MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 26 points, Jayson Tatum added 23, and the hot-shooting Boston Celtics capitalized on another fast start in a 133-101 victory over the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.
Tatum was an assist shy of his second straight triple-double despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter of a game the Celtics never trailed. He had 11 rebounds and nine assists Friday after collecting 25 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists Wednesday in a 147-129 triumph over the Miami Heat.
In the Miami game, Boston scored 53 points in the opening period — its highest first-quarter point total in franchise history. The Celtics didn’t quite match that Friday, but they made eight of their first nine 3-point attempts and led 43-26 after the opening period.
That represented the most first-quarter points Milwaukee had allowed all season.
Boston (52-25) remained 2 1/2 games ahead of the New York Knicks in the competition for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics are four games behind the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons.
Neemias Queta had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who shot 56.2% overall and 17 of 37 from 3-point range. Derrick White scored 17, Payton Pritchard 16 and Sam Hauser 13.
Taurean Prince scored 18 points to lead Milwaukee.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a 10th straight game due to what the Bucks have described as hyperextension in his left knee and a bone bruise. He told The Athletic and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel before the game that he’s healthy and wants to play.
The Bucks also were missing Kevin Porter Jr. (right knee), Bobby Portis (left wrist sprain), Ryan Rollins (right hip strain) and Gary Trent Jr. (left hip pointer).
Boston was without Nikola Vucevic, who last played March 6 as he deals with a fractured right ring finger.
Up next
Celtics: Host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
Bucks: Host the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
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