Giannis Antetokounmpo – Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images).
After being blown out by the Boston Celtics in the series opener on Sunday, the Milwaukee Bucks evened the score with a knockout punch of their own. The Bucks broke open a close game by outscoring the Celtics 39-18 in the third quarter, on their way to a 123-102 win at Fiserv Forum.
A part of that dominating third quarter was a 24-2 run and it helped the Bucks even the series at a game apiece. During that stretch, the Celtics hit just 1 of 12 from the field and turned the ball over six times. Overall, the Celtics shot just 39.5% from the field after a hot shooting game in the opener of the series on Sunday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 10 rebounds. Khris Middleton added 28 points and Eric Bledsoe added 21 for the Bucks. But Bledsoe’s biggest contribution came on defense, holding Boston’s Kyrie Irving to nine points on 4-of-18 shooting.
Marcus Morris led the Celtics with 17 points.
Defensively, the Bucks did more switching on screens, which meant less open looks for the Celtics.
The Bucks had the answer after being blown out in the opener. Now we’ll see if the Celtics have an answer after being blown out by the Bucks in game two.
The series now heads to Boston for games three and four on Friday and Monday nights.
AUDIO: Mike Budenholzer on the Bucks quality defense :19
AUDIO: Eric Bledsoe on holding Kyrie Irvining to 9 points :16
AUDIO: Brook Lopez says this is more like it :10