Celtics-Bucks takeaways: What C’s loss means for playoff seeding originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The short-handed Boston Celtics fought to the final buzzer, but they came up just short vs. the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.
It was an admirable effort from a C’s team down three starters — Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Robert Williams. They shot 21-for-50 (42.9%) from 3-point range and had six players in double figures. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to outlast the defending NBA champions as they fell by a score of 127-121.
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Marcus Smart took over for the Celtics with a team-high 29 points. Jaylen Brown and Daniel Theis chipped in 22 apiece.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday willed the Bucks to victory with 29 points each.
Here are three instant takeaways from the Celtics’ loss. They’ll visit the Memphis Grizzlies for their final regular-season game of the season on Sunday.
Bucks overtake C’s for No. 2 seed
The Celtics’ loss puts them into the No. 3 seed and propels the Bucks to No. 2. With a win over the Grizzlies on Sunday, Boston would lock up at least that third-place spot.
Since that would set up a favorable matchup with the Chicago Bulls, who they beat by 23 on Wednesday, the C’s may opt to play their starters in the final game of the campaign. Memphis could end up resting players for the playoffs given they’ve already locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
Here’s an updated look at the East standings after Thursday’s events:
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Miami Heat (clinched No. 1 seed)
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Milwaukee Bucks (2 games back)
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Boston Celtics (2.5 GB)
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Philadelphia 76ers (3 GB)
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Toronto Raptors (5 GB)
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Chicago Bulls (7 GB)
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Cleveland Cavaliers (9 GB)*
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Brooklyn Nets (10 GB)*
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Atlanta Hawks (10 GB)*
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Charlotte Hornets (11 GB)*
*Play-in tournament
There’s still a chance the Celtics slide down into that No. 4 seed. If they fall to the Grizzlies and the 76ers win out, it would set up a 4/5 first-round matchup with the Toronto Raptors.
The No. 2 seed is still in play for the C’s. The Bucks would have to fall to the Detroit Pistons on Friday, and Boston would have to win its final game vs. Memphis. Moving back up to the second seed likely would set up a first-round matchup with the Brooklyn Nets, however, so head coach Ime Udoka would have some important lineup decisions to make in that scenario.
There are plenty more wild outcomes in the Eastern Conference standings where that came from. Buckle up.
An impressive team effort
Despite the final result, this didn’t look like a Celtics team down three starters and pondering the seeding implications of a victory.
They nearly pulled off the improbable win with one of the best offensive performances of the season. Marcus Smart was the spark plug with 29 points to go with seven assists. He scored 19 of those points in the second half and finished 7-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Jaylen Brown stayed red-hot with 22 points, marking his 11th consecutive game with at least 20. The 25-year-old recorded the second triple-double of his career as he dished a game-high 11 assists and brought down 10 rebounds.
The Celtics’ elite ball movement was on display yet again as they totaled 30 assists on 43 baskets. They shot 49.4% (43-87) from the floor as a team.
Supporting cast steps up
As brilliant as Smart and Brown were in the near-victory, they couldn’t do it themselves. They got plenty of help from depth pieces who stepped up in the absences of Tatum, Horford, and Williams.
Daniel Theis tied his season-high of 22 points and hit all three of his 3-point attempts. The German big man’s 15 third-quarter points were the most he’s scored in a quarter in his NBA career.
Sam Hauser made an impact with 11 points (3-4 3-PT) in 18 minutes off the bench.
Derrick White’s shooting slump appears to be a thing of the past. He shot 6-of-13 from the field and 4-of-8 from 3 to finish with 19 points. He also had six rebounds and three assists in a starting role.
Payton Pritchard wasn’t his usual lights-out self from 3 (2-for-7 from long range), but he still made his presence felt down the stretch. He drilled a couple of clutch shots in the fourth quarter and ended up with 12 points in 19 minutes.
As far as losses go, they don’t get more encouraging than this one. The Celtics look like a team that can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the league right now, even when they aren’t at full strength.