NBA News Wire
Celtics 102, Bucks 86
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
MILWAUKEE — Forward Jeff Green scored 29 points, and the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 102-86 Monday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
Boston centers Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger each posted double-doubles, Olynyk finishing with 14 points and 11 boards and Sullinger with 13 points with 10 rebounds. Point guard Phil Pressey, starting in place of Rajon Rondo, added 13 points and dished out six assists, and forward Brandon Bass finished with 12 points.
The only team to lose twice this season to the Bucks — owners of the league’s worst record (9-42) — Boston (19-34) pulled away from Milwaukee early in the fourth quarter. The Celtics built a 10-point lead when Green sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 7:32 to play.
Two minutes later, Olynyk drew a foul on a driving layup and converted the free throw to make it a 91-76 game, and the Celtics cruised to their fourth victory in five games.
Milwaukee shot 48 percent through three quarters but missed eight of 10 shots to open the fourth. The Bucks clinched a losing record for the season with their third consecutive loss.
Point guard Brandon Knight led the Bucks with 22 points. He also had five rebounds and four assists in 40 minutes of work.
Milwaukee forward John Henson made his third straight start and finished with 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting. He also blocked two shots, both in the first quarter. Henson has at least one block in each of his last 18 games, the longest active streak in the NBA.
NOTES: After playing a season-high 37 minutes Sunday against Dallas, Celtics PG Rajon Rando did not travel with the team to Milwaukee but could start playing the second game of back-to-backs in the near future, according to coach Brad Stevens. SG Avery Bradley was also unavailable and will undergo an MRI on his sore right ankle Tuesday. … Bucks C Larry Sanders suffered a broken bone near his eye will be out through All-Star break, according to coach Larry Drew. Sanders played just four minutes Saturday before taking a elbow from Houston Rockets G James Harden. Limited to just 23 games this season due to injuries and illness, Sanders is averaging 7.7 points and 7.2 rebounds this season but averaged 13.3 points and 10.7 rebounds in four games before his latest injury.
