Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks Match Player Stats On Jan 16, 2020

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and Khris Middleton added 23 as the Milwaukee Bucks started fast and had just enough in the end, opening a double-digit lead five minutes into the game and earning a 128-123 victory Thursday over the visiting Boston Celtics.

Donte DiVincenzo scored a career high 19 points and Brook Lopez added 16 as the Bucks extended their winning streak to five games, while winning for the 10th time in their last 11 contests.

Kemba Walker scored 40 points with 11 rebounds and Marcus Smart added 24 as the Celtics fell for the second time in two nights and lost for the fifth time in their last seven games. The Celtics lost to Detroit on Wednesday night.

The Bucks opened a 27-point lead in the second quarter and held a 76-58 lead at halftime while looking fresh after two days off between games. Milwaukee shot 61.9 percent from the field in the first half and went 12 of 15 (80 percent) from 3-point range. They shot 49.4 percent in the game and 51.6 percent from distance.

The Celtics managed to find their legs in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to six at 87-81 before the Bucks closed the period on a run, much of it while Antetokounmpo was getting a rest, and grabbed a 106-87 lead heading to the final quarter.

The Celtics used a late 12-2 run to get within four points in the final minute but could not get any closer.

The Celtics Gordon Hayward missed his first eight shots from the field before finally making a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer. Hayward finished with seven points.

Jayson Tatum had 17 points after missing Wednesday's game with a sore right knee and Daniel Theis had 12 points with 10 rebounds for the Celtics. Boston's Jaylen Brown did not play Thursday after he sprained his right thumb against the Pistons.

Antetokounmpo sealed his double-double in the third quarter and finished with 17 rebounds. George Hill added 13 points for the Bucks, who avenged one of their six defeats on the season. The Celtics earned a 116-105 victory over the Bucks in the fourth game of the season for each team.

--Field Level Media