Bucks 116, Celtics 92: Plenty of help in Game 3

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee Bucks promised things would be better.

They hadn't necessarily set the bar high for themselves with a pair of losses to start their playoff series with the Boston Celtics, games in which they went through periods of looking disjointed, lackadaisical and weren't getting nearly enough contributions from the depth of talent on their roster.

They made good on that promise and then some Friday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, putting together one of their best performances of the season in a 116-92 victory in front of a raucous, sellout crowd. Milwaukee's victory got the Bucks on the board, getting the series to 2-1 with Game 4 looming at noon Sunday.

"We realized how important this game was," Bucks all-star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. "I think everyone brought their 'A' game, they brought their energy. Game 2, we didn't do a good job rebounding the ball or taking care of the ball. I think we did a great job of doing that (tonight). It takes effort to rebound so I think everybody brought effort and hopefully we can carry that on to Game 4."

Khris Middleton and Antetokounmpo again led the way after carrying the team in Games 1 and 2. Middleton continued his fantastic series — he's shooting 62.7% from the field while averaging 26.3 points per game — with 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists on Friday. Antetokounmpo chipped in with 19 points, including yet another hammer dunk on Celtics center Aron Baynes, along with six assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks in just 27 minutes.

This time, Middleton and Antetokoumpo had no shortage of help from their teammates.

Jabari Parker, who got off to a rough start in the series and was frustrated with his lack of playing time, had a strong showing off the bench. He was locked in defensively on each possession, battling for rebounds and making smart decisions on offense and by the end of the night had 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, five rebounds and a pair of blocks in 30 minutes.

Like Parker, Eric Bledsoe turned in a bounce-back performance. The Bucks' point guard rediscovered his shot, putting up 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting and committed just one turnover during his 27 minutes. Bledsoe, like Antetokounmpo, had his playing time limited by foul trouble as he picked up a pair of fouls in the first 3 minutes, 15 seconds of the game.

BOX SCORE:Bucks 116, Celtics 92

SCHEDULE:Bucks-Celtics series schedule

NBA PLAYOFFS:Live scoreboard, box scores, recaps, statistics

Bledsoe's early foul issues opened up an opportunity for Matthew Dellavedova to make an early impact, which he certainly did in spot service. Getting his most extensive playing time since going down with a right ankle sprain Feb. 4, Dellavedova was a pest defensively in his 16 minutes and collected five points and four assists.

"I've been riding the bike for two months, so I can pick him up full-court as long as they need me to," Dellavedova said of pressing Celtics point guard Terry Rozier and badgering him into turnovers.

One of the Bucks' biggest sparkplugs, though, was someone you might not have expected heading into Game 3, something that made Bucks coach Joe Prunty look like a prophet.

"What I believe in is during the course of every series, there is a player or players who step up that people haven't talked about," Prunty said pregame. "And it happens all the time. And you can go all the way back through the history of the NBA, they may not be the best player on the floor in the series, but they come in and somehow have a major impact on it."

That surprise someone was center Thon Maker, who played all of one minute during Games 1 and 2 in Boston. His absence in the first two games of the series came after a quiet regular season, one which he began as a starter poised to break out in his second season and ended struggling to get minutes while averaging 4.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game over the course of an underwhelming year.

But with starting center John Henson out due to back soreness, Maker was quickly ushered into the game when starter Tyler Zeller picked up two first-quarter fouls.

Maker didn't waste any time making an impact, earning a spot on the highlight reel on Milwaukee's first defensive possession after he subbed in. That's when Maker swatted a Jaylen Brown layup attempt, drawing a rise out of the crowd. It was the first of his five blocks in the game with four coming in the first quarter alone. As a team, the Bucks blocked 13 shots.

“I put that aside," Maker said of his difficult regular season. "The series just got started. We’ve got to continue to look forward for the next game. We’re not thinking about this — this game is over.”

By the end of the night, Maker had 14 points, including 3 three-pointers, and five rebounds in 24 minutes. It was a throwback to Maker's 2017 playoffs performance, when as a rookie he earned the spotlight for the bevy of blocks and three-point range he displayed against the Toronto Raptors.

“The playoffs just really get me hyped," Maker said. "The crowd, even if it’s an away crowd, just to hear that noise you just get motivated and you just feel like you’re going out there to leave everything on the floor. I mean, it’s the end of the season. There’s teams sitting at home watching us and I do not want to be those guys, so I got to find a way to get out there and give it everything I got. I have nothing to lose.”

While Maker's resurgence might have been surprising for many, it wasn't for Antetokounmpo. The two have a tight bond and spent extended time working out together in Milwaukee this summer.

For Antetokounmpo, this was the Maker he's been waiting to see.

“It means a lot, Thon for me is like my little brother," Antetokounmpo said. "We had a conversation earlier, probably like two weeks ago. I told him that he’s got to bring that killer mentality back. He was hungry. I think he lost that for a little bit, but tonight he showed how much he wants it.”

Maker's standout night wasn't the only thing that harkened back to last season. Game 3 against the Raptors last postseason was also a high point for the Bucks as they rolled to a 104-77 victory in that game.

Just like last year's Game 3, the Bucks dominated defensively from the beginning, holding the Celtics to 2-of-18 shooting and forcing nine turnovers in the first quarter alone. Milwaukee switched often, denied passes inside and made every movement hard for Boston's ball-handlers, especially Rozier, who had four first-quarter turnovers and five on the night after going 78 minutes without a giveaway in Games 1 and 2. As a team, the Celtics finished with 18 turnovers leading to 20 Bucks points.

Milwaukee wasn't going to hold Boston down all night, but the Bucks' intensity didn't wane after that first quarter. The Bucks kept their collective foot on the gas, building a lead as large as 26 at the start of the third quarter.

The Celtics got within 14 points at a couple junctures, but never got closer than that, even with Antetokounmpo exiting the contest with five fouls with 10 minutes, 22 seconds remaining and never returning.

The Bucks led by 19 points when Antetokounmpo went to the bench, a margin that dropped to 17 in short order. Then a three by Maker, another by Middleton and then a 21-footer by Middleton gave the Bucks a 25-point lead and the rout was on. As a team, Milwaukee set a new franchise playoff high by making 16 of 33 shots from three-point range, pushing its lead to as many as 28 late in the fourth.

While the game was winding down, Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings subbed in for the first time this series, drawing chants of, "Bucks in 6," the phrase that's become a rallying cry since he first spoke it in 2013.

Thanks to the team's critical victory Friday night, that conclusion remains a possibility.

“Good win, a lot of positives tonight and quick turnaround, so have to be ready to do it again Sunday," Prunty said.