Jayson Tatum scores 34, Celtics beat Bucks 111-105 to spoil Khris Middleton's season debut
BOSTON (AP) Jayson Tatum had 34 points and 10 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Bucks 111-105 on Friday night in Khris Middelton's season debut for Milwaukee.
Jaylen Brown added 25 points as the Celtics made 17 3-pointers to earn their 10th victory in 11 games.
Damian Lillard finished with 31 points for Milwaukee, which has lost two straight since winning a season-best seven in a row. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points and 11 rebounds on his 30th birthday.
Middleton had 11 points and five assists in 23 minutes after missing the Bucks’ first 21 games while recovering from offseason ankle surgeries.
Boston led 107-102 after a floater by Jrue Holiday when Brown was whistled for a foul on a 3-point attempt by Middleton, who hit all three free throws.
Two free throws by Holiday put Boston ahead 109-105. Antetokounmpo then turned it over, leading to a layup by Al Horford.
Bucks: Middleton’s return marked only the 43rd time that he, Antetokounmpo and Lillard have played together. How well the recently surging Bucks can integrate Middleton could determine their prospects of contending in the East.
Celtics: This was another statement win for a team that has beaten the Bucks in all three meetings this season.
The back-and-forth antics between Antetokounmpo and Brown added another chapter Friday. Early in the third quarter, Antetokounmpo leaned his shoulder into Brown as Antetokounmpo passed by on his way to throw the ball inbounds. Brown then returned the favor he ran up the court and was whistled for a technical foul. The exchange followed a similar incident during Boston’s Nov. 10 win at Milwaukee.
The game featured 11 ties and 14 lead changes. Neither team led by more than eight points.
The Bucks visit Brooklyn on Sunday. The Celtics host Memphis on Saturday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Â | Brook Lopez vs. Al Horford (Giannis Antetokounmpo gains possession) | Â |
| 11:46 |  | Â | Brook Lopez misses two point turnaround hook shot | Â |
| 11:44 | | Â | Jrue Holiday defensive rebound | Â |
| 11:34 | | +3 | Jayson Tatum makes three point jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 0-3 |
| 11:24 | | Â | Al Horford blocks Giannis Antetokounmpo's two point driving layup | Â |
| 11:23 | | Â | Bucks offensive rebound | Â |
| 11:20 | | Â | Giannis Antetokounmpo misses two point pullup jump shot | Â |
| 11:18 | | Â | Jayson Tatum defensive rebound | Â |
| 11:05 | | Â | Derrick White misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 11:03 | | Â | Giannis Antetokounmpo defensive rebound | Â |
| 10:48 | | Â | Damian Lillard misses three point pullup jump shot | Â |
| 10:47 | | Â | Celtics defensive rebound | Â |
| 10:31 | | Â | Al Horford turnover (bad pass) (Andre Jackson Jr. steals) | Â |
| 10:27 | | +2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo makes two point running dunk (Taurean Prince assists) | 2-3 |
| 10:08 | | +2 | Jaylen Brown makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 2-5 |
| 9:52 | | Â | Jrue Holiday blocks Andre Jackson Jr.'s two point hook shot | Â |
| 9:51 | | Â | Derrick White defensive rebound | Â |
| 9:43 | | +2 | Jaylen Brown makes two point driving layup (Derrick White assists) | 2-7 |
| 9:26 | | +3 | Damian Lillard makes three point pullup jump shot | 5-7 |
| 9:18 | | Â | Jrue Holiday misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 9:17 | | Â | Taurean Prince defensive rebound | Â |
| 9:08 | | Â | Jrue Holiday personal foul (Giannis Antetokounmpo draws the foul) | Â |
| 8:54 | | +2 | Andre Jackson Jr. makes two point driving floating jump shot | 7-7 |
| 8:43 | | Â | Brook Lopez personal foul (Derrick White draws the foul) | Â |
| 8:38 | | +3 | Jayson Tatum makes three point pullup jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 7-10 |
| 8:23 | | Â | Andre Jackson Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Derrick White steals) | Â |
| 8:12 | | +3 | Jaylen Brown makes three point jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 7-13 |
| 8:10 | | Â | Bucks 60 second timeout | Â |
| 8:00 | | +3 | Damian Lillard makes three point pullup jump shot | 10-13 |
| 7:45 | | Â | Bucks technical foul (Defensive three second) | Â |
| 7:45 | | Â | Jayson Tatum misses technical free throw 1 of 1 | Â |
| 7:45 | | Â | Celtics offensive rebound | Â |
| 7:36 | | Â | Taurean Prince blocks Derrick White's two point driving layup | Â |
| 7:35 | | Â | Derrick White offensive rebound | Â |
