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Keys to the Game: Bucks 116, Celtics 92

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Key Moment

The Milwaukee Bucks entered Friday night facing a 2-0 deficit in their first-round series against the Boston Celtics. However, judging by the sense of urgency they displayed after tip-off at BMO Harris Bradley Center, one would think they had been facing elimination.

After surrendering 116.5 points per game during the first two contests of the series, Milwaukee looked like a completely different defensive squad Friday night, and it showed right out of the gate.

The Bucks made Boston feel uncomfortable during every offensive possession in the first quarter, forcing the C’s to commit nine turnovers, while shooting just 2-of-18 from the field.

The Bucks’ offense, meanwhile, started off red-hot. The team shot 11-of-19 from the field during the opening quarter, including a 7-of-12 combined start from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

The strong offensive effort, coupled with the suffocating defensive performance, allowed Milwaukee to take a 27-12 lead into the second quarter.

Once they were down that big, the Celtics could not find their way back into the game. Milwaukee led by at least 14 points from there on out, eventually running away with a 116-92 win to cut its series deficit to 2-1.

Key Player

Giannis Antetokounmpo was the one Milwaukee player that every Celtics fan was concerned about entering this series. Little did they know that Khris Middleton would actually emerge as the difference-maker for the Bucks so far.

After scoring a total of 56 points during Games 1 and 2, Middleton proved to be the key offensive catalyst again Friday night in Game 3. The Bucks wing put forth a game-high 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.

But Middleton didn't just dominate on the scoreboard; he also led the Bucks with team-highs of eight rebounds and seven assists, while adding a block and a steal on the defensive end.

Middleton has now made at least 10 field goals in each of the first three games of the series, while shooting 62.7 percent from the field and 63.2 percent from beyond the arc. And because of him, the Bucks are now just one game from tying the series up.

Box Score Nuggets

  • Khris Middleton (23 points) was the game's only 20-point scorer.
  • Al Horford's 16 points were the most scored by any member of the Celtics.
  • Boston shot just 11.1 percent from the field during the first quarter.
  • The C's were much more efficient in quarters 2 through 4, shooting 48.3 percent from the field.
  • Greg Monroe tallied 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds off the bench.
  • Thon Maker logged five of Milwaukee's 13 blocks.
  • The Celtics blocked only two shots as a team.
  • Terry Rozier dished out a game-high nine assists.
  • However, Rozier also turned the ball over five times after not committing any turnovers in Games 1 and 2.
  • Jabari Parker led all bench scorers with 17 points, after scoring a total of two points in Games 1 and 2.
  • Milwaukee's reserves outscored Boston's reserves, 50-34.

Quote of the Night

Marcus Morris setting his sights on Game 4.