Celtics advance to play 76ers

Warriors roll past Pelicans in Game 1 of Western semifinal

BOSTON — Terry Rozier and Eric Bledsoe spent seven games trash-talking through the media and pretending not to know each other’s names.

When it was over, they gave each other a quick hug — and a smile.

“Just respect,” Rozier said after scoring a career playoff high 26 points in Game 7 against Bledsoe’s Bucks on Saturday night to help the Celtics beat Milwaukee 11296 and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second straight year.

“You’ve got two guys that want to win, two chippy guys, two short point guards,” Rozier said. “We talked after the game, no stuff.”

Rozier added nine assists, Al Horford had 26 points and eight rebounds, and even Giannis Antetokounmpo tipped in a basket for the Celtics, who will meet the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round.

Game 1 is in Boston on Monday night. The 76ers are coming off a 4-1 series victory over Miami and haven’t played since Tuesday.

“We’re going to have to play great,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who was already without starters Gordon Heyward and Kyrie Irving when Jaylen Brown left Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury

Khris Middleton scored 32, Bledsoe had 23 and Antetokounmpo had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks.

WARRIORS 123, PELICANS 101: In Oakland, Calif., Kevin Durant had 26 points and 13 rebounds, Draymond Green dazzled all over the floor with his fourth career postseason triple-double, and Golden State thoroughly overmatched New Orleans in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals.

Green finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocks and helped the defending champions pull away with a superb, decisive second quarter.

New Orleans’ Anthony Davis had 21 points and 10 rebounds, scoring 10 in the first quarter before having a tougher time generating shots the rest of the way to finish 9 for 20. Jrue Holiday was held to 4-for-14 shooting and 11 points.

Golden State again played without two-time MVP Curry, who has been sidelined since March 23 with a sprained left knee. Coach Steve Kerr called it “very likely” Curry would play Game 2 in the best-of-seven series Tuesday.

Klay Thompson, who led Golden State with 27 points, hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the first half that made it 76-48.