Defense Found: Bucks Overwhelm Celtics For 116-92 Win

MILWAUKEE — Length and athleticism make the Milwaukee Bucks a dangerous team with the ball. When they defend the way they did on Friday night against the Boston Celtics, they’re nearly unstoppable. Khris Middleton scored 23 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 19 and the Bucks used a dominating first half to overwhelm the Celtics 116-92, narrowing their deficit in the first-round playoff series to 2-1. Eric Bledsoe and Jabari Parker each added 17 for the energized Bucks, who held the Celtics without a field goal for nearly an 11-minute stretch of the first half. Milwaukee found its defense after a disheartening 14-point loss in Game 2, getting contributions from up and down the roster. “We realized how important this game was … Everybody that played came in ready to go,” Antetokounmpo said. Backup center Thon Maker scored 14 points and had five of the Bucks’ 12 blocks.