Wednesday, 18 April 2018:
 | | ARON BAYNES of the Boomers warms up prior to the match between the Australian Boomers and the Pac-12 College All-stars at Hisense Arena in Melbourne, Australia. | |
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Aron Baynes's Boston Celtics are just two wins away from eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs after dominating game two of their first-round series.
The Celtics won 120-106 in Boston to take a 2-0 lead.
Milwaukee will host games three and four and Celtics coach Brad Stevens warned his players not to relax.
"If we don't play with an edge we will get beat by 30, so we better play with an edge, play competitive and be tough," he told reporters.
"You don't have a chance if you don't do that."
Queenslander Baynes did play with an edge, with four of his six rebounds on the offensive end.
Baynes also had six points and two blocks.
Celtics guard Jaylen Brown led the way with 30 points and five other Boston players scored in double figures.
Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists but had little help, particularly from starting guards Eric Bledsoe and Tony Snell who combined for just 14 points.
It could open the way for more court time for Milwaukee's Australian Matthew Dellavedova who, after missing 44 regular season games with knee and ankle injuries, is being eased back into the rotation.
The guard would inject the aggression and play-off experience Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty is seeking to turn the series around.
Dellavedova played just four minutes in game two.
"All of our guys have to be ready to go out and defend and play at a higher level than what we did tonight," Prunty said.
The Bucks' other Australian, Thon Maker, only entered the game in the final minute and had a lay-up blocked and missed a three-point shot.
Maker did manage to get hit with a technical foul before he stepped on the court.
Celtics guard Terry Rozier shot a three-pointer near the Bucks bench with three minutes to go in the game, turned to Maker and they exchanged heated words and each received technical fouls.
Game three is on Friday.
In Tuesday's other Eastern Conference play-off match-up the top-seeded Toronto Raptors took a 2-0 lead on the Washington Wizards with a 130-119 win.
Toronto's DeMar DeRozan matched his career post-season high with 37 points and centre Jonas Valanciunas had 19 points and 14 rebound.
"We did what we're supposed to do at home. We haven't done nothing yet," DeRozan said in a post-game interview on NBA TV.
The Wizards' John Wall scored 29 points and Mike Scott had a career high in the playoff with 20 points.
Washington host game three on Friday night.
In the Western Conference, Jrue Holiday scored 33 points and dished out nine assists as the New Orleans Pelicans downed the Portland Trail Blazers 111-102.
Anthony Davis had 22 points and 13 rebounds while Rajon Rondo collected 16 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
The sixth-seeded Pelicans won both road games in Portland and could wrap up the first-round series on their home court with games three and four in New Orleans.
