BOSTON – The Boston Celtics’ defense has had difficulty battling length lately, and tonight it will tested when it hosts the longest team in the league.
The Milwaukee Bucks, who top the league with an average height of 6-foot-8, have been using their length and athleticism to their advantage of late, having won four of their last five games.
The first victim of that stretch was Boston, which fell 112-111 to the Bucks on Feb. 9.
During that contest, big man Greg Monroe came off Milwaukee’s bench and manhandled the Celtics in the post to the tune of 29 points and 12 rebounds. C’s coach Brad Stevens acknowledges that they didn’t have an answer to the 6-foot-11, 265-pound forward that night, but says they must maintain composure and not overthink things against him tonight.
“You go in with a thought or two on how you’d best like to defend him, on how your team can best be prepared to defend him,” said Stevens ahead of the 7:30 p.m. tip. “If you get beyond that, then he’s probably cooking you, and that’s what happened last time.”
Along with Monroe, the C’s also have to worry about Milwaukee’s 6-11 ball handler Giannis Antetokounmpo . The 21-year-old “Greek Freak” has been running the Bucks’ offense during their last five games, and as a result they’ve been spacing the floor better and have been playing with increased pace.
“He’s a really talented young man,” said Stevens of Antetokounmpo, who tallied his first career triple-double Monday night against the Lakers (27 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists). “He can make plays, he can make passes, he can drive on you and finish, he’s great in transition. He’s kind of a jack-of-all-trades with a huge wingspan (7-3) that has a chance to be an elite player.”
Stevens noted, however, that Antetokounmpo’s new ball handling role won’t change Boston’s approach against him.
“You’re not going to match your point guard with him just because he brings the ball up the floor,” said Stevens. “Whether he plays the 1 or the 3 for them in their offense doesn’t really impact us a whole lot as far as how we have to prepare for what our matchups will be.”
Between Monroe’s post presence off the bench and Antetokounmpo running the point with his unconventional length, the Celtics’ defense should have their hands full tonight, especially given the fact that they have surrendered 116.8 points per game during their last six contests.
The C’s just need to not overcomplicate things, as Stevens indicated, and hopefully that can help them break out of their defensive funk.
– Taylor C. Snow
