- 2022 NBA Playoffs Round 2
The reigning NBA Champions ran through the Chicago Bulls (4-1) to advance to the second round of the NBA playoffs. Milwaukee will square off against a tough Boston Celtics team. That just swept the Brooklyn Nets (4-0)
In his first season as a head coach Ime Udoka has done a Great Job Coaching this young team up throughout the regular season and into the postseason game-planning against Steve Nash and the Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics started the season 2-3. They now look like REAL championship contenders!
As it goes for the Milwaukee Bucks, they started the season ready to prove to the league. They were, built to make another Championship run. Milwaukee finished the season 51-31. Two games out from the number one seed.
While the Milwaukee Bucks may have made it through the first round, one of their Superstar did not. An MRI confirmed Wing Khris
Middleton suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain. He will miss the entire second-round series vs. the Boston Celtics. The Milwaukee Bucks were 7-9 without Khris Middleton this season. The Bucks and Celtics split the regular-season series 2-2.
With Middleton out. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Bobby Portis are expected to carry the load. But that will be no easy task. Head Coach Ime Udoka has pushed the young bulls in Boston to buy into his beliefs, A defense that creates offense.
The Celtics had the No. 1 defensive rating and the best opponents' 3-point percentage during the regular season. Boston was the best defensive team in the league all year, and it showed in the first round of the playoffs.
Returning big man Rob Williams will guard Giannis but expect the Celtics to be physical and throw multiple defenders like (Al Holford) at the reigning finals MVP. But it will take more than just slowing Giannis down to defeat the Bucks.
Unlike the Brooklyn Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks play defense. Anchor by Jrue Holiday. Who provides excellent defense and solid scoring on the offensive end.
Both teams have deep benches that can come in and have a Positive Effect on the game. For the Milwaukee Bucks, Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton are both having career years for the Bucks.
Game Five Bucks vs. Bulls
Grayson led all scorers 22 PTS | 6 REB | 5-7 3PM | 67 FG%
Connaughton 11 points on 3 of 8 shooting and four rebounds
The Celtics bench is lead by Derrick White, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard. Multiple dangerous guards who can facilitate and create their own shot. While Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart started off the season rocky. The Trio eventually came together, leading the team to secure the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference.
Tatum and Brown are the Heart of Boston offense, while smart is the soul of the defense. Jaylen Brown averaged 23.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 61 games with Jayson Tatum this season, While Tatum averaged 26.9 points per game this season.
On top of that Jayson Tatum played a key role in the Celtics defensive performance vs. Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets. Final stats for Jayson Tatum as primary defender on Kevin Durant, per NBA tracking:
30:23 matchup time
139 possessions
12 PTS 3-18 FG 16.7 FG% 0-5 3PT 12 TO 2 BLK 2 shooting fouls
Marcus Smart is the best perimeter defender in the NBA, and he's the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton won it in 1996. Smart is a menace of the defensive end. A Defensive genius who defensive instisty has spread through the Celtics locker room like wildfire!
The former NBA Champions face an uphill battle in round two. According to ESPN Power Index the Boston Celtics are favored by 68.9%
Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka on facing the Milwaukee Bucks,
“We are a basketball team, we are not a track team. We are not running from people”