In sports, there is a saying that “if you want to be the champ, you have to beat the champ.” After sweeping the Brooklyn Nets in what most considered the toughest opponent on paper in the first round, the Boston Celtics will now square off with the reigning NBA Champions in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round. The ironic part of this matchup is that the Celtics will have the home-court advantage in this series because the Milwaukee Bucks decided to rest their starters in the last game of the regular season, which resulted in a loss to the Cavaliers. The Celtics embraced the challenge of taking on the star-studded but disconnected Nets and to their advantage the series tips off this weekend at TD Garden in Boston. In this article, we preview the big matchups, tackle the big unanswered question, and make a prediction.
1. Tatum versus Giannis- most NBA series are usually won by the team having the best player on the floor. Heading into the series against the Nets, most analysts picked Brooklyn because they believed Kevin Durant would be the best player on the floor. However, Jayson Tatum proved the notions and expectations false. Tatum dominated the series on the offensive and defensive end in guarding Durant. Tatum averaged 29.5 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in the series. Tatum proved he could not only make the big shot but could set up his teammates and make the right play in crunch time. However, in this series, he will face a bigger challenge in containing Giannis Antetokounmpo who brushed aside the Bulls in 5 games. In the series, Giannis averaged 28.6 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. Giannis answered the critics last year by delivering the chip for Wisconsin, and Tatum will not be able to guard him one-on-one. The defensive strategy will be different but the Celtics have the size and length to at least slow him down. It will be interesting to see the game-to-game adjustments by the coaches to slow down the other team’s superstar.
2. Smart versus Holiday- Marcus Smart and Jrue Holiday are two of the most unselfish and underrated players in the National Basketball Association. They play with heart, hustle, and with a tenacity unique to the young players in the league. Marcus Smart has elevated his play this season as the starting point guard for the team. In the series against the Nets, Smart averaged 16.5 points, and 7.0 assists while playing stellar defense against Kyrie Irving. The Celtics will need Smart to deliver on both ends of the floor while setting up shots for teammates in this series. Jrue Holiday’s importance has elevated in this round because of the uncertainty surrounding Khris Middleton. He is a stellar player on the defensive, and he will be challenged to slow down Tatum and Jaylen Brown in this series. However, he must be aggressive on the offensive end to score more in the absence of Middleton. In a tight ball game, these two men can make a decisive play on the defensive end to turn the game in their teams’ direction. It will be interesting to see which player can make the key play on the big stage.
3. When will Khris Middleton return?-Khris Middleton injured his left knee in the fourth quarter of the Game 2 loss to the Bulls in round 1. Khris appeared to slip in the paint, and head coach Mike Budenholzer said he believed it to be an MCL sprain. He did not return for the last three games, and there is still uncertainty whether he will return for the Eastern Conference Semifinal. The Bucks were able to breeze past the Bulls without Khash Money but it will be a tall task against the Celtics. Khris averaged 20.1 pts, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in the regular season, and it is not easy to replace that kind of productivity in the playoffs. Middleton also has a knack for making big buckets in crunch time, and if he misses the series, it will be a big blow.
4. Which supporting cast will propel their team to a win?-with the absence of Middleton, the onus will be on the Bucks to collectively produce in the absence of Khris Middleton. A player like Bobby Portis Jr will have to have play stout defense against Jaylen Brown and knock down shots on the perimeter. Another player that stepped up against the Bulls is the much-maligned Grayson Allen. He scored 13 points and averaged 24 minutes per game in round 1 of the series. The Celtics will need Al Horford and Robert Williams to continue to play at a high level as they try to contain Giannis. A pleasant surprise in round 1 was Grant Williams’ ability to guard Durant in spurts and knock down big three-pointers for the team. Also, Peyton Pritchard will have more confidence after producing stretches where the team leaned on his shooting ability.
5. Regular Season review-the regular-season matchup showed that this series will be a tight contest. The Celtics won the first two games of the season series at home. The first game was an overtime victory, and the other was a 14-point win in which they held Giannis, Middleton, and Holiday to 44 points combined. However, the Bucks won the last two games on their home floor. It included a Christmas Day game that the Celtics led by 12 points in the 4th quarter, and the Bucks ended the game on a 27-11 run. In the most recent matchup on April 7, the Bucks made the big plays down the stretch to win 127-121. However, the Celtics played the game without Tatum and Horford due to load management, and Rob Williams was out injured.
Prediction-I think the potential absence of Khris Middleton will be the decisive factor in this series. It will place more weight on Giannis to carry the team, and the Celtics proved in round 1 that they can dominate on both ends of the floor. I think Jayson Tatum will continue to ascend his play, and I have the Celtics winning 4-2 in 6 games