Boston Celtics rout Milwaukee Bucks in second meeting this week
Paul George scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 21 as the Celtics extended their lead to 22 points in the third quarter.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
The Boston Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 117-97 on Sunday night, securing a win in their second meeting between the teams in five days. Paul George led the Celtics with 27 points, while Jayson Tatum contributed 21. The victory extends Boston's winning streak to two games against Milwaukee this week, following a 109-102 win in Boston on Wednesday.
The Celtics entered this game with an 8-2 record after a 119-80 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. This game was part of a four-game road trip. Boston's lead grew large enough in the fourth quarter for the team to rest Tatum for the entire period. The Celtics will continue their trip with games against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors.
Milwaukee began the season 1-9, marking its worst start since the 1993-94 campaign. In that previous season, the Bucks lost 10 of their first 11 games and finished with a 20-62 record. Kyle Kuzma led the Bucks with 27 points in Sunday's loss. Myles Turner scored three points, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded a career-high seven assists.
Turner's scoring struggles continued from Friday, when he went scoreless in a 121-107 NBA Cup loss to the Toronto Raptors. Over his last two games, Turner has made only one field goal attempt out of 15. The Bucks held an early 20-6 lead after Kuzma scored 14 points in the first five minutes of Sunday's game.
Boston erased that deficit with an 18-0 run in the first half. Tatum scored the final 10 points of the first quarter to cut the lead to 27-25. George then opened the second quarter with a three-pointer to give Boston its first lead at 28-27. He finished the spurt with a layup and another three-pointer.
The Celtics entered halftime with a 58-45 advantage. They scored the first nine points of the third quarter to extend their lead to 22 points. Boston maintained a margin of at least 15 points for the remainder of the game. The Celtics play the 76ers in Philadelphia on Tuesday night. The Bucks host the New York Knicks at home on Tuesday night.
