NEW YORK, (MILLAT ONLINE/APP/AFP) – Giannis Antetokounmpo
scored 22 points as the Milwaukee Bucks knocked the Boston Celtics off the top of the Eastern Conference with a battling 103-100 victory on Wednesday.
Milwaukee, embroiled in a neck-and-neck battle for fifth place in the
standings, claimed their 13th win in 16 games as Boston’s six-game winning
streak at home came to an end.
The defeat saw the Celtics, who had inched clear of Cleveland after
the Cavaliers lost to San Antonio on Tuesday, fall behind once more on percentage points. Cleveland now lead the conference with a 47-26 record while Boston slipped to 48-27.
Milwaukee were almost made to pay after blowing an eight-point fourth
quarter lead. But Celtics point guard Marcus Smart missed a late heave on the buzzer as the Bucks held on.
Antetokounmpo led the Bucks scoring with 22 points and also had nine
rebounds, while Khris Middleton had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Greg Monroe and Malcolm Brogdon both had 16 points apiece.
Isaiah Thomas top scored 32 points for Boston and also set a new
Celtics season record for three-pointers, breaking Antoine Walker’s previous mark of 222. Four other Celtics, including Jae Crowder (13) and Avery Bradley (12) posted double figures.
Thomas tied Walker’s record with a three-pointer bomb in the third
quarter and then broke it with another three with 4:13 left, his 223rd three-pointer of the season.