Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown couldn’t stop raving about teammate Grant Williams after beating the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7. The 23-year-old set a three-point record for a Game 7.
“We’re calling him Grant Curry now,” Brown cheered after the 109-81 win over the Bucks that secured the Celtics a ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals. Williams became the home side’s top scorer with 27 points, sinking 7 threes in 18 attempts.
Prior to that series against Milwaukee, Williams had never taken more than eight three-pointers in a game and never converted more than six. In addition, he had never led his team as the top scorer before. All of that changed on the big stage of Game 7 of all places.
“Grant won a playoff game for us. A game 7,” said Tatum, who added jokingly: “I told him not to get used to so many throws.” At the same time, he emphasized that the Celtics urgently needed Williams’ fireworks.
“I would have called you a liar,” Brown said when asked if he would have believed the pre-game reporter if he’d told him Williams had attempted 18 hat-tricks. But Brown also had an explanation for this. “That’s what they offered us. They sent an extra defender to stop me or Jayson. So we just had to pass, he was wide open. We trust all our guys, Grant is a good shot and he was there.”
Boston Celtics: Grant Williams bestraft die Bucks-Defense
Boston set a new franchise record for the playoffs with 22 three-pointers, while Williams equaled the record for most three-pointers in a game 7. Only Stephen Curry (twice) and Marcus Morris have previously achieved seven successful triples.
After Williams had passed a few open throws at the beginning of the game, he then listened to the announcements of his teammates. “About 15 people came up to me and said, ‘Keep throwing!’ [Die Bucks] encouraged me to do it, so I figured I could take advantage of that, too,” said the forward.
Milwaukee only had 4 successful distance throws to counter the 22 threes of the Celts, according to ESPN Stats & Info it was the largest discrepancy in a Game 7 of all time. But even in the two-point country and even with Giannis Antetokounmpo (25 points, 10/26 FG) not everything went according to plan.
“Throws that I usually hit didn’t go in. That’s basketball, that’s sport,” said the Greek. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. You have to live with that. I’m a competitor. It hurts not to win but at the end of the day I have to wish Tatum and his team all the best for the future.”
While the (still) reigning champion has to leave the playoff stage, the Boston Celtics now meet the Miami Heat in the East Finals. The series starts on Wednesday night in Boston (live from 2.30 a.m. on DAZN)
NBA Playoffs – Celtics vs. Bucks: The series at a glance
| Spiel | Datum | Heim | away | result |
| 1 | 1st May | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 89:101 |
| 2 | 4. May | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 109:86 |
| 3 | May 7 | Milwaukee Bucks | Boston Celtics | 103:101 |
| 4 | May 10 | Milwaukee Bucks | Boston Celtics | 108:116 |
| 5 | 12. May | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 107:110 |
| 6 | 14. May | Milwaukee Bucks | Boston Celtics | 95:108 |
| 7 | 15. May | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 109:81 |