It appeared as though the Boston Celtics were going to coast to their second straight blowout win with the way things started Saturday night against the Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. But Milwaukee made them earn the win in the end.
The Celtics eventually hung on for a 112-108 overtime victory over the Bucks despite blowing a double-digit lead.
Isaiah Thomas led the way with 37 points and eight assists. Jae Crowder (20 points), Kelly Olynyk (17 points) and Amir Johnson (11 points) also reached double-figures, while Jaylen Brown added eight rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 21 points and was one of six Bucks players in double-figures.
With the win, Boston improved to 29-18, while Milwaukee dropped to 21-26. The win was the C’s third in a row and moved them into a tie with the Toronto Raptors for second in the Eastern Conference.
Here’s how it all went down.
STARTING FIVE
Isaiah Thomas, Jaylen Brown, Jae Crowder, Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson
OFF AND RUNNING
One day after scoring 39 points in the first quarter against the Orlando Magic, the C’s erupted for 42 points in the opening frame Saturday. And that once again was without the injured Al Horford and Avery Bradley.
Boston made 7 of 14 3-pointers, 12 of 19 overall shots and 11 of 11 free throws in the opening 12 minutes. Crowder and Thomas both led the way offensively with 11 and 10 points, respectively. The C’s jumped out to a 13-2 start thanks to two Crowder 3-pointers and a Thomas trey. Gerald Green later closed the frame with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 42-27.
Neither team exactly lit it up in the second quarter, but that allowed the C’s to enjoy a 64-53 lead at the break. Boston’s lead went back to 15 after a Marcus Smart layup with just over a minute remaining in the half, but Milwaukee went on a mini 4-0 burst to make it an 11-point game.
Thomas scored 13 of the Celtics’ 22 second-quarter points, and he led all scorers at the break with 23 points. Michael Beasley led the way for the Bucks in the first half with 11 points.
AND IT’S GONE
The Bucks continued to peck away at the Celtics’ lead by outscoring the C’s 20-17 in the third quarter. As a result, they only trailed 81-73 entering the final 12 minutes.
Milwaukee started the fourth quarter hot from the floor, and an Antetokounmpo 3-pointer later helped the Bucks pull even with the C’s at 90 points apiece. The teams then traded baskets for the rest of regulation in what turned out to be a thriller.
OVERTIME
Boston scored the first six points in overtime to take a 108-102 lead, but Milwaukee tied the game on back-to-back Tony Snell 3-pointers, the second of which came with 1:13 remaining in OT.
Crowder put the C’s back up by two with a pair of free throws with 28.8 seconds left, and he would add two more from the charity stripe to seal the win.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Speaking of that Green 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter…
UP NEXT
The Celtics will return to TD Garden for four straight games, beginning with Monday’s clash with the Detroit Pistons. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The C’s other three home games that week are against the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.
Thumbnail photo via Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports Images