The Boston Celtics narrowly escaped a tighter-than-expected late-game surge by the Milwaukee Bucks in the fourth quarter, overcoming a 21-point deficit even without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor. This game highlighted potential vulnerabilities in the Celtics' defense against zone strategies, raising cause for concern about their preparedness for a potential playoff matchup. Despite this, the Celtics have solidified their position at the top of the Eastern Conference, now 11 games ahead of their closest competitors. Their performance this season has drawn comparisons to historic teams like the 1996 Chicago Bulls and the 2013 Miami Heat, yet the Bucks' recent challenge suggests they could be a significant obstacle in the Celtics' playoff journey.
Read the full breakdown of the Celtics-Bucks potential playoff preview here: https://t.co/xKVu14YwYF https://t.co/rZihD8iXwX
What did we learn from Celtics versus Bucks as a potential playoff preview? ⤵️ https://t.co/ZEHqbThUyK
Analysis by Ben Golliver: Boston is 11 games clear of the rest of the Eastern Conference after beating Milwaukee on Wednesday, but the Bucks remain a potential foil in the NBA playoffs. https://t.co/Z9icafWZOt
Column: The Celtics have run away with the East & are pushing the 1996 Bulls & 2013 Heat in the record books. But the Bucks, who made Boston sweat Wednesday, loom as ideal playoff foils @washingtonpost @PostSports https://t.co/rmZSgP37ZS
From @GwashburnGlobe: The Celtics averted zoning out against the Bucks, but it exposed trouble with the zone (defense) https://t.co/zAuxFUAafU
The #Celtics survived the Bucks in a tighter-than-expected 4th quarter when Milwaukee went zone and almost completed a 21-point comeback without Giannis. Was it bad offense? Bad luck? Cause for concern heading into a potential playoff matchup? Column: https://t.co/358J5MjsgQ https://t.co/3bMYkhWouH