In the East, 48 hours following being overwhelmed by the power of Milwaukee at TD Garden (101-89), Boston managed to reverse the balance of power (109-86), carried by its “Jay-Jay”, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, author of 49 points between them. A response resulting first of all from an effective defensive adjustment, to annoy Giannis Antetokounmpo as much as possible and limit his offensive impact. And it paid off.
Well contained Giannis
It worked wonderfully during the first period, since the “Greek Freak” returned to the locker room with only 5 points in the bag, weighed down by a starving 2/12 on shots. And Boston to count 25 units ahead (65-40), match already folded. In the third quarter, Giannis was able to get his muscles out (18 pts) to still finish with 28 points (11/27, 9 rebounds, 7 assists). A reaction of pride all the more futile as he was the only one to show it, Jrue Holiday not having really weighed (19 pts at 7/20, 7 assists). Being a deterrent matters, especially when you can afford it without your best defender, Marcus Smart, hit in the thigh, but you also have to be effective on the mark.
On this level, Jaylen Brown, disappointing or even transparent on Sunday, responded in the best possible way. It was under his leadership — in fusion, he scored 25 of his 30 points in the first period, with a stunning 9/10 — that the C’s put the Bucks on their feet. “In the first game, we received a slap, but tonight it was we who gave the first blow and we won”, he coldly summed up, following Jayson Tatum (29 pts, 8 assists) perfectly took over in the last two quarters, Grant Williams (21 pts including 6/9 at long distance) making a non-negligible contribution off the bench.
