Celtics hope to avoid elimination tonight in Milwaukee
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) tries to pivot around Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (21) during the first half of Game 5 of an Eastern Conference semifinal Wednesday, Tatum will be a key for Boston to try to force a Game 7 tonight in Milwaukee. (AP photo)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks want to build off the momentum from a thrilling comeback as they attempt to end their second-round series with the Boston Celtics..
They have a 3-2 lead and are at home Friday night for Game 6. The defending NBA champion Bucks rallied from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to win 110-107 in Boston on Wednesday night.
“At the end of the day, we can’t get too high from this,” Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo said after the Buck’ Game 5 victory. “Obviously, it’s great to win the game, great to go back home and feel good ourselves, but the job is not done.”
Although Milwaukee is savoring an emotional win, the teams have alternated victories through the first five games. The Celtics’ season depends on that pattern continuing Friday.
The series has been full of comebacks already. The Celtics want to close it out by rallying from a 3-2 deficit and winning a potential Game 7 in Boston on Sunday.
“We had a golden opportunity,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said after the Game 5 loss. “That’s the story here. It’s going to be tougher now. Got to go get two in a row. But what we’ve done throughout this series and throughout this season is bounce back when we’ve been tested.”
A CAPSULE LOOK
Bucks lead 3-2. Game 6, 7:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN
NEED TO KNOW: The Bucks took the series lead with a Game 5 comeback as Bobby Portis scored the go-ahead basket on a putback of a missed Antetokounmpo free throw with 15 seconds left. Jrue Holiday sealed the victory by getting a block and a steal in the last 10 seconds. Antetokounmpo had 40 points. The team that has led entering the fourth quarter has lost the last three games of this series.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Rebounding. Over the past two games, the Bucks have outrebounded the Celtics 97-74 and own a 32-18 advantage in second-chance points.
INJURY WATCH: Bucks F Khris Middleton will miss a ninth straight playoff game with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Celtics F/C Robert Williams III has missed two straight games with a sore left knee and is questionable for Game 6.
PRESSURE IS ON: Celtics F Jayson Tatum. The three-time All-Star has been productive, scoring 34 points in Game 5 and 30 in Game 4. But he’s just 5 of 27 from 3-point range over his last three games after going 9 of 19 from beyond the arc in the first two games of this series. Tatum will need to regain his 3-point accuracy for the Celtics to win this series.


