Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley made a spin move in the lane, floated a jumper over Boston’s Luke Kornet, then crouched back on defense, holding his hand inches from floor to mock the Celtics center.
Too small?
No, too early.
Angered by the insult to his teammate, Payton Pritchard scored 10 points in the quarter, matching the Bucks’ total output and helping the Celtics open a big lead before holding on for a 122-119 victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday evening.
“It kind of lit a fire under me,” said Pritchard, 6-foot-1, who had 19 points and six rebounds — most of them in the second quarter, when Boston turned a five-point lead into a 18 points. . “He’s trying to clown around with one of our teammates. So I definitely took it a little personally.
Jayson Tatum scored 31 points for Boston, which took advantage of the absence of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to win its seventh straight game. The Celtics haven’t lost to an Eastern Conference team at home all season.
Derrick White had 23 points and eight assists, while Jaylen Brown finished with 21 points and eight rebounds for Boston.
Damian Lillard scored 32, including a 3-pointer in the last second. Bobby Portis had 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who had won two in a row.
Even though the game featured two East Division leaders, the Celtics hold an 11-game advantage over the second-seeded Bucks in the race for home-court advantage. Any other juice in the game was lost when Antetokounmpo was ruled out for the second straight game with a left hamstring issue.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said the game wasn’t necessarily a playoff preview.
“Nothing is guaranteed in life,” he said. “We can see them; they can see us; we can not. You never know what will happen. I know both teams are developing an identity and there is obviously a DNA that both teams have. But you don’t want to think too much. And you take nothing for granted.
It was 10 when the Celtics scored 13 of the next 15 points to open an 11-point lead. The Bucks cut it to two before the end of the first quarter, but Boston used a 21-8 run – with 10 points from Pritchard – to make it 56-38.
Pritchard also had the most rebounds (four) and assists (three) in the quarter.
“Everyone always talked about his shooting,” Mazzulla said. “But I think this year, in particular, he’s had an impact with his rebounding, with his defense, with his pace. He’s becoming a very complete player who knows he can have a positive impact on the game in different ways, and that’s a huge asset for us.
Pritchard also ignited the crowd when he took a offensive board away from Brook Lopez, a player a foot taller. Frustrated, the 7-foot-1 center pushed him away in disgust.
Pritchard celebrated by flexing his muscles and high-fiving Kristaps Porzingis; Tatum waved his arms to encourage the crowd, who rose to their feet to give Pritchard a standing ovation.
“Just a winning play,” Pritchard said. “He’s 7 feet and I’m 6 feet – you know, not by NBA standards. I’m just a competitor.
Boston led by as many as 21 points, but the Bucks didn’t get within single digits until the final minutes, when they scored 10 straight points — eight of them, including long, straight 3-pointers, from Portis — to transform. a 13-point lead in a one-possession game.
But Portis missed a 3, Tatum made two free throws, then the Celtics star made a layup to make it 114-107 with 1:38 left.
Antetokounmpo also missed the Bucks win at home 140-129 on Phoenix on Sunday. He has missed five games this season; Milwaukee is 3-2 without him.
The Greek star, 29, ranks third in the NBA in scoring (30.8), sixth in rebounding (11.2) and 15th in assists (6.4) this season.
FOLLOWING
Bucks: Host Brooklyn on Thursday night.
Celtics: At Detroit Friday night.
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