Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from Game 6; Game 7 primer

Will Game 7 be another home team victory, or have the Milwaukee Bucks finally found their defensive identity after locking the Boston Celtics down in Game 6?

The Milwaukee Bucks’ Game 6 victory at home over the Boston Celtics was more of the same. The away team endured rough patches on offense, due in part to a poor performance from its point guard. The home team pulled away and won. Rinse and repeat.

The series will go back to Boston for Game 7. The Celtics must feel confident, given neither team has strung together a solid offensive game on the road. However, the Bucks may have found a defensive identity that can keep them in the game regardless of how they shoot.

At the end of Game 6, The Celtics saw brick after brick bounce off the side of the rim. Boston went 2 for 11 from 3 in the fourth quarter.

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This wasn’t just bad luck for Boston, though. This was a product of Milwaukee committing to a switch heavy scheme, and not allowing clean looks from three.

The Bucks waited until the last possible minute to do what many had hoped they would do all series: start Thon Maker.

Maker emerged as the Bucks’ best option at center in Game 3. He can hold his own on the perimeter, allowing the Bucks to switch everything.

Whenever the Bucks have to trap, help, and scramble, they leak open threes. Joe Prunty simplified their scheme, and has created a stouter defense.

The Celtics had trouble creating separation against the Bucks’ switchy defense in the fourth quarter of Game 6. Without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, they do not have a guy who can reliably beat others off the dribble and create for his teammates, especially with Terry Rozier struggling on the road.

The Bucks slipped up only once in the quarter, which resulted in a Jayson Tatum and-one. Maker thought he and Khris Middleton were switching Middleton did not switch. Maker left Al Horford open, and chaos ensued (play is at 2:25 of this video).

Milwaukee’s defense will get in its own way at times, but Celtics should not rely on that. Boston fared better against Bucks’ switching down the stretch in Game 5 because they attacked the switching in more creative ways than in Game 6.

Near the end of Game 5, the Celtics recognized that Eric Bledsoe switched onto Horford and posted Horford up. Middleton helped off of Jaylen Brown, who cut baseline. Smart whipped it to Brown, and Jabari Parker did not help off Semi Ojeleye in time to tag Brown (play is at 2:15).

Boston needs to put the Bucks defense in more stressful situations, such as this one, in Game 7. Milwaukee needs to switch, rotate, and help responsibly.

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The Milwaukee Bucks might be able to withstand shooting woes on the road if they continue to stop the Boston Celtics.