| 7:32 | | Â | Jrue Holiday misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 7:31 | | Â | Taurean Prince defensive rebound | Â |
| 7:22 | | Â | Damian Lillard misses two point fadeaway jump shot | Â |
| 7:21 | | Â | Al Horford defensive rebound | Â |
| 7:14 | | +3 | Jaylen Brown makes three point running jump shot (Derrick White assists) | 10-16 |
| 6:55 | | +2 | Damian Lillard makes two point pullup jump shot | 12-16 |
| 6:45 | | Â | Jaylen Brown misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 6:44 | | Â | Andre Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | Â |
| 6:29 | | Â | Jayson Tatum personal foul (Giannis Antetokounmpo draws the foul) | Â |
| 6:21 | | Â | Giannis Antetokounmpo misses two point pullup jump shot | Â |
| 6:19 | | Â | Payton Pritchard defensive rebound | Â |
| 6:05 | | +2 | Jrue Holiday makes two point driving layup (Payton Pritchard assists) | 12-18 |
| 5:46 | | Â | Andre Jackson Jr. turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | Â |
| 5:26 | | +2 | Jaylen Brown makes two point turnaround jump shot | 12-20 |
| 5:09 | | Â | Khris Middleton misses two point driving floating jump shot | Â |
| 5:08 | | Â | Al Horford defensive rebound | Â |
| 5:02 | | Â | Payton Pritchard misses two point fadeaway bank jump shot | Â |
| 5:00 | | Â | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | Â |
| 4:53 | | +3 | Khris Middleton makes three point jump shot (Andre Jackson Jr. assists) | 15-20 |
| 4:53 | | Â | Sam Hauser shooting foul (Khris Middleton draws the foul) | Â |
| 4:53 | | +1 | Khris Middleton makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 16-20 |
| 4:43 | | Â | Sam Hauser misses three point pullup jump shot | Â |
| 4:42 | | Â | AJ Green defensive rebound | Â |
| 4:27 | | +2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo makes two point pullup jump shot (Bobby Portis assists) | 18-20 |
| 4:03 | | Â | Payton Pritchard misses three point stepback jump shot | Â |
| 4:02 | | Â | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | Â |
| 3:53 | | Â | Jaylen Brown shooting foul (Giannis Antetokounmpo draws the foul) | Â |
| 3:53 | | +1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 19-20 |
| 3:53 | | Â | Celtics 60 second timeout | Â |
| 3:53 | | +1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-20 |
| 3:33 | | +3 | Jrue Holiday makes three point jump shot (Sam Hauser assists) | 20-23 |
| 3:13 | | +2 | Khris Middleton makes two point pullup jump shot | 22-23 |
| 2:53 | | Â | Jaylen Brown misses three point pullup jump shot | Â |
| 2:52 | | Â | Giannis Antetokounmpo defensive rebound | Â |
| 2:41 | | Â | Bobby Portis misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 2:40 | | Â | Al Horford defensive rebound | Â |
| 2:35 | | +3 | Sam Hauser makes three point running jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 22-26 |
| 2:22 | | +3 | Gary Trent Jr. makes three point jump shot (Khris Middleton assists) | 25-26 |
| 2:06 | | Â | Sam Hauser misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 2:05 | | Â | Khris Middleton defensive rebound | Â |
| 1:55 | | Â | Giannis Antetokounmpo misses two point alley-oop dunk | Â |
| 1:54 | | Â | Al Horford defensive rebound | Â |
| 1:45 | | Â | Payton Pritchard misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 1:43 | | Â | AJ Green defensive rebound | Â |
| 1:28 | | Â | Bobby Portis misses two point turnaround hook shot | Â |
| 1:27 | | Â | Al Horford defensive rebound | Â |
| 1:10 | | +3 | Jrue Holiday makes three point stepback jump shot | 25-29 |
| 0:55 | | +2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo makes two point driving layup (Gary Trent Jr. assists) | 27-29 |
| 0:31 | | Â | Jaylen Brown misses two point pullup jump shot | Â |
| 0:29 | | Â | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | Â |
| 0:06 | | Â | AJ Green misses two point pullup jump shot | Â |
| 0:05 | | Â | Jaylen Brown defensive rebound | Â |
| 0:04 | | Â | Jaylen Brown turnover (bad pass) (Khris Middleton steals) | Â |
| 0:03 | | Â | Khris Middleton misses two point driving floating jump shot | Â |
| 0:02 | | Â | Bobby Portis offensive rebound | Â |
| 0:02 | | Â | Bobby Portis misses two point tip layup | Â |
| 0:01 | | Â | Bobby Portis offensive rebound | Â |
| 0:01 | | Â | Bobby Portis misses two point tip layup | Â |
| 0:00 | | Â | Bobby Portis offensive rebound | Â |
| 0:00 | | Â | Jaylen Brown blocks Bobby Portis's two point putback layup | Â |
| 0:00 | | Â | Bucks offensive rebound | Â |
| 0:00 | | Â | End of period | Â |