Will Friday night mark the Boston Celtics' final game of the 2021-22 NBA season?
The C's are back in Milwaukee for a do-or-die Game 6 vs. the Bucks. A victory would bring the series back to Boston for a chance to oust the defending champions in Game 7.
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Eric Lewis (crew chief), Ben Taylor (referee), Tre Maddox (umpire) and Nick Buchert (alternate) will officiate the pivotal Game 6 showdown. Veteran ref Scott Foster originally was scheduled to officiate the matchup, but he's no longer available due to a non-COVID illness.
While it may seem like a bad omen that Foster -- nicknamed "The Extender" due to his reputation for extending playoff series -- is out, C's fans should still be optimistic. According to @NBARefStats on Twitter, the Celtics have won 14 straight games with Lewis officiating, including five in the postseason.
Just a crazy coincidence? Probably, but the Celtics will take anything they can get as they look to keep their season alive. Of course, it'll take much more than the officiating to make that happen.
Boston will need to do a better job on the offensive glass to force a Game 7. With big man Robert Williams sidelined due to left knee soreness, the C's were dominated on the offensive boards 13-4 in Game 4 and 17-5 in Game 5. The latter performance contributed to a blown 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and a 110-107 defeat. Williams currently is listed as questionable for Game 6.
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Tip-off at Fiserv Forum is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Coverage begins on NBC Sports Boston at 6:30 p.m. with Celtics Pregame Live.