NBA: Red-hot Celtics visit Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined

The red-hot Boston Celtics aim to keep their momentum going when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night, who will be playing without star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Neither team qualified for the NBA Cup quarterfinals, allowing both to come into the game well-rested. The Bucks had four days off, while Boston enjoyed three.

Boston enters the matchup on a five-game winning streak and having won 10 of its last 12 games. The Celtics secured a tight 121-113 road victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

Jaylen Brown led the charge with 30 points and eight rebounds, maintaining his season average of 29.1 points per game. Derrick White added 27 points and contributed five assists, while Neemias Queta continues to dominate the paint with 8.2 rebounds per game. White also leads the team in assists with 5.3 per game.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, is struggling, having lost 10 of its last 12 games. Six of those defeats came without Antetokounmpo, who also played only three minutes in another. The Bucks’ last outing on Saturday ended in a 124-112 loss to the Detroit Pistons, following a recent home win over the same team.

Kevin Porter Jr. has been a bright spot, scoring 32 points and recording six assists, continuing his hot streak since returning from a knee injury. Kyle Kuzma added 15 points, and Myles Turner contributed 12 points—all in the first quarter—despite taking only one shot inside the 3-point arc.

“I think Myles’ first season as a Buck has gone okay, not great yet. He’s going to be way better later than he is now,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s been in one place for 10 years. It’s going to take a minute. Yet he’s still very positive in the locker room, and the plus-minus numbers are all plus when he’s on the floor.”

Porter Jr. is averaging 21.8 points and nearly six assists per game in six outings, providing a vital boost for Milwaukee without Antetokounmpo. Ryan Rollins adds 17.5 points and six assists per game. Rivers said Antetokounmpo may need closer to four weeks to recover from his calf injury, which could keep him out until the end of December. AJ Green (shoulder) remains day-to-day but could suit up Thursday.

Boston’s injury report is relatively clean, though Jayson Tatum (Achilles) has yet to be ruled out for the season after sustaining the injury during last year’s playoffs. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla emphasized Tatum’s leadership regardless of his playing status.

“It’s all up to him. At the end of the day, his health is the most important thing,” Mazzulla said. “To me, the only thing I care about is his presence and his leadership. He’s doing that in different ways.”

Boston won twice at home and also defeated Milwaukee on the road last year to sweep the three-game season series. With Thursday’s game added due to the NBA Cup results, the series between the teams will now expand to four games this season. -Field Level Media/Reuters