BOSTON, DECEMBER 14 (US): Jason Tatum scored 16 of his 42 points in the fourth quarter and the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 117-103 on Monday night.
Jaylen Brown returned to the squad after missing five games with a right hamstring injury and scored 19 points in 30 minutes for Boston. Grant Williams scored 17 points, and Robert Williams III and Al Horford each scored 10 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists for Milwaukee, a day after he scored a hat-trick of his 26th career hat-trick in a win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Jrue Holiday also has 20 points for the Bucks, who have lost only for the third time in 15 games. Chris Middleton exited the left knee with hyperextension late in the third quarter.
The Associated Press reported that the Celtics were on their way from a road trip on the West Coast 1-4.
The Bucks had cut Boston’s lead to 95-86 midway through the fourth quarter before Tatum swings a basket and follows that up with a 3-pointer from the right wing, giving the Celtics a 100-86 advantage.
Tatum put it away 3 seconds in a row from the left corner, making the score 114-96 with 2:15 to play.
Returning to TD Garden after a rough ride, the Celtics started slowly, trailing 12 in the first half before taking a one-point lead in the first half to a 64-56 advantage with a 13-6 increase to start the second half.
They pushed their lead to 11 after three quarters and made it 90-76 on Dennis Schröder’s triple-pointer just a minute into the fourth.
Hint
Bucks: Middleton went awkwardly to the floor late in the third period, limped into the locker room and never came back. He scored just four points, ending a seven-game winning streak with at least 20… The Bucks were firing over 60 percent a few minutes into the second quarter but missed 12 of their last 15 shots in the first half. …Antetokounmpo didn’t get his first basket until he scored on tour at the start of the second quarter. He only had two baskets in the first half. …Milwaukee plays five games in seven days.
Celtics: J. Josh Richardson (Protocol) is out. … 3 Williams from the left corner gave Boston a 51-50 advantage in the first half. …Marcus Smart was listed as likely to have contracted the disease earlier in the day and played 30 minutes.
Temperatures
Grant Williams and Bobby Portez of Milwaukee got tangled up under the basket and had to be separated late in the third quarter. All of them were given a technique.
adhesion
Boston has opened a five-game home and is playing on the road only twice in its last nine games before New Year’s Day.
next one
Bucks: Host the Pacers on Wednesday. Milwaukee won the first two meetings between the two teams this season, both at Indiana State.
Celtics: Host Steve Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Friday.