MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo discovered a approach to get higher pictures and recapture his peak kind simply in time to assist the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks regain the lead within the Japanese Convention semifinals.
But it surely was the Boston Celtics’ unhealthy timing that made the distinction in the long run.
Antetokounmpo bounced again from a uncommon subpar efficiency by scoring 42 factors and making the go-ahead basket with 44.3 seconds left in a 103-101 victory Saturday. The Bucks lead the best-of-7 collection 2-1, with Sport 4 on Monday night time in Milwaukee.
“I do know what my strengths are” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “Simply attempt to learn what’s in entrance of me and simply play with my instincts. Typically I’m going to make the best play and generally I’m going to make the improper play, however so long as I play inside my strengths, we’re going to be in place.”
The victory wasn’t safe till replays confirmed that Al Horford’s potential tying putback –- capping a wild sequence after Marcus Sensible deliberately missed a free throw — got here simply after the buzzer.
“I noticed Al tip it, and I noticed the crimson define go off on the backboard,” Bucks heart Brook Lopez mentioned. “It was very shut.”
Boston trailed 103-100 when officers decided Marcus Sensible was fouled by Jrue Vacation simply earlier than making an attempt a possible tying 3-pointer with 4.6 seconds remaining. As a result of it was a non-shooting foul, Sensible bought simply two free-throw makes an attempt.
Sensible made the primary free throw, then missed the second deliberately — flinging a shot that went laborious off the backboard earlier than hitting the rim.
That’s when issues bought wild.
Sensible bought the rebound, however missed his putback try. Boston’s Robert Williams charged towards the basket and despatched the ball up and off the glass. Horford was ready on the best facet with a putback try that additionally went off the glass. Horford then bought his personal rebound and banked it in, however his remaining shot got here simply after the buzzer sounded.
“Missed it completely,” Sensible mentioned. “No one was prepared, (however) our guys have been. Received it up on the rim. We had a couple of possibilities at it. Simply didn’t work out for us.”
The Celtics believed Sensible ought to have had a chance to tie the sport on the line. Celtics coach Ime Udoka and Sensible mentioned it ought to have been a taking pictures foul on Vacation.
“You may clearly see it,” Udoka mentioned. “I noticed it in particular person, but additionally on the movie. I simply went and checked out it. It’s a shot. He’s curling into his shot. He’s getting fouled on the way in which up. Dangerous missed name.”
Vacation disagreed.
“Truthfully, it regarded like he was nonetheless dealing with the sideline,” mentioned Vacation, who scored 25 factors. “That’s not a taking pictures movement. He wasn’t dealing with the rim.”
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 27 factors and 12 rebounds. Horford had 22 factors, 15 rebounds and 5 assists.
Boston trailed by 14 late within the third quarter and was dealing with a 13-point deficit with lower than 10 minutes left earlier than storming again. The Celtics pulled forward 100-99 and took their first lead since early of their third quarter on Brown’s two free throws with 1:49 remaining.
Each groups failed to attain on their subsequent possessions earlier than Antetokounmpo put the Bucks again forward. Antetokounmpo then blocked Brown’s driving layup try, resulting in Vacation’s basket that made it 103-100 with 11.2 seconds remaining.
Antetokounmpo’s profitable performs within the remaining minute highlighted his bounce-back efficiency.
After taking pictures 38.5% (20 of 52) within the first two video games of this collection, Antetokounmpo went 16 of 30 on Saturday. He made 62.5% of his makes an attempt (15 of 24) from two-point vary. He had 12 rebounds and eight assists to associate with his 42 factors.
It was a serious improve from his Sport 2 outing, when he went 2 of 12 and scored simply 5 factors within the first half earlier than ending with 28 within the Bucks’ 109-86 loss.
“There’s going to be struggles, however on the finish of the day, if you happen to maintain with it and also you stick with it and also you keep on the right track, you’re going to succeed,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “Should you don’t keep on the right track, you’re not going to succeed. It’s so simple as that.”
Antetokounmpo made positive the Bucks weren’t thrown off target of their title protection.
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