The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics in Game 5 to win the series and will head to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 18 years. The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics in Game 5 to win the series and will head to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 18 years. Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in just 31 minutes as the Bucks rolled to a 116-91 victory. Khris Middleton was among seven Bucks to score in double-figures, finishing with 19 while grabbing eight boards. Eric Bledsoe chipped in 18 points and George Hill came off the bench to add 16 for Milwaukee.The Bucks dropped the opener by 22 points before sweeping the next four.Kyrie led Boston with just 15 points. "We feel very fortunate. The commitment on the defense set the tone. On offense, everyone contributed. (We) have to keep the same focus and the same hunger," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said after the game. The Bucks will play face Philadelphia or Toronto next. The Raptors are up 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Thursday night.The series will begin in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics in Game 5 to win the series and will head to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 18 years. Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in just 31 minutes as the Bucks rolled to a 116-91 victory. Advertisement Related Content Brewers, Packers show up to support Bucks in Game 5 Khris Middleton was among seven Bucks to score in double-figures, finishing with 19 while grabbing eight boards. Eric Bledsoe chipped in 18 points and George Hill came off the bench to add 16 for Milwaukee. The Bucks dropped the opener by 22 points before sweeping the next four. Kyrie led Boston with just 15 points. "We feel very fortunate. The commitment on the defense set the tone. On offense, everyone contributed. (We) have to keep the same focus and the same hunger," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said after the game. The Bucks will play face Philadelphia or Toronto next. The Raptors are up 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Thursday night. The series will begin in Milwaukee. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.<doc-sep>I can’t believe I’m saying this, but #FearTheDeer in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Milwaukee Bucks defeated a directionless Boston Celtics team on Wednesday night, 116-91, ending that series and putting the Bucks one series away from playing for the NBA championship. Holy shit, right? It marks the first time Milwaukee has advanced this far since 2001. That was back when Ray Allen, Sam Cassell and the Big Dog roamed the Bradley Center (before the BMO Harris prefix, even). So even if they can’t bring down whoever wins the Raptors-Sixers series, this is a milestone performance by the team. It wasn’t too long ago that the Bucks were nothing short of a joke. After that ’00-’01 season, the organization began a downhill slide that peaked at mediocrity. Fans, understandably, lost interest. And no matter what they did, no matter who they drafted, the Bucks couldn’t get back on track. They might make the playoffs but would never advance past the first round. They had good players but not great ones. It seemed like Milwaukee was doomed to toil on the steps of the NBA’s cellar. With the 15th selection in the 2013 NBA Draft the Milwaukee Bucks select Giannis Antetokounmpo. #BucksDraft — Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) June 28, 2013 But in 2013, the Bucks drafted a relative unknown out of Greece named Giannis Antetokounmpo. You undoubtedly know the story from there — over the past six seasons, the Bucks have gradually willed themselves into the NBA’s upper tier. This year’s success is thanks obviously to the Greek Freak’s MVP-level play, but also invaluable offensive support from guys like Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe and (albeit not on Wednesday night) Brook Lopez. Also, hiring defensive guru and former coach of the year Mike Budenholzer to lead the team probably wasn’t the worst idea. People actually care about the Bucks again. The home crowd at the new Fiserv Forum has become so loud and rabid that it’s nearly as integral to the team’s success as any player. (Just listen for the “ Bucks in 6 ” chant during any home game.) It’s a good time to be a sports fan in Milwaukee. The Brewers are one of baseball’s best teams, and the Bucks just might be basketball’s best. Now the team must look forward. The Toronto Raptors are one of the most cohesive teams in the league, featuring a high-powered attack led by Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry. And the Philadelphia 76ers have Joel Embiid, one of the few players in the league who could conceivably match up with Giannis. The Bucks will go into either series as the favorite, but the Raptors and Sixers both have plenty of ways to play spoiler. Dare I say… Bucks in 6? The Eastern Conference finals will kick off next Wednesday, May 15. In the meantime, please enjoy the above video from Wednesday night of Green Bay Packers’ left tackle David Bakhtiari chugging two beers back-to-back at Fiserv Forum.<doc-sep>MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo has carried the Milwaukee Bucks to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2001. The Bucks have reason to believe they can go even further, thanks to a deep roster that received a boost with the return of guard Malcolm Brogdon for the clinching game of their semifinal series win over the Boston Celtics. Brogdon missed the Bucks’ first eight playoff games and final 13 regular-season games with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot. He was able to shake off some of the rust as he scored 10 points and played 17 minutes in Milwaukee’s 116-91 victory over Boston in Game 5 on Wednesday. “It was like he never left,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said of Brogdon’s long-awaited return. “He just picked everyone up. Our crowd felt it; our team felt it.” Now the Bucks will turn their attention to a conference final matchup against either Toronto or Philadelphia. Either way, they will host the first two games next week — and the reserves are heating up. Bench play was critical in the team’s four straight victories against Boston after the Celtics handily won Game 1. Veteran point guard George Hill averaged 14.2 points in the series while shooting 59.6% from the field (28 of 47) and 47.4% from three-point range (9 of 19). Pat Connaughton and Ersan Ilyasova also played key roles off the bench, and the pair combined for 17 points and 17 rebounds in the series clincher. Connaughton soared for rebounds and made key 3-pointers during the series, while Ilyasova played with grit and added timely baskets. “We take pride in our depth so much,” Lopez said. “We always say in the game, ‘No let up, no let up.’ We really feel we have no drop-off, regardless of who we have on the floor.” The 33-year-old Hill, who has played in 111 career postseason games and reached the NBA Finals with Cleveland last year, said there is something special at work with this Bucks team. “We all enjoy playing together,” Hill said. “It’s hard to come by a team when no one hates each other, no one has animosity and no one cares who scores the most or who gets the most shots. This team has one thing in common: We all want to be competitive and we all want to win. When you have a team like that, it makes it easy when you’re out there.” In Brogdon’s absence, Sterling Brown moved into the starting lineup and played well during the final stretch of the regular season. After the Bucks’ poor effort in the opener against Boston, Nikola Mirotic was inserted as a starter at small forward and Brown went to the bench. Mirotic contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes on Wednesday. “It’s a big confidence (booster) when they put trust in you and also your teammates,” Mirotic said. “It was not about shots. It was about good energy, playing good defense. … Just play simple. With guys who share the ball this way, it’s easy to play.” Brogdon became just the eighth NBA player in league history to finish a season with 50-40-90 mark, meaning he shot better than 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range and 90% from the free throw line. He worked diligently with the training staff to be able to return at such a critical time. Coach Mike Budenholzer was encouraged with what he saw. “He actually played more than we anticipated,” Budenholzer said. “I think it was right at six weeks to come in and play in a playoff game. To contribute in a positive way speaks to his work ethic, his professionalism, his toughness.” The Bucks will continue to rely on the sensational play of Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 27.4 points and 11.3 rebounds through nine playoff games. The league MVP candidate is excited for the challenge waiting in the next round and a chance to reach the NBA Finals, a place the Bucks have not been since 1974. That was the last time they won a conference crown, too, and it came three years after the franchise’s only NBA title. “There are going to be a lot of people that are going to doubt us,” Antetokounmpo said. “There are going to be people that are going to be with us and there are people that are going to be against us. We realize that we’ve never been there before. But we are really, really hungry to achieve our goals. “That’s all I care about. As long as we go out there and play hard, we really don’t care about what anybody has to say.”<doc-sep>
The Milwaukee Bucks came back in the fourth quarter to beat the Toronto Raptors 108-100 Wednesday in the first game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. With only two minutes left in the game, Brook Lopez made a three-point shot. The sell-out crowd was on their feet for the rest of the game. Post-season glory has remained elusive for the Bucks. The team hasn't advanced to the league finals since 1974 and hasn't won the NBA title since 1971. After Wednesday night's game, Milwaukee fans will likely continue to celebrate as this is the first time the Bucks have made it past the opening round of the NBA playoffs since 2001. Jim Kogutkiewicz was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2001 when the Bucks made their last appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. "I was able to buy the cheapest (seat) possible for every possible playoff game," Kogutkiewicz said. "I think the entire package was less than $150." Kogutkiewicz, of Shorewood, is still a diehard Bucks fan. He has been able to see this season's playoff games as a season ticket holder. "A few months ago, a friend told me these are the halcyon days," Kogutkiewicz said. "No matter what happens from here, no matter how great Giannis (Antetokounmpo) becomes, there will be nothing like this particular year. And he was right. I'm just trying to savor every minute." Michael Tarantino, 21, and his father, Jim, have stuck with the Bucks for many years — even the rough ones. "This is amazing to see how far they've come from 2015 when they only won 15 games," Michael said. "The coach just really took us to the next level." Julie Sadoff, of Mequon, has had season tickets for years. She said she thinks the run is well deserved for the city and herself. Sign up for daily news! Stay informed with WPR's email newsletter. "My husband drags me to everything," she said. "This is my payoff for sitting through all those bad games." Dorothy Ewing has worked at the Fiserv Forum since before it opened last year. She worked at the Bradley Center for two years before that. Ewing said she loves the Bucks and she has loved this recent string of wins. "It's something I've never seen before so it's great," she said. "It's brought more income to the city, brought more people to the city, so it's a wonderful thing going on right now." Before Wednesday's game, Warren Brockman, of Pewaukee, was confident the Bucks could clinch the series in four games. "It's not going to go that far, we're talking four games and it's done," Brockman said. "These people (Toronto Raptors) are not even from the United States." Bucks President Peter Feigin was also confident before the game. Feigin said one of the best parts of getting this far was what it does for the city of Milwaukee and the fans, some of whom have never seen the Bucks make it past the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Feigin wouldn't predict how many games it would take the Bucks to win the conference finals, but he's confident the team will do it. "We're going to the championship," he said Game 2 of the seven-game series will be played at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Milwaukee. The Bucks head to Toronto on Sunday to continue the series.