The Milwaukee Bucks left TD Garden with another loss, but this one had a different feel for long stretches.
Boston, still unbeaten at home this season, beat Milwaukee 109-102 on Wednesday night, handing the Bucks their fourth straight loss and their second defeat on this two-game road swing before they return home to face the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
Milwaukee dug itself into a deep hole early. The Bucks were down by 22 in the second quarter and by 21 at halftime after a first half that featured just 14 points in the opening period, a 14-for-42 start from the field and 10 turnovers. Against a Celtics team that has protected its home floor all season, that kind of opening usually ends the night early.
Instead, the Bucks kept coming.
They outscored Boston 61-47 after halftime, shot 21-for-43 from the field in the second half and held the Celtics to 15-for-44 shooting. Milwaukee even grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter before Boston answered with big shots down the stretch.
Paul George was the difference late for the Celtics, finishing with 25 points and delivering the kind of clutch scoring that stopped Milwaukee’s surge in its tracks.
There was plenty to like in the Bucks’ perimeter shooting, even in defeat. These are two teams that live beyond the arc - Milwaukee ranks No. 3 in the league in 3-point attempts per game at 43.7, while Boston sits No. 8 at 40.6. The first half reflected that style, with both teams hitting 10 threes, but Boston was far more efficient, going 10-for-17 from deep compared with Milwaukee’s 10-for-27.
That gap mattered early, but the Bucks found their rhythm from long range as the game wore on. They finished 19-for-47 from 3-point range, with six different players knocking down at least two triples. For a team that has leaned heavily on volume from deep this season, it was a reminder that the shot can still come in bunches.
Tyler Herro was at the center of the comeback. After being held scoreless in the first quarter, he finished with 25 points, five rebounds and three assists on 8-for-17 shooting, including 4-for-10 from 3-point range. His third quarter was the spark, as he poured in 17 points to help drag Milwaukee back into the game and give it a real chance to steal one late.
The Bucks’ biggest issue wasn’t just the slow start. Boston’s work on the offensive glass kept creating extra chances. The Celtics finished with 19 offensive rebounds, and those second opportunities turned into 14 second-chance points for Boston.
In a game that got tight late, those extra possessions loomed large. Milwaukee had the comeback, but Boston had the finishing kick.
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Bucks May Already Regret Passing On This Fast-Rising Rookie
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For Milwaukee, the early returns only sharpen the question of whether passing on a fast-rising talent like Lendeborg might come back to sting them. The age concerns that followed him into the draft have done little to slow his development so far, and his play is starting to look less like a short-term surprise and more like a sign of a higher ceiling than some teams were willing to project. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Rookie Suddenly Fits The Identity Milwaukee Wants To Build
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Even with the missed shots, Jenkins pointed to Burries pace and work on the glass as reasons for encouragement, and those are the kinds of traits that tend to earn more trust quickly in Milwaukee. If the Bucks are serious about leaning into speed and energy, Burries looks like a rookie who may keep finding his way onto the floor as the opportunities grow. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Pulled Into A Frontcourt Rumor That Could Change Their Plans
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For Milwaukee, the intrigue is obvious because a deal like this would touch both the roster and the books, and the financial side may matter as much as the basketball fit. For Golden State, the appeal is just as clear if the Warriors are serious about upgrading the middle, but for now it remains only a rumor, with no official transaction in place and plenty of room for the conversation to shift before anything gets real. [Read more 🡒]