Celtics’ 3s thwart Bucks
Late surge can’t save Milwaukee from first defeat
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics went outside and stayed there while knocking off the last of the NBA’S unbeatens with a barrage of 3-pointers.
The Celtics set a franchise record for 3s with 24 in a 117113 win over the Bucks on Thursday, handing Milwaukee its first loss of the season.
“We got a lot of open looks. We were taking what they were giving us,” said Gordon Hayward, who hit three 3-pointers while scoring a season-high 18. “We have to be able to hit those.”
Kyrie Irving led Boston with 28 points, including six 3s as the Celtics shattered the club record of 19 and came up one short of the NBA record.
Al Horford also scored 18, hitting four from beyond the arc, and had eight assists, and Marcus Morris made five 3-pointers and totaled 17 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to Milwaukee’s lineup after missing one game while in the NBA’S concussion protocol and led the Bucks with 33 points and 11 rebounds.
Antetokounmpo helped lead Milwaukee to a 62-22 edge in points in the paint.
The Bucks, the last unbeaten team left in the NBA after beating Toronto on Monday, came up just short after a furious fourth-quarter rally.
Down 15 entering the final period, Milwaukee opened on a 12-0 run and was within one point in the final minute, but the Celtics held on for their fourth straight win.
“We still think we are one of the best teams,” Antetokounmpo said. “Tonight we didn’t have an ‘A’ or ‘B’ game. Probably a ‘C’ game, but we were still close to winning the game in Boston.”
At Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 41 points and 13 rebounds, his sixth game this season with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, for Philadelphia. Lou Williams scored 26 points, Danilo Gallinari 25 and Tobias Harris 24 for Los Angeles.
At Portland, Ore., Damian Lillard scored 26 points for Portland, which made 18 3-pointers in its third win in a row. Julius Randle scored 29 points for New Orleans, which was without Anthony Davis (right elbow sprain).
At
76ers 122, Clippers 113 — Trail Blazers 132, Pelicans 119 — Kings 146, Hawks 115 —
Atlanta, De’aaron Fox had career highs of 31 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for his first triple-double for Sacramento, which won its fifth straight and dealt Atlanta its fourth loss in a row.
At Charlotte, N.C., Russell Westbrook had 29 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for Oklahoma City, which overcame a 19-point third-quarter deficit for its third straight win.
At Cleveland, Juancho Hernangomez scored 23 points for Denver (7-1), which won its third straight and dropped Cleveland to 1-7.
Thunder 111, Hornets 107 — Nuggets 110, Cavaliers 91 —