jQuery(document).ready(function() { addByline("Marc D'Amico", "Celtics.com", "Marc_DAmico"); keysToTheGame(); });
Key Moment
The Boston Celtics got an up-close-and-personal look at a career-defining performance back in 2012 when a superstar was playing a Game 6 on the road.
Friday night, they got another one. But this time, it was one they could celebrate.
Jayson Tatum did his best LeBron James impersonation during Friday’s Game 6 in Milwaukee by dropping a game-high 46 points to keep Boston’s title hopes alive. He not only scored those 46 to best James’ 45 back in 2012, but he scored 15 of them during the final period to send the series back to Boston all knotted up at three games apiece.
The key stretch of the game was controlled by Tatum from the 8:56 mark of the fourth to the 5:40 mark. Tatum scored 11 consecutive points for Boston across those four-plus minutes to match every big bucket the Bucks made at the other end.
Just before Tatum checked back in at the 9:37 mark, Milwaukee had sliced what was once an 18-point deficit all the way down to six. The pressure was on, and it felt like a repeat of Wednesday’s Game 5 meltdown by Boston was incoming.
Then Tatum checked in and made every clutch basket the C’s needed.
Tatum’s 11 straight points countered nine from Milwaukee, which allowed Boston to up its lead to eight following his 3-pointer at the 5:40 mark. Jaylen Brown then tacked on a 3-pointer 28 seconds left to give Boston a comfortable 11-point advantage heading into the final five minutes.
Boston maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way before completing a 108-95 victory.
Key Player
It’s impossible to look in any direction other than Jayson Tatum’s for this slot following Game 6. He was nothing short of incredible.
The 24-year-old superstar outscored Giannis Antetokounmpo on a night when Antetokounmpo was borderline unstoppable. Tatum poured in a game-high 46 points, including 15 during the final period. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, scored 44.
Tatum rounded out his box score with nine rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot. He logged all of those numbers while shooting an impressive 17-for-32 from the field, which included a 7-for-15 performance from downtown.
Box Score Nuggets
- Boston outscored Milwaukee during all four quarters, and the game featured only one tie.
- Three Celtics scored at least 21 points - Jayson Tatum with a game-high 46, Jaylen Brown with 22, and Marcus Smart with 21.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 44 points and he also grabbed a game-high 20 rebounds.
- Al Horford led Boston with 10 rebounds.
- The Celtics made 10 more 3-pointers than the Bucks (17-7).
- Tatum made as many 3-pointers (seven) as the Bucks all by himself.
- Pat Connaughton led all reserves with 14 points.
- Smart dished out a game-high seven assists.
- Derrick White came off of Boston's bench to stuff the stat sheet with nine points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
- The Celtics committed only eight turnovers.
- Antetokounmpo made 14 free throws, which fell just one shy of Boston's team total.
- Horford led the game with four blocked shots, which matched Milwaukee's team total.
Quote of the Night
Ime Udoka on bouncing back from the Game 5 loss