Bucks sets the tone at the start of game 5 against the Celtics

MILWAUKEE – Before major games, a Bucks front-office employee often sends a text message to some of the Milwaukee Bucks players. "Do not play with your food," he wrote. "Put this child to sleep early tonight."

The messages are meant to be friendly reminders to players who, in the opinion of the employee, have the talent to beat anyone, but not to spoil anything. The subtext of the texts: Respect your opponent enough to strike early. Do not wait to run.

Milwaukee considered these words in Wednesday's 116-91 win in the fifth game against the Boston Celtics, and the Bucks will now be in the finals of the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2001. .

After a series of slowdowns in the first quarter, the Bucks set the tone early Wednesday, starting with an 8-0 run. And Milwaukee scored just 19 points in Boston in the first quarter, the smallest number the Celtics scored in the first quarter of the playoffs.

"It's a great moment for our franchise, our city and ourselves," said Khris Middleton after the win.

The texts seemed to permeate even before the beginning because the team was concentrated.

Giannis Antetokounmpo motioned to the cameras to film him watching the film in the locker room. He needed space to focus, he explained. Malcolm Brogdon, who was playing for the first time since March 15, suffered from a plantar fascia, deliberately avoided the locker room while members of the media were present before the match. He did not want distractions either. And Antetokounmpo gave a speech to his teammates before the match, reminding them of what was about to unfold.

Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Middleton had 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Eric Bledsoe had 18 points, 6 rebounds and only 2 turnovers. Brogdon scored 10 points in 17 minutes.

As they have all series, Bucks bench players have also given an extra boost by outperforming Boston's backups by eight points.

"Everyone was ready to play," said George Hill, who scored 16 points. "Everyone was ready for the opportunity to put them away as quickly as possible".

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Last season, Boston was the hurdle that Milwaukee failed to break through. This season, many have once again believed that the Celtics would be the end of the Bucks. And if they managed to win a series, it would prove that the Bucks are no longer the cute story of a superstar surrounded by four anonymous players unable to succeed in the playoffs.

In many ways, Wednesday's performance was the point of exclamation of the phrase "We have arrived!" Milwaukee now has the highest number of wins of 20 points (five) in the first nine playoff games in the history of the NBA, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"I think there will still be a lot of people who will doubt us," said Antetokounmpo. "But we are really hungry to reach our goals – that's all that matters to me."

"Bucks in five" resounded in the crowd midway through the fourth quarter. After the end of the seconds and the final ring, a celebratory video was broadcast. The crowd roared, Antetokounmpo raised his fist in the air and, on the center field, the table went from "9" to "8" to record the number of extra wins that the Bucks needed to win a championship.

In the locker room, the players are passionate, the coaches are in their arms and the general manager, Jon Horst, congratulates them. The music sounded as the players dressed.

Milwaukee is now waiting for the winner of the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors series. The Bucks will celebrate Wednesday night. But as they did after winning the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and after winning their 60th game, and after sweeping the Detroit Pistons in the first round, the Bucks will only give themselves one night to benefit.

"Our season continues," Middleton said. "We're going to face a good team, whatever the next round, we'll start preparing for the next round."