Antetokounmpo helps Bucks grab 2-1 lead on Celts

BOSTON — Giannis Antetokounmpo kept attacking, and the Boston Celtics kept fouling.

The fouls slowed the second half of Game 3, but nothing could stop Antetokounmpo from putting together a signature performance at TD Garden.

Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 13 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks beat Boston 123-116 on Friday to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

George Hill scored 21 points and Khris Middleton 20 for the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo attempted only 13 field goal but scored 16 points on free throws in a game that featured 53 total fouls called — 39 in the second half.

Including Milwaukee’s two regular-season games in Boston, Antetokounmpo has scored 30 or more points in each of his trips to TD Garden in 2018-19.

“I’m just gonna keep being aggressive. That’s what my teammates want me to do,” Antetokounmpo said. “If I have to take it all the way, I’ll take it all the way.”

Kyrie Irving scored 29 points and Jayson Tatum 20 for the Celtics, who host Game 4 on Monday.

Boston led by a point at the half but was outscored 40-31 in the third quarter and trailed by as many as 17 points in the final period.

The Celtics also were outscored 52-24 in the paint and had 18 turnovers leading to 28 Milwaukee points.

Irving acknowledged the fouls slowed the game and stunted Boston’s efforts late.

“It’s getting ridiculous at this point,” Irving said, using an expletive to describe the lulls the fouls created.

The Bucks threw the Celtics a tactical curveball in Game 2, inserting Nikola Mirotic into the starting lineup in place of Sterling Brown.

In Game 3 it was Celtics coach Brad Stevens who brought new wrinkles, notably going with a small lineup that featured 6-foot-7-inch Semi

Ojeleye guarding the 6-11 Antetokounmpo when he returned to the game at the start of the second quarter and again in the third quarter.

Boston also kept going at Antetokounmpo throughout the game when it had the ball. It included a one-handed dunk by Jaylen Brown over the Bucks’ star early in the third quarter that brought Celtics fans inside TD Garden to their feet.