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What to watch for when the Boston Celtics visit the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks

By Michael James

(Photo By Christopher Evans/Digital First Media/Boston Herald via Getty Images)
(Photo By Christopher Evans/Digital First Media/Boston Herald via Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics will begin their post-All-Star break schedule with a trip to Milwaukee to play the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference.

The Boston Celtics won’t have a lot of time to warm up from their week-long break from NBA game action as they visit the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks. Every game matters down the stretch of this season for seeding purposes, so getting a win against a team above the Celtics in the standings would help them move towards home court advantage in at least the first round of the playoffs.

Boston has played the Bucks twice this season already, splitting both meetings in TD Garden. The first time around, the Celtics overwhelmed the Bucks with 24 threes in handing them their first loss of the season. When the Bucks returned to Boston in December, they manhandled the Celtics and sent the Celtics into their famous team meeting.

Statistically speaking, the Bucks have been the best team in the NBA this year. They rank fourth in offensive rating, first in defensive rating and sport the best net rating (9.6) by far,  with Golden State (6.9) and Boston (6.2) behind them.

The Celtics will have their hands full, especially in a playoff atmosphere like Milwaukee. If they lose Thursday night it’s not a death sentence on their season, and if they win it could be their statement to the league that they’re still the team to beat in the East.

Tale of the tape

Celtics: 37-21 (4th in East), 14-13 on the road, lost their last three in Milwaukee

Bucks: 43-14 (1st in East), 23-5 at home, lost their only home game in February

BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 1: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 1, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 1: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 1, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Injury update

Brad Stevens said Wednesday that Gordon Hayward suffered a minor ankle injury in a workout with Semi Ojeleye. Before you freak out, it was his right ankle, not the left ankle he had surgery on last season, but he is questionable for Thursday. It’d be a hame if Hayward misses time for an injury because he is in the midst of his best month this year. Hopefully he can give it a go and continue to build on his February success.

Kyrie Irving came back from a knee sprain in the All-Star game and said it felt great, so he should be completely healthy and warmed up for the Bucks. Even though the All-Star game is a glorified pickup game, Irving being able to run up and down the court was probably a good thing for his status on Thursday.

Defending the Bucks

Not only do the Celtics have to worry about MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they also have to account for All-Star Khris Middleton and stretch bigs Brook Lopez and Nikola Mirotic.

First thing’s first. The Bucks’ offensive scheme hinges on spacing the floor for Giannis to drive and create. It’s incredibly difficult to stop him from getting to the basket.

If you bring help to stop him, he’s proven an ability to kick it to a shooter. Granted, he’s not great at it, there are times it looks like Giannis doesn’t have a plan going to the rim and he ends up turning it over, but this year he’s shown massive improvement.

That brings us to the Celtics’ next area of concern in defending the Bucks. Lopez and Mirotic are a problem. Lopez is shooting a career-best 37.2 percent from three and has already made more threes than any season in his career. Mirotic’s main skill is knocking down shots from deep, but he may not play Thursday after missing significant time with a calf injury. It’s likely he suits up and the Celtics will have to worry about defending a stretch big on the floor almost at all times.

In order to best defend the Bucks’ stretch bigs, it may have to be done on the offensive end. The Celtics will have to force their hand by attacking mismatches. Neither Mirotic or Lopez are good perimeter defenders, so attacking them on switches could be their best chance of playing them off the floor.

Team chemistry

The Celtics’ chemistry on the floor was questionable before the All-Star break, but the silver lining was the fact that they had the highest ceiling of any team in the East. In order for them to reach that ceiling, they’ll have to play a better brand of team basketball more consistently. It tends to happen when the Celtics build leads and they fall into iso-heavy offense. That’s how they blew those games against the LA teams, and it’s not something they’ll be able to get away with against the Bucks.

Next. Gordon Hayward's season by the numbers. dark

If they can play the way they did against the Sixers in their massive road victory without Irving, they should be able to win. It’s not a guarantee though, the Bucks are a great team and the away atmosphere will test the Celtics’ in every way possible.

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