March 14, 2011

Celtics Hold Bucks to 56 Points: The Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 87-56 Sunday, setting a franchise record for their fewest points allowed in the shot-clock era. It beat the previous record when the Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Hawks 62-57 in 1955. "That's about as humiliating a defeat as you'll ever see," said Bucks coach Scott Skiles.

posted by rcade to basketball at 04:51 PM - 10 comments

I had this on in the background while I was talking to my Dad yesterday (cue Bill Simmons' entrance music). Got off the phone with 30 seconds in the half and the Bucks had 6 points. Shame they converted that 3 point play. It was kind of surreal. What's the halftime speech like for a coach? "Well, just . . . fuck you guys, that's all." As Doc Rivers said, the point total was a combination of the Celtics having something to prove on D after two losses and a brutal back-to-back road trip during DST changeover for the Bucks.

posted by yerfatma at 04:17 PM on March 14, 2011

I thought Chuck Daly was in the building. That was a Bad Boys Pistons type of score.

posted by beaverboard at 05:20 PM on March 14, 2011

I'd say more Larry Brown era. The Bad Boys did have tenacious defense, but they were nothing compared to the 2003-04 squad...

posted by MeatSaber at 06:01 PM on March 14, 2011

"Got off the phone with 30 seconds in the half and the Bucks had 6 points. Shame they converted that 3 point play."

I thought it said they scored nine in the first quarter?

posted by amatzek at 06:04 PM on March 14, 2011

That was like watching a cat play chess. And not even a bright cat.

posted by tron7 at 06:10 PM on March 14, 2011

"Got off the phone with 30 seconds in the half and the Bucks had 6 points. Shame they converted that 3 point play."

I thought it said they scored nine in the first quarter?

They did, and no they didn't have 3 points taken away for being inept. I think yerfatma missed a keystroke, they actually had 26 at the half. I watched the whole game, except for some time spent helping my kid load the car for his trip back to Penn State after spring break. (Thank goodness it's his last one. Barring anything unforeseen, he'll actually graduate in May.) It was a combination of many things, Celtics defense, time changes, and some of the new Celtics getting used to the team. Davis was back for some minutes, and he looked OK but rusty. Nenad Krstic had his first consecutive double-double games since 2006 (I think). He must feel like he's been let out of jail.

posted by Howard_T at 06:16 PM on March 14, 2011

It was the lowest opponent total against the Celtics since they beat the Milwaukee Hawks 62-57 in 1955

I may be new to this math thing, but isn't holding them to 56 still less than when they held the Hawks to 57 in 1955?

posted by Demophon at 06:56 PM on March 14, 2011

Good point, Demophon. That sentence in the story is weird. The 1955 game was the previous low, and it was in the shot-clock era also.

posted by rcade at 07:21 PM on March 14, 2011

Sorry, they had 6 with a little time left in the first quarter.

posted by yerfatma at 08:00 PM on March 14, 2011

The Bogut/Jennings pick and roll, which usually gets things moving around nicely, was completely shut down. I don't remember it working the whole game. Then the Celtics made Earl Boykins look like a very short man playing in the NBA. After that all they had was that stupid weaving hand off to the middle offense the Bucks like to use that never seems to get anyone very open. Ugh. Every time the Bucks give me some hope this year they proceed to throw a game that is completely unlovable.

posted by tron7 at 01:35 AM on March 15, 2011

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