added 10 points but had four turnovers off the bench.

Tony Snell and Jabari Parker again failed to make contributions, with Snell going 1 of 3 with two points in 22 1/2 minutes and Parker scoreless in 10 minutes. Both had their problems defensively, struggling to stay in front of their men and at separate times going to the bench for failing to hustle back on defense.

"We need for everybody to be out there to guard, to defend, keep the ball in front of them," Prunty said. "We have to be able to fight through screens, can't get confused on screens. ... Jabari is one of those guys, but all our guys have to be ready to go out and defend and play at a higher level than we did tonight."

With a close loss Sunday and a one-sided defeat Tuesday, the Bucks have two days off to decide how much longer they want their season to last before they host the Celtics in Game 3 at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

It's going to take a much better effort — one that's becoming of a playoff team — if the Bucks are going to turn things around.

“We got to find a way, man," Bucks center John Henson said. "Everybody knows down 3-0 what that implicates. We’ve got to find a way on Friday — I guess our Game 7 — and we’ll be fine.”