NBA: Celtics rolling as they close road trip vs. injury-hampered Bucks

The red-hot Boston Celtics will wrap up a four-game road trip on Friday night when they face the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.

Boston comes into the matchup having won four of its last five games and eight of its last 10 overall, including a 147-129 rout of the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The Celtics dominated from the start, posting a 53-point first quarter and never looking back. Jaylen Brown led the charge with 43 points, while Jayson Tatum added 25 and Sam Hauser contributed 23.

“We got off to a good start pace-wise. There are times when you execute well and get good shot after good shot, it just kind of happens,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We kept fighting for good looks, the next best look.”

Brown has been Boston’s steady leader all season, averaging 28.8 points, seven rebounds, and 5.3 assists over 67 games. Since returning from an Achilles injury, Tatum has averaged 21.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in 12 games.

Milwaukee has struggled recently, losing 15 of its last 19 contests. Their 119-113 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday highlighted the team’s injury issues. The Bucks played with only seven active players after Gary Trent Jr. left early with a hip injury. Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee), Ryan Rollins (hip), Kyle Kuzma (Achilles), Myles Turner (ankle), and Bobby Portis (wrist) were all sidelined.

Despite the challenges, the young Bucks stayed competitive until the final minutes against a fully healthy Rockets team. Ousmane Dieng led Milwaukee with a career-high 36 points and 10 assists, while Ryan and Pete Nance also recorded career highs with 25 and 23 points, respectively.

“It was more than an effort game. Playing hard wasn’t enough—they played hard and smart,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s a spirit riser for your team and really good for the young guys to see.”

Positive injury updates for Milwaukee include Kuzma and Turner being removed from the injury report, while Rollins is probable for Friday. Trent and Thanasis Antetokounmpo (calf) are questionable, but Giannis and Portis will remain out. For Boston, Nikola Vucevic is still sidelined after finger surgery and is awaiting re-evaluation.

Friday’s game will decide the four-game season series between the two teams. Boston won the last two matchups, 107-79 and 108-81, while Milwaukee’s earlier 116-101 win over Boston on Dec. 11 remains one of their best of the season. The March 2 matchup in Milwaukee was notable, with Boston missing both Brown and Tatum, and Giannis playing limited minutes, yet the Celtics still emerged victorious.

-Field Level Media/Reuters