Stopping Giannis Antetokounmpo was never going to be a simple task. Honestly, he is unstoppable; at best, you can slow him down, but his influence will always sense. Even with blood running down the right side face, the Greek Freak maintained his calm in the final minutes of Game 5 against the Celtics on the road in Boston, with the series knotted at 2-2 to bring a victory back Milwaukee.
The least hectic portion of the final two minutes of Game 5 was the sequence of Antetokoumpo’s three-pointer with less than two minutes remaining, which brought his side within one point.
The Jays, Jaylen Tatum, and Jayson Brown delivered another masterclass. Still, it was not enough to save the Celtics from themselves as they squandered away a lay-up victory with less than two minutes remaining.
The key to the victory was composure
The Bucks possessed and the Celtics manifestly lacked. The Bucks outscored Boston 11-2 and won the game 110-107 due to turnovers caused by losing control, poor decisions driving the net, and panic.
As the Celtics had a chance to stay in the game, Marcus Smart made a risky decision by driving to the hoop, ultimately losing the ball in the shooting process and giving the ball back to the Bucks.
The Defensive Player of the Year tasted his own medicine when Jrue Holiday made a brilliant defensive play by grabbing. The ball bounced off Smart and out of bounds. Knowing the Celtics would again have to send the Bucks to the free-throw line to regain possession of the ball.
Another misstep by Smart, whose plays in the final minute did not reflect his surname, lost control and effectively sealed the loss for Boston. They must now win two consecutive games, including on the road, before a potential Game 7 at TD Garden.
For a club that has a promising future with Tatum and Brown at the forefront, senior leadership with Horford back in the green and white. Also defensive skill of Smart and an injured Rob Williams. Boston can’t seem to stop their slow-motion implosion.
Tatum and Brown’s combined 60 points were not enough to sustain a squad that displayed impatience and anxiety in the waning minutes of a must-win home game, a feeling they are all familiar with.
Bobby Portis’ double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds demonstrated the Bucks’ tenacity
Even when the scoreboard did not reflect it, despite Antetokounmpo’s 40-point, 11-rebound performance.
Holiday and Portis, whose put-back lay-up resembled Vince Carter’s “It’s Over” when it occurred, stole the last seconds and the Celtics’ possible Eastern Conference Finals hopes.
A club that won the Larry O’Brien trophy last season would know how to win games. But without Khris Middleton, unable to slow down Tatum and face the league’s most excellent defense. This would be Milwaukee’s most challenging task.
Yet, in those last seconds, Milwaukee figured out how to dismantle that defense piece by piece, get under their skin, and force errors. Attack the players who had been hiding in a two-person offensive strategy, and finally win a crucial Game 5.
The Milwaukee Bucks have all the resources necessary to reach another conference final when they return home.
They only have to maintain their composure for one more night.
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