Celtics lose third straight to Bucks 113-101, face 3-1 series deficit
May 6, 2019; Boston, MA: Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo dribbles the ball as Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving defends during the first half in game four of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)
From the NBA Newswire at 985TheSportsHub.com
Giannis Antetkounmpo once again led the way for the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, scoring 39 points in a 113-101 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Antetokounmpo added 16 rebounds and 4 assists in the win, which gives the Bucks a commanding 3-1 series lead as they head back to Milwaukee with a chance to clinch the series in Game 5.
Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, again dragged down the Celtics offense with his inefficiency. Irving scored a team-high 23 points but shot just 7-for-22 from the field (31.8 percent). He heated up a bit with seven points in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics couldn’t bring the score within five over the final 7:25 of regulation.
The rest of the Celtics’ starters were 24-for-51 shooting (47.1 percent). All five scored at least 16. But Boston shot 37.8 percent as a team thanks to Irving’s struggles and another down night for the bench. Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier combined for 7 points on 3-for-17 shooting.
Smart scored just three points in his return to the Celtics lineup. He shot 1-for-7, all from three-point range. Smart also grabbed a rebound, two assists, and a steal in 14 minutes.
Milwaukee was much more efficient, particularly Antetokounmpo’s dominance in the paint to the tune of 15-for-22 shooting. Despite an off game for Khris Middleton (13 points on 4-for-19 shooting), Eric Bledsoe and George Hill combined to score 28 points on 12-for-23 from the field.
For the third straight game, the Bucks seized control with a run in the third quarter. The Celtics went up 67-65 with 4:12 left in the frame, then Milwaukee ripped off a 15-3 run to close it out. Boston couldn’t recover from there.
Game 5 takes place at Fiserv Arena in Milwaukee on Wednesday night. You can get the call of the game with Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell on 98.5 The Sports Hub, 985TheSportsHub.com, and the Sports Hub App starting with pregame coverage at 7:30.
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