Celts/Bucks ‘offs Notes

One of the four NBA quarterfinal series is set and it will match the East “2” seed Boston Celtics and the defending NBA champion, East “3” seed, Milwaukee Bucks.

A Bucks star Khris Middleton is injured and Boston is nearly a 2 to 1 series favorite.

Even before this, what will be their 4th “quarters” clash, the Celts and Bucks had the rare distinction of meeting at all 4 levels of playoffs series competition, as they met in a memorable NBA final in 1974, when the Bucks were housed in the NBA’s Western Conference.

Boston won that series in 7, winning thrice on the Bucks’ home court including #7 on Mother’s Day (Milw won twice in Boston) and are (5-2) in previous ‘offs series vs Milwaukee.

The Celts won both semis clashes, each in route to the title, going (8-1) in such wins vs the Bucks in ’84 and ’86.

Milwaukee has the edge (2-1) in previous quarters, winning the last 4 and the ’19 quarter in 5 and sweeping Boston in ’83. Boston won in 7 in ’87.

In the lone prelim clash, the Celts prevailed in 2018.

It will be (1-1) and (2-2), a tough series, but I will “go” fair sized “chalk,” and say Celts in 6. (None of the previous 7 Celts/Bucks series, all best of 7, ended in 6 games).

The great John Havlicek, pictured above was the 1974 final series MVP.

That series was on CBS with Pat Summerall, so much better known for football, as the lead broadcaster.