Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 31 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 116-101 win over the visiting Boston Celtics on Thursday night without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Bobby Portis added 27 off the bench for Milwaukee, who snapped a two-game skid, on 11-of-13 shooting from the floor. Kevin Porter Jr. had a triple-double with 18 points, 13 assists and 10 boards.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 30 while Jordan Walsh added 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting. The loss ends Boston’s five-game win streak.
After Boston grew a lead in the double-digits, Milwaukee went on multiple separate runs in the first quarter to go into the second down just 35-29 despite Boston’s 7-for-11 shooting from deep.
In the second, Boston grew another lead, their largest at 14. Again, though, Milwaukee scratched and clawed their way back, losing the quarter by just a point as the Celtics led 67-60 at the break.
Jordan Walsh led Boston with 18 at halftime, making all three of his 3-point attempts. Kuzma also had 18 to lead Milwaukee.
Kuzma carried his personal momentum into the third, scoring