BOSTON — Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t lean on Khris Middleton’s absence for a Christmas Day blowout to the Celtics. Boston’s win regarded just like the one they pulled off in Sport 7 over seven months earlier, besides Giannis performed much more passive, the Bucks’ protection let Jayson Tatum rating from a number of spots on the ground and their transition recreation faltered.
In the future later, the Nets, who Kevin Durant admitted didn’t play on Christmas due to his offseason commerce request, gained their ninth straight recreation over a Cavaliers workforce that’s spent December forward of Milwaukee in internet score and because the league’s high protection. The 76ers reached eight straight wins on Christmas afternoon earlier than the Celtics performed. 4 groups now stand in entrance of the Bucks by way of internet score, and all may boast higher groups.
“We haven’t grown,” Antetokounmpo informed The Athletic. “We misplaced the sport. So, we gotta nonetheless work on it. We’re not good at it. Gotta return, work on it, watch the tape. Attempt to enhance, attempt to determine methods to attain the ball, attempt to be efficient in opposition to them, attempt to determine methods to play in opposition to the change.”
There’s little doubt Milwaukee would have a solution for the Celtics in a seven-game sequence, however the query is whether or not they’d have sufficient to succeed in 4 wins. Boston’s defensive switching compelled Antetokounmpo to shoot fourteen soar photographs outdoors of the paint, the place he solely tried eight area objectives. That’s the other of his regular shot distribution, and emblematic of the form of strain Boston might generate on Giannis throughout the paint.
Antetokounmpo’s numbers are down this season, needing to take practically 21 photographs per recreation at a 53.6% effectivity, his worst since 2017-18. His three-point capturing (25.3%) reached its lowest level since 2014-15 after ending 1-for-5 on Christmas, and his 64.4% mark on the free throw line is the second worst of his profession, resulting in much less makes on extra makes an attempt. His assists per recreation (5.1) fell to the bottom mark since 2015-16 subsequent to a profession excessive in turnovers (3.8).
“I really feel like I’ve accomplished a greater job defending him … he’s going to enhance, as a result of he’s all the time going to work on his recreation … for me, it’s making an attempt to do the identical, proceed to get higher at chopping him off, not letting him get to spots and affecting the photographs that he takes,” Grant Williams stated. “It’s my favourite matchup within the league, actually. Taking part in in opposition to him, he’s the last word competitor.”
No matter particular person regression Giannis noticed to start out this 12 months, his gravity stays monumental and crowds of Celtics met him within the lane, leaving Grayson Allen and others to assist. The 2-time MVP will win not less than one recreation along with his greatness alone; the workforce’s effectiveness is shockingly waning to a larger diploma.
They’re a unfavourable internet score workforce in December (-1.2) in 13 video games, with the 18th-ranked offense and Thirteenth-ranked protection this month. They rating 95.0 factors per 100 performs within the half courtroom, worse than the Lakers, Wizards and Warmth and in a relative tie with the hapless Hawks. Their transition offense — which helped them generate the fifth most effective offense within the league one 12 months in the past — now ranks twenty seventh in factors added per 100 possessions.
Tatum additionally scored 41 factors with restricted resistance, 20 coming within the third quarter after a troublesome sequence in opposition to Milwaukee’s drop in Could. The Bucks wanted to change extra typically to cowl the Celtics’ capturing, as they’ve for a lot of this season and Boston shot 27-for-37 within the paint and 19-for-39 from three. Additionally they generated 25 free throw makes an attempt. From an intangible standpoint, Jaylen Brown scuffled with Giannis and didn’t again down post-game.
“I assumed I used to be enjoying fairly bodily protection, nothing soiled, appeared prefer it was a clear play,” Brown stated. “Perhaps he was a bit annoyed, he acquired up and threw an elbow at me for no matter cause. It was quite a lot of speaking and chirping in-between, but it surely’s a distinction between making an attempt to be a troublesome man after which letting your opponent know that I’m not backing down. I’m not afraid of any problem or any matchup … I used to be simply letting him know that.”
The Nets didn’t worry the 2021 champs both, rolling by way of them, 118-100, forcing seven Antetokounmpo turnovers and receiving six double-figure scoring efforts led by Kevin Durant. Brooklyn’s star is averaging 30.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.3 APG and 1.5 BPG on 56.3% capturing, as robust as he’s ever performed in his profession. Kyrie Irving is scoring 25.6 PPG on 50.7% FG since his suspension and the Nic Claxton and Ben Simmons mixture is beginning to present some promise.
They posted a +26.2 internet score to start out this month collectively, elevating their common per 100 possessions to +3.9 for the season. Simmons missed the Celtics’ 103-92 win over Brooklyn earlier this month and TJ Warren, averaging 11.1 PPG on 59.4% capturing, was simply getting his ft underneath him that night time in his second recreation again. The Nets’ offense is No. 1 this month, posting 121 factors per 100 possessions in keeping with the Celtics’ greatest play this month, successful 10-of-11. Their protection, nonetheless twelfth this month, leaves some to be desired, however is manner higher than it was underneath Steve Nash — twenty ninth by way of seven video games to start out the season.
The Cavaliers beat the Bucks too this week, albeit whereas Middleton sat. They’re the very best protection within the league by practically one level per 100 possessions for the season over Philadelphia, and shut down Vacation whereas Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland scored 59 factors. Jarrett Allen shot 8-for-10 inside. They’ve additionally beat the Celtics handily twice, using the dimensions between Allen and Evan Mobley to disrupt Boston’s drive-and-kick recreation.
That’s the place the 76ers might probably problem the Celtics once more too once they meet once more in February. Joel Embiid is averaging 34.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.4 BPG on 53.7% capturing since getting back from his foot sprain. Tyrese Maxey’s damage has allowed them to search out some defensive cohesion, however they’ll finally have to reintegrate him. On account of main trades in recent times, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Milwaukee are all restricted sooner or later draft capital they’ll deal to enhance their roster weaknesses.
Joe Mazzulla isn’t involved concerning the dimension drawback for now. He cleverly utilized Blake Griffin on Christmas as a consequence of his expertise guarding Giannis to constructive impact. Orlando damage Boston by packing the paint, however the Celtics nonetheless averaged 118 factors in opposition to Cleveland. Dropping 139 factors on the league’s No. 5 protection in Milwaukee is a feather of their cap and maybe an indication {that a} various array of opponent kinds might problem however not surpass them within the East.
“I assumed we struggled with (dimension) earlier (within the season),” Mazzulla stated. “We held (Orlando) to 3 offensive rebounds within the first 47 minutes of (Sunday’s) recreation after which two of their guards acquired a rebound, so it actually wasn’t their dimension … I believe we’ve discovered play in opposition to a bunch of various kinds, I believe it’s extra about simply executing in sure conditions. I stated within the Orlando recreation, I assumed we did quite a lot of nice issues from a routine standpoint, I simply thought in a detailed recreation, within the final minute, these offensive rebounds from Fultz are those that kill you. We’ve simply acquired to get higher in these shut recreation moments.”
