Celtics Dominate Bucks Without Key Players
The Boston Celtics managed a commanding 108-81 victory over Milwaukee despite playing without several key players. Payton Pritchard led the scoring with 25 points, while Hugo Gonzalez provided additional spark for the depleted squad. The win highlights Boston's depth and resilience as the playoffs approach.
The Celtics' victory was even more impressive considering the absence of All-Stars Jayson Tatum, who is recovering from right Achilles surgery, and Jaylen Brown, who was out with an illness. Boston also decided to rest center Neemias Queta, who was coming off a career-high 27-point performance the previous night. This game marked the return of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had been sidelined for 15 games with a right calf strain. In his 25 minutes of play, Antetokounmpo put up 19 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome Boston's cohesive effort. The Bucks are now 11-18 this season without their star player. Rookie Hugo Gonzalez, a first-round pick from the 2025 draft, had a breakout performance in just his third career start, recording career-highs with 18 points and 16 rebounds. Payton Pritchard has been a consistent contributor for the Celtics this season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. The Celtics dominated the game statistically, outrebounding the Bucks and winning the shot margin by 21. They also forced 16 turnovers which led to 19 points for Boston. This victory improves Boston's record to 7-3 in their last 10 games against Milwaukee. The win solidifies the Celtics' position as the second seed in the Eastern Conference standings, while the Bucks find themselves in 11th place, outside of the play-in tournament picture. The loss was Milwaukee's third straight, all by a margin of at least 23 points.
