BOSTON (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley made a spin transfer within the lane, floated a jumper over Boston’s Luke Kornet after which headed again on protection in a crouch, holding his hand a number of inches above the ground to mock the Celtics heart.
Too small?
No, too quickly.
Irked by the insult to his teammate, Payton Pritchard erupted for 10 factors within the quarter, matching your complete Bucks output and serving to the Celtics open a giant lead earlier than holding on for a 122-119 victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday evening.
“It form of lit a fireplace beneath me,” stated the 6-foot-1 Pritchard, who had 19 factors and 6 rebounds — most of it within the second quarter, when Boston turned a five-point lead into an 18-point cushion. “He’s attempting to clown considered one of our teammates. So I undoubtedly took it a bit of personally.”
Jayson Tatum scored 31 factors for Boston, which took benefit of the absence of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to win its seventh straight sport. The Celtics haven’t misplaced to an Jap Convention crew at residence all season.
Derrick White had 23 factors and eight assists, whereas Jaylen Brown completed with 21 factors and eight boards for Boston.
Damian Lillard scored 32, together with a 3-pointer within the closing second. Bobby Portis had 24 factors and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who had received two in a row.
Though the sport featured two East division leaders, the Celtics maintain an 11-game edge over the second-seeded Bucks within the race for home-court benefit. Every other juice within the matchup was misplaced when Antetokounmpo was dominated out for the second straight sport with a left hamstring downside.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated the sport wasn’t essentially a playoff preview.
“Nothing’s assured in life,” he stated. “We might even see them; they could see us; we might not. You by no means know what’s going to occur. I do know each groups are creating an identification and there’s clearly a DNA there that each groups have. However you don’t wish to overthink issues. And also you don’t take something without any consideration.”
It was 10-all when the Celtics scored 13 of the following 15 factors to open an 11-point lead. The Bucks minimize it to 2 earlier than the tip of the primary quarter, however Boston used a 21-8 run – with 10 factors coming from Pritchard — to make it 56-38.
Pritchard additionally had essentially the most rebounds (4) and assists (three) within the quarter.
“Everyone all the time had talked about his taking pictures,” Mazzulla stated. “However I feel this yr, particularly, he’s been impacting by his rebounding, impacting by his protection, his tempo. He’s simply changing into a extremely well-rounded participant who is aware of he can have a optimistic influence on the sport in many various methods, and it’s an enormous asset for us.”
Pritchard additionally fired up the group when he took an offensive board away from Brook Lopez, a participant a full foot taller. Annoyed, the 7-foot-1 heart pushed him away in disgust.
Pritchard celebrated by flexing his muscle tissue and slapping fingers with Kristaps Porzingis; Tatum waved his arms to encourage the group, which rose to offer Pritchard a standing ovation.
“Only a profitable play,” Pritchard stated. “He’s a 7-footer and I’m 6-foot — you realize, little within the NBA commonplace. I’m only a competitor.”
Boston led by as many as 21 factors however the Bucks didn’t get inside single digits till the ultimate minutes, once they scored 10 straight factors — eight of them, together with back-to-back lengthy 3-pointers, from Portis — to show a 13-point lead right into a one-possession sport.
However Portis missed a 3, Tatum hit a pair of free throws after which the Celtics star drove for a layup to make it 114-107 with 1:38 to play.
Antetokounmpo additionally missed the Bucks’ 140-129 residence victory over Phoenix on Sunday. He has missed 5 video games this season; Milwaukee is 3-2 with out him.
The Greek star, 29, ranks third within the NBA in scoring (30.8), sixth in rebounding (11.2) and fifteenth in assists (6.4) this season.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Host Brooklyn on Thursday evening.
Celtics: At Detroit on Friday evening.
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