Key Takeaways From Bucks-Celtics Christmas Day Game

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are each title contenders within the Jap Convention they usually at present maintain the two-best data within the NBA.

They performed each other on Christmas and whereas they’re each nonetheless title contenders, the Celtics actually got here to play they usually proved that they’re at present the perfect staff in your complete league.

Boston dominated this sport from start-to-finish and from the opening-tip, the Bucks by no means gave the impression to be on this sport. Clearly a few of this needed to do with their very own struggles and turning the ball over 15 instances, however a whole lot of credit score must be given to Celtics’ head coach Joe Mazzulla and his guys for stepping up and enjoying this sport prefer it was a real playoff sport.

Milwaukee scored the primary basket of the sport because of a Jrue Vacation layup, however from this level on, the Celtics led the remainder of the best way they usually actually pulled away from the Bucks within the third quarter, outscoring them 38-25.

Jayson Tatum as soon as once more proved why he’s the favourite for MVP with 41 factors, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, as Jaylen Brown added to his All-Star Sport resume with 29 factors and 5 rebounds.

Regardless of dropping by 21 factors, the Bucks are nonetheless probably the greatest groups within the league and this loss does not likely deteriorate something that they’ve constructed, particularly since All-Star wing Khris Middleton was out.

The Celtics and the Bucks each have excessive title aspirations this season and whereas this sport was lopsided, each groups nonetheless stay on the high of the NBA’s energy rankings.

Listed below are the largest issues we discovered from this sport on Christmas Day.

Jayson Tatum Is The NBA’s MVP As Of Proper Now

Clearly a whole lot of consideration has been solid on Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid for MVP this season, and rightfully so on condition that they’re all having super years, however what about Jayson Tatum?

Positive, a couple of folks could also be making an attempt to make the argument for Tatum to be the MVP, however after his efficiency on Christmas, there actually shouldn’t be an argument proper now.

Tatum is the perfect participant on the perfect staff within the league, the Celtics are at present main the Jap Convention, which is stuffed with high-level playoff groups, and he ranks fifth within the league in scoring, second in whole factors scored.

He’s undoubtedly the favourite to win the MVP award proper now and he completely must be regardless that we aren’t midway via the season but!

Jayson Tatum has utterly advanced his sport and he has gone from being a key scoring expertise throughout his first couple of seasons within the league to being in a category with the best-of-the-best this league has to supply.

Scoring-wise, Tatum can explode for 40-plus factors, as he’s at present tied for the league-lead in 40-point video games this season with six video games, and Tatum has actually improved as a flexible defender and rebounder as effectively.

This actually shouldn’t be an argument proper now, as Tatum has very clearly confirmed that he’s the participant to beat out for the MVP award this season.

Milwaukee Did Not Have Khris Middleton

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Vacation can win video games and presumably win the 1-seed within the Jap Convention with the supporting solid they’ve round them, however one key issue that was and has been lacking for the Bucks most of this season is All-Star wing Khris Middleton.

Initially out to start the 12 months resulting from offseason wrist surgical procedure, Middleton has missed the staff’s final 5 video games on account of a knee damage.

Middleton shouldn’t be anticipated to overlook rather more time, however his worth is immense and that was confirmed on this sport towards the Celtics.

Being able to be a 20-point scorer offensively subsequent to Giannis, Middleton can also be an above-average defender that has the energy and size to protect gamers like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston.

Who is aware of, possibly the Celtics nonetheless win this sport, however it’s exhausting to think about Tatum scoring 40 factors on Khris Middleton and with out seeing Milwaukee play Boston at full-strength, it’s actually exhausting to check these groups to one another.

Saying that the Bucks have been with out Middleton is one thing that could be very apparent to level out, however it’s obligatory to take action merely due to how priceless Khris Middleton is to the Milwaukee Bucks.

With him on the ground, they’ve an actual shot at profitable a title they usually proved this again in 2021 once they defeated the Phoenix Suns within the NBA Finals.

If you’re a fan of the Bucks, this loss positively hurts, however there may be actually nothing to fret about.

Marcus Good Limiting Turnovers Modifications Boston’s Offense

You’ll be able to level to a whole lot of issues that the Celtics are doing in a different way this season which have made them a greater staff.

Jayson Tatum is being extra aggressive and searching his photographs offensively, Boston is capturing the basketball at a better proportion and at a better charge from deep as a staff, Malcolm Brogdon is giving this staff manufacturing off-the-bench, and so on.

Maybe one of the vital vital elements that’s going severely below discover is the truth that Marcus Good has quietly been probably the greatest level guards and passers on this whole league.

Good at present ranks seventh within the league in whole assists (221), ninth in assists per sport (7.4) and his assist-to-turnover ratio is the perfect it has been in years.

Recording 221 assists and 68 turnovers so far within the 12 months, Good’s assist-to-turnover ratio is at present round 3.3:1, which is unquestionably above the league common and his private common via the years.

On this sport towards Milwaukee, Good had 8 assists and only one turnover, marking the third time within the final 4 video games that he has had not less than 7 assists with one or zero turnovers.

Marcus Good is enjoying sensible, he’s being unselfish and most significantly, he has absolutely embraced the function of being a pacesetter for this staff each emotionally and thru his play with the ball in his fingers.

If Boston is to get again to the NBA Finals, Good will proceed to play a big half of their success on each ends of the ground. 

Make sure to make amends for the latest episode of The Quick Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak’s personal Brett Siegel!

Streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, The Quick Break Podcast takes you contained in the league with the newest information, intel, rumors and interviews from these near the motion for all 30 groups. Be looking out for a brand new episodes each Friday.