10 takeaways against the not-so-scary Milwaukee Bucks

Last night, Mazzula's Celtics faced the last coach to win an NBA title with the Celtics before Joe. The Celtics' momentum was burning high, while the Bucks are already on the brink of a crisis. After a close first half, the Celtics pulled away and beat a Bucks team still searching for its identity.

1. The awkward first 135 seconds

The opening of the game didn't go as planned. The Celtics struggled to initiate their offense, leaving the Bucks with an open shot. After just 135 seconds, Joe Mazzulla angrily called for an early timeout, channeling his inner Greg Popovich.

Right after the timeout, the Celtics lost the ball on the inbounds and Joe seemed angry again…

2. Pick-and-roll defense

One of the most intriguing aspects of this game was the Celtics' pick-and-roll defense. With Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, the Bucks have several options to attack Boston.

Last season, the Bucks relied heavily on the Lillard-Lopez pick-and-roll, and last night they opened with it again. First, Al Horford was matched up with Lopez, which led to drop coverage, which opened up chances for a pull-up for Lillard – not ideal.

The Celtics quickly adjusted by pitting Horford against his old friend Giannis, reigniting their usual battle. This move allowed Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum to switch to Lillard when Lopez set the screen. With Giannis not being a shooting threat, Horford could stay closer to the action and contribute on defense when needed.

The Bucks tried to take advantage of Lopez's deep post positioning against Boston, but it wasn't enough to disrupt the Celtics' defense.

3. Unusual free throw volume for the Celtics' opponents

According to CleaningTheGlass.com, the Bucks posted a free throw rate of 32.9%. This means that one in three shot attempts resulted in a crash at the line – unusual for Celtics opponents.

Last season, Boston led the league in limiting opponents' free throw opportunities, averaging just 14.1% free throw percentage. Last night the Bucks almost doubled that.

How did that happen? Giannis, as usual, caused stumbling blocks at the line with his ability to break through defenses with his length and speed. Luckily for the league, he doesn't convert well from then on.

Damian Lillard, another key contributor, can draw fouls on drives, pull-ups and even off the dribble. Last night he made almost as many free throws as the entire Celtics team. You could argue he gets superstar calls, but he is a superstar. Even if the Bucks underperform, Lillard remains one of the best offensive players in the NBA.

4. The Celtics are lucky the Heat didn't get Lillard

This game also showed how dangerous Lillard would have been alongside Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and under Erik Spoelstra's coaching. His pull-up shooting and driving skills make him a tough opponent for Boston, which prides itself on forcing opponents to take difficult shots.

Lillard is one of the few offensive players who isn't heavily influenced by the Celtics' elite defense, as he can provide good looks in tough situations. Luckily, he's on a team that doesn't know how to maximize what he still has to offer.

5. Has the Double Big cast disappeared?

We only saw a few minutes of the Celtics' double-big lineup last night. Joe Mazzulla admitted he wasn't happy with the team's defense in this configuration.

That may have been because of the matchup against Milwaukee, but it opens the door for more rotation opportunities – and more minutes for our beloved Jordan Walsh.

6. Jordan Walsh's Meaningful Protocols

Against the Bucks, Jordan Walsh got his first significant minutes of the season, playing in the second, late third and early fourth quarters. His physicality and defense stood out.

Walsh managed his transitions well, using his length to disrupt the Bucks' offense and staying in front of Lopez when transitioning the ball. He also showed great strength guarding Giannis in the post.

Offensively, he stagnated in the corner in the first half. However, he became more active in his second stint, grabbing two offensive rebounds and converting one with a putback. It's encouraging to see Mazzulla trust him, and Walsh has shown he's earned that trust.

7. Payton Pritchard was so good he had Doc Rivers on his knees

Toward the end of the third quarter, the Bucks were at the line. With only a few seconds left on the clock, Pritchard was on the floor ready to run and we all knew what was coming. And it happened. Doc Rivers couldn't believe it (and the guy behind him couldn't stop laughing).

8. Jrue Holiday knows how to attack the Bucks defense

Jrue Holiday, who was the cornerstone of Milwaukee's defense in the 2021 title race, knows the tendencies of Giannis and Lopez. This allowed him to know when to attack.

He was particularly aggressive when Lopez was on Horford, driving repeatedly to take advantage of the Bucks' lack of rim protection. If Horford was stationed in the corner, Jrue, knowing Lopez would help, would attack and kick the ball to Horford for a three-pointer.

With Horford positioned over the break, Holiday would drive again, knowing the Bucks would have no rim protection.

9. Jaylen Brown goes hunting when needed

Early in the third quarter, the Celtics began chasing Lillard with Jaylen Brown, sparking an 11-3 run. Brown continues to improve at exploiting mismatches and punishing defenders.

In the fourth quarter, Mazzulla sent Brown hunting again, this time targeting Delon Wright and Gary Trent Jr. With the Celtics' excellent spacing, JB achieved excellent post-up positioning and can show that he is one of the best one-on-ones -One player in the league is .

10. The Bucks look lost without Brook Lopez

When Lopez went to the bench, the Bucks lost their defensive balance. They struggled to protect the rim, and Giannis alone couldn't make up for the lack of defensive support from the wings and backfield. Lopez excelled defensively, holding his own against the Jays and proving why he is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA.

Offensively, the Bucks faltered without Lopez. Their attack was stagnant and lacked spacing. Bobby Portis, Lopez's replacement, relies on post-up plays that were comically ineffective. Why Doc Rivers insists on this approach, which was also bad last season, remains a mystery.

Once again, it's a great time to be a Celtics fan and a tough time to be a Bucks fan.