Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Tuesday's Near-Win for Shorthanded Celtics vs. Bucks Not a Moral Victory, But Boston Sees the Value of the Experience
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The Celtics went to Milwaukee without Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, or Al Horford. And Robert Williams only played 12:57 in Boston's 131-125 overtime loss to the Bucks, including just the final 3.2 seconds of the fifth frame.
But on a night where the Celtics reinforced they're the deepest team in the NBA, the visitors held the hosts, who were only missing trade-deadline acquisition Jae Crowder from their rotation, to 27 points or fewer in three of four quarters in regulation.
Leading 123-118 with 2:13 left in overtime, Boston put itself in a position to win the regular-season series, but in a common theme from Tuesday's tilt, the Bucks, being the better team to close a quarter, staged a 13-2 run, rallying for a win that keeps alive the prospect of Milwaukee entering the playoffs with the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Celtics' head coach Joe Mazzulla expressed the following of his team's performance after the game.
"Played hard, we were detailed, focused, effort, did all the right things to win. They made a couple more plays than we did down the stretch. But that was two great teams playing against each other, regardless of who's in and who's out. We played hard, and credit to our guys."
If the Celtics claimed a moral victory for nearly beating the Bucks under challenging circumstances, it would raise concern of complacency kicking in and setting the bar too low. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't draw confidence from a game that provided a valuable test for Boston's supporting cast with the playoffs in mind.
In a testament to the confidence that group carries themselves with -- as they should -- Sam Hauser offered the following while discussing how this experience can help come the postseason.
"I think it's good for Joe, knowing that he has a lot of guys that have shown that they can play in big games, in crucial situations, and if he gets in a pinch, he can throw guys in there. It just goes to show how deep our team is, and for coach, it's a good problem to have."
Hauser registered 15 points and nine rebounds in 39 minutes Tuesday night, including burying a three over Khris Middleton from 29 feet, tying the game at 116 with three seconds left in regulation.
Derrick White, who took a career-high 24 shots, scored a team-high 27 points, dished out 12 assists, the most in the matchup, and tied Jrue Holiday for a game-high with three steals, said, "I doubt I take 24 shots with everybody back, but just the same mindset, aggressive. It might not be 27, but still do other things out there to help us win games."
White also stated, "I put a lot of work in during the season, the offseason, so this is the things we work for during those times."
Malcolm Brogdon, who produced 26 points, four rebounds, and four assists, serving as the driving force behind the Celtics' second unit outscoring Milwaukee's bench 38-33, described White's recent play as being at an "All-Star level."
The rubber match between these two teams, which might determine who the one seed is in the Eastern Conference when the playoffs commence, is on Mar. 30. The Bucks host that game too, but they'll be on the second night of a back-to-back after playing the Pacers in Indiana.
Further Reading
Grant Williams Reportedly Seeking Contract In the $20 Million Annually Range
Jayson Tatum to Participate in 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend
Celtics Guard Wins NBA Player of the Week For First Time in Career After Massive Week
Celtics Guard Payton Pritchard Opens up After Not Being Dealt Ahead of NBA Trade Deadline
Mike Muscala on Celtics Debut: 'a Blessing, it was Fun'
Derrick White Discusses His Career Night and Matching a Celtics Franchise Record
Celtics Reportedly 'Engaged' with Several Potential Buyout Candidates
