BOSTON — The Boston Celtics’ second-round matchup never promised to be easy.
After beating the top-seeded Bucks in the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinal, the Celtics now have dropped two straight following a 123-116 loss to Milwaukee on Friday in Game 3 at TD Garden.
Much of the first half was level, but the Bucks took an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter and never ran the risk of losing it.
Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with 29 points. Jayson Tatum (20 points, 10 rebounds), Jaylen Brown (18), Al Horford (17), Marcus Morris (16), and Gordon Hayward (10) also scored in double-figures.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a double-double, dropping a game-high 32 points with 13 rebounds. He was one of five Bucks to post double-digit scoring.
The Bucks now lead the series 2-1.
Here’s how it all went down.
STARTING FIVE
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Marcus Morris
C: Al Horford
KYRIE GETS GOING
Though they shot poorly for stretches, the Celtics looked good in the first quarter, outscoring the Bucks 30-25.
Clearly feeding off the energy from the home crowd, the Celtics got off to a fast start, opening the game on a 10-2 run. But that advantage didn’t last long, as the Bucks leveled the score with 6:49 left and took their first lead with 3:31 to go.
The Celtics went into the second quarter with momentum on their side though, outscoring Milwaukee 14-4 in the final 2:05 of the first.
It was a good quarter for Irving, who led all players with 13 points.
UNCLE DR3W 👌 https://t.co/6mau9rrExQ
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 4, 2019
STAYING CLOSE
The Celtics were outscored 30-26 in the second quarter, but still took a 56-55 lead into the break.
A 16-4 run gave the Celtics a 12-point lead just after the midway point of the quarter, but the Bucks showed some nice resolve, scoring seven unanswered in response. Even after Milwaukee’s run ended, it continued chipping away the rest of the quarter, eventually tying things at 53 with 1:28 left in the half.
Brown and Nikola Mirotic both had eight points in the second. Antetokounmpo led all players with 14 first-half points.
BUCKS HEAT UP
In the first two games of the series, a lopsided third quarter determined the outcome. At first that didn’t appear to be the case Friday, but the Bucks heated up at the end of the quarter to take a 95-87 lead into the fourth, outscoring Boston 40-31 in the frame.
Both teams had a couple of solid stretches in the early stages, with seemingly every score getting matched on the other end, preventing either side from gaining much momentum.
But with 3:28 left, the Bucks kicked off what ultimately became a 12-0 run, putting them up 11 before Brad Stevens called a timeout with 1:44 left in the stanza.
Brown had one of the better highlights of the game in the third though, throwing down this thunderous dunk over Antetokounmpo.
Irving led all players with 25 points though three quarters.
NIGHT NIGHT
The Celtics kept themselves within striking distance early in the fourth quarter, but never really could get enough going to threaten Milwaukee’s lead.
Boston never got closer than five points of the Bucks in the frame, while allowing them to swell their lead to as many as 17 at one point.
The Celtics showed a little fight in the waning moments of the game, pulling back within seven thanks to an 8-0 run that concluded with 1:20 left. And though they got the deficit down to five with 6.5 seconds left, the hole they had dug themselves earlier in the frame proved to be the downfall.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Impressive.
UP NEXT
The Celtics and Bucks will meet for Game 4 of the series Monday. Tip from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m. ET.
