Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s historic playoffs series wasn’t enough for the Milwaukee Bucks as Boston set a game seven record with 22 three-pointers to eliminate the reigning NBA champion 109-81 on Monday morning (AEST) in the Eastern Conference semi finals.
Boston will face top-seeded Miami beginning Wednesday in a rematch of the 2020 East finals. The Heat beat the Celtics in six games in that series at Walt Disney World during the pandemic-hit season.
The Celtics trailed early but outscored the Bucks 61- 38 in the second half to cruise to the victory. Boston used a whopping 54-point advantage from behind the arc to improve to 25-9 in decisive seventh games.
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The Bucks are now 3-9. They went four for 33 (12.1 per cent) from the three-point line. That’s the second-worst three-point percentage in a playoff game ever (minimum 30 attempts).
With Antetokounmpo chipping in with 25 points, a whopping 20 rebounds and nine assists, it capped off a historic playoffs series, with the two-time NBA MVP the first player ever to record 200 points, 100 rebounds and 50 assists in one series.
But it was a performance so good all it needed was Antetokounmpo’s supporting cast, minus absent All-Star forward Khris Middleton, to do a bit more.
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Grant Williams scored a career-high 27 points and went seven for 18 behind the arc as the Celtics finished the comeback after dropping game five at home to fall into a 3-2 hole.
Boston started the second half on an 11-4 run to open a 59-47 lead.
It was 63-53 when Jayson Tatum, who finished with 23 points, went to the bench after being whistled for his fourth foul. But the Celtics rallied without him, outscoring the Bucks 16-11 the rest of the quarter to take a 79-64 lead to the fourth.
The Bucks led the entire first quarter as Antetokounmpo scored or assisted on 24 of Milwaukee’s 26 first-quarter points.
He ended the period with 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists to help the Bucks grab a 26-20 lead.
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