Irving, Celtics beat Bucks

MILWAUKEE — Al Horford had 27 points and nine rebounds, and the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 96-89 on Thursday night.

Kyrie Irving added 24 points and seven assists for Boston, which avenged a loss to Milwaukee in Boston earlier this month.

The game was played at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, formerly known as the MECCA, which served as the Bucks’ home from 1968 until the team moved into the Bradley Center in 1988.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points for Milwaukee.

Lauri Markkanen scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half, including a key 3-pointer with 48.5 seconds left, and Chicago beat Atlanta in Chicago for their first win of the season. Marco Belinelli made five 3-pointers on his way to 23 points for Atlanta. Marc Gasol had 25 points and 13 rebounds, Mike Conley added 22 points and Memphis held on against Dallas in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis held a 20-point lead in the third quarter, but the Mavericks cut into the lead behind Wesley Matthews, who finished with 18 points and made four 3-pointers in the period.

Former NBA Commissioner David Stern believes medicinal marijuana use by players should be allowed, but the league said it won’t allow it for recreational use. Stern was interviewed by ex-NBA player Al Harrington for the website Uninterrupted’s documentary “Concept of Cannabis.” Stern said he thought there was “universal agreement that marijuana for medical purposes should be completely legal.”