Jayson Tatum had an epic night in one of the Boston Celtics’ biggest games of the year as they thumped the Milwaukee Bucks by 41.
In a game that was an extreme blowout, the Boston Celtics were able to take care of the Milwaukee Bucks and keep their dreams for the No. 1 seed in the slightly alive. The icing on the cake was Jayson Tatum matching a franchise record set by Larry Bird when he was able to get his 11th 40-point game of the season.
The Celtics have looked rocky at points during the second half of the season. During this game, they were able to thoroughly destroy Milwaukee. It seemed they had a lead of 40+ throughout the entire game.
The Celtics did go off from 3 during this matchup. Tatum hit an insane 80 percent from 3. The team overall shot over 50 percent from 3. This type of 3-point shooting isn’t sustainable but the fact that the Bucks allowed this to happen is part of the problem.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics look like a bad matchup for the Milwaukee Bucks
The first matchup between these two teams during Christmas was without Middleton but the result was the same. In their second matchup, Middleton came off the bench but still, the Celtics were able to force the Bucks to overtime despite the best player in their starting lineup being Derrick White.
Before this game, many would have had the Bucks as my favorite to come out of the East. Yes, the Sixers were looking nice but Milwaukee had their core fully healthy (which isn’t a statement you could make all year about this squad) and the Celtics were struggling.
After this game, it really seems like the Celtics have the Bucks’ number. They were able to beat them on Christmas, played them into overtime with a “hospital” Celtics lineup, and blew them out like in this matchup.
The playoffs are a different animal but it might not matter if the Bucks can hold on to the No. 1 seed in the East if they play the Celtics like this. Milwaukee has a chance to redeem itself against the other top team in the East, the Philadelphia 76ers, on Tuesday.
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