2018 NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks series preview

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On Saturday, the Boston Celtics will host the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of their first round series of the 2018 NBA Playoffs. Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.

The Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks will face off in the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs, with both teams entering with reduced hope for advancing deep. A wild final night in the NBA kept the matchups uncertain for as long as possible, with a Bucks loss and a Miami Heat overtime win finally setting things in place.

Boston closes the regular season as wounded warriors, down four rotation players as it prepares for Milwaukee. All-Star free agent acquisition Gordon Hayward went down in the early minutes of Game 1, and more recently, the Celtics lost All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving for the season as well. Key reserves Marcus Smart and Daniel Theis are out as well.

Despite the injuries, Boston still reeled off 55 wins, good for second place in the Eastern Conference. When Irving went down for the final time the Celtics’ standing seemed in question, but the team responded with a six-game winning streak to solidify the 2-seed before coasting to the end with a 2-4 closing stretch.

Milwaukee has found mediocrity to be the title of its season, ending up with a 44-38 record despite the excellence of MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo. Prior to the season, they were a popular pick to host a playoff series, but instead will go on the road as the seventh seed to face Boston.

The Bucks are the only team in the postseason with an interim coach, and Joe Prunty will have to prove himself against coaching wizard Brad Stevens. With Boston’s injury list so long, it was a preferred first round opponent, but Milwaukee will have to play at a higher level than it did this year to beat anyone, let alone upset the Celtics.

The season series is tied up 2-2, with all four games decided by 11 points or less — and just 7.5 points on average. Milwaukee won the first meeting in the hours immediately following the Hayward injury, then Boston won twice before the Bucks won an important game last week.