The results of the night in the NBA
bucks @ Celtics: 101-89
Warriors @Grizzlies: 117-116
Top-25: The most outstanding players of the first round of the playoffs
Boston Celtics-Milwaukee Bucks: 1-0
We were waiting for the suffocating defense of the Celtics, we finally got that of the Bucks. Milwaukee surprised Boston at TD Garden in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, limiting the C’s to 89 points, while relying on a Giannis Antetokounmpo yet clumsy.
But when Giannis is clumsy (9/25), he now knows how to control matches in another way. The Greek Freak was a playmaker and thwarted the green wall by distributing play and scoring complicated baskets when needed. Result: a triple-double to start his series, with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists.
The MVP of the 2021 Finals could also have had an additional pass on the counter on this action for … himself, which shocked everyone, starting with the Celtics, in the 4th quarter.
Giannis goes off the backboard for the emphatic slam!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel on ABC pic.twitter.com/vyn50aa2Au
— NBA (@NBA) May 1, 2022
Giannis Antetokounmpo was obviously not alone. The game of Jrue Holidayvery strong in defense while compiling 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, and the impact of Bobby Portis (15 pts, 11 rebounds) were felt.
On the Celtics side, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown saw what it was like to face a tougher defense than the Nets. The two men combined for 33 points at 10/31. Boston has too often resorted to outside shooting (18/50) and has been clumsy in proportions that cannot be repeated in this series.
We will also monitor the state of health of Marcus Smarthit in the shoulder during the game.
Memphis Grizzlies-Golden State Warriors: 0-1
There’s a reason fans, the media and his teammates have been eagerly awaiting Klay Thompson’s return this season after a two-year struggle. Beyond the boy’s human qualities, he’s still a hell of a basketball player and, when the need arises, a cold-blooded killer. Thompson helped Golden State out of the Memphis quagmire and a tough night in Game 1 of the series.
Even after a difficult night (6/19), Klay got the shot he needed 36 seconds from the end, to give the Warriors a point ahead of the Grizzlies floor. Admittedly, he missed his shots to close the deal 30 seconds later, but Ja Morant could not deliver Memphis at the buzzer on the last action of the match.
KLAY THOMPSON. ICE COLD. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/EXKqSezH3W
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 1, 2022
When we talk about a complicated evening for Californians, it’s above all because losing Draymond Green on a dismissal in the first half was not a very encouraging sign. To hook Brandon Clarke by the shirt wasn’t wildly helpful and a blatant level 1 might have sufficed. But the reputation of the All-Star preceded him and the refs showed him the way to the locker room, which he took after taking care to clap the hand of each of his partners on the bench for a little one- man show.
Draymond Green was ejected for this flagrant 2 foul. pic.twitter.com/QPYnODEXt1
—ESPN (@espn) May 1, 2022
The Warriors could have crumbled without their best defenseman, but Steve Kerr’s squad is tight-knit and multi-talented this season. Jordan Poole was phenomenal off the bench with a record (31 decks) for him as a substitute. Stephen Curry (24 pts) and Andrew Wiggins (17 pts) added their stone to the building, Gary Payton II gratifying the audience with the finest dunk of the night in Tennessee. We are still waiting for the paternity test which proves that « Young Glove » is indeed the son of « The Glove ».
GP2 POSTER SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/zGIhhIPA3C
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 1, 2022
On the road to On the side of Memphis, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. were flawless and even more prolific than their series standards against Minnesota. Morant came close to triple-double with 34 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds at 14/31, while JJJ, on restraint in the previous round, was violent and compiled 33 points and 10 rebounds. This is undoubtedly an encouraging sign for the rest of the operations.