BOSTON — There is nothing like the sights, the sounds, the tension of a Game 7.


 


This refrain is sung in every professional sport, with good reason. These are the games where moments become memories that last forever. They force the weak to crumble at the knees, fans to fret and the greats to leap into legends.


 


New England will never forget the Red Sox finally exorcising their ghastly past with a home run-filled romp over the Yankees [...]

Kevin McNamara

BOSTON — There is nothing like the sights, the sounds, the tension of a Game 7.

 

This refrain is sung in every professional sport, with good reason. These are the games where moments become memories that last forever. They force the weak to crumble at the knees, fans to fret and the greats to leap into legends.

 

New England will never forget the Red Sox finally exorcising their ghastly past with a home run-filled romp over the Yankees back in 2004 in the Bronx. More recently we witnessed the Bruins step up and make the Maple Leafs wilt on the ice last Wednesday.

 

But no one does Game 7s like the Celtics. They’ve played more of them than any other professional sports franchise. The latest hoops passion play was on tap on Saturday night at TD Garden and this one went Boston’s way again, this time in a showdown with the pesky Milwaukee Bucks, 112-96.

 

These Celtics are a long way from legendary but it’s impossible to take the parquet in the spring wearing green and white and not think of seasoned warriors like Russell, Havlicek, Bird and Pierce. The franchise is now 23-8 all-time in Game 7s, 20-4 in its two Gardens.

 

But this was the first Game 7 for so many young Celtics. Terry Rozier (24 years old), Jaylen Brown (21) and Jason Tatum (20) may be wonderfully talented building blocks but in a different basketball world they’d be enjoying spring weekend on some sun-kissed campus and not lacing them up in the Garden.

 

Instead of such frivolity, the Celtics Kiddie Corps took its cue from Not-So-Average Al Horford (26 points, 13-of-17 FGs, 8 rebounds) and will continue a postseason education with a major test against the surging Philadelphia 76ers starting on Monday night.

 

For a team whose NBA Finals hopes likely died when Kyrie Irving’s knee gave out in March, winning any playoff series is an achievement. Getting past the Bucks and the wondrously talented Giannis Antetokounmpo taught this team many lessons that will only come in handy when Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid come to town.

 

The Celtics’ approach to dealing with Antetokounmpo wasn’t unlike that of every other NBA foe: hope and pray. As this series wore on, Celts coach Brad Stevens gambled that his best option was sitting center Aron Baynes and going with the smaller, yet still physical, rookie Semi Ojeleye. In a Game 5 Celtic win, Ojeleye clearly bothered Antetokounmpo and limited him to only 10 field-goal tries.

 

But great players adjust quickly. The 23-year old Greek Freak bounced back in a Game 6 victory with 31 points on 13-of-23 shooting. The Celtics geared up for more of that — in spades — in a Game 7.

 

“The thing with him is he can play inside, outside, set screens, make the right pass. You name it,” said Bucks coach Joe Prunty. “He is that long, he is that agile, he is that athletic.”

 

In order to slow down Antetokounmpo, Stevens again started Ojeleye but this was truly a team approach. The 23-year-old Antetokounmpo did his thing and finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds but he was never the game’s most dominant player. He made just one of his five first-quarter shots and was sitting at a pedestrian seven points (2 of 7) at the half. By that time the Celts had built a confident 50-42 lead.

 

That edge grew to 81-67 after three as the combination of Horford and Tatum (20 points), plus more defense that frustrated the Freak doomed the Bucks. In the fourth, Rozier (26 points, five 3-pointers) caught fire and lit the spark that sent the frenzied crowd into a tizzy.

 

As the final seconds melted off the clock, a spent Antetokounmpo walked back towards his bench with his hands on his hips. At the same time Horford bounded toward his bench and pumped his fist into the sky. He hugged Tatum, the baby-faced kid with the golden future.

 

“Al’s been a stabilizing force since he walked into our locker room,” Stevens said. “Whenever you’ve lost guys to injury or things aren’t going your way, he’s there for you. He’s always been there for our younger guys.”

 

After outlasting one of the great young players in the NBA in Antetokounmpo, the Celtics now face the very best young team in the league. Simmons and Embiid are the headliners but the hottest team (winners of 20 of last 21 games) are a load.

 

“They’re playing great,” Stevens said. “They’re a bear to play against. They’re terrific.”

 

Sounds like fun. Bring on the Sixers.

 

kmcnamar@providencejournal.com

 

On Twitter: @KevinMcNamara33