Milwaukee vs Boston: Giannis to Play More Aggressively

The Bucks and Celtics have never managed to score more than 200 points a game in their current playoff series. Both teams are great defensively, but in Game 3, they should be able to reach that total. 

The Bucks were in the unenviable position of having Khris Middleton injured, and now much of the team's play depends on the role players. In the series with Boston, Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn't shined, to say the least. Although he did manage to make up for a low shooting percentage with 12 assists in Game 1. Giannis made only 20 of 52 shots from the floor against the Celtics, which further highlights the importance of the rest of the starting five as well as the bench players. Grayson Allen is Milwaukee's leading scorer. In the 1st round of the playoffs against Chicago, his long-range shots played an important role. Brook Lopez has been good on defense but not as evident on offense. As for the injured, DeAndre' Bembry and George Hill also won't join.

Milwaukee's four-game winning streak came to an end the day before as they suffered an 86-109 loss on the road to Boston. Mike Budenholzer's team shot just 18 three-pointers all game, making only 3 attempts. Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis were suddenly the most efficient offensively, while Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday combined for 18 shots on 47 attempts.

Celtics won 8 of their last 10 games, and in the 1st round of playoffs they outplayed 4:0 Brooklyn. Robert Williams and Marcus Smart were out during the postseason due to injuries, and the latter's participation in Game 3 s questionable. As for the team statistics in elimination games, Boston is 5th in three-point attempts (37.7%) with an average of 38.5 long-range attempts. The Celtics are second only to Memphis and Golden State in average steals (8.8), and they are also 3rd in assists (25.3).

Jaylen Brown had a blast against Milwaukee last week. Jason Tatum has improved since Game 1. Tatum and Brown had 29 and 30 points, respectively. We can't ignore Grant Williams, who not only made 6 three-pointers, but also played great defense against Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek superstar was also quite uncomfortable for Al Horford, so reliable play under the basket was one of the keys to Boston's success.

Milwaukee and Boston have each gone over the 100-point mark in their two games at TD Garden, and they might do it simultaneously. The home floor factor should not be dismissed, and the Celtics are likely to be less reliable on the road. Giannis was much more aggressive in the 2nd half last game. The Bucks' long-range weapons should not be underestimated either, and the team will likely employ a large number of three-pointers, including Lopez and Allen. Milwaukee's defense is far from perfect, which Boston took advantage of.

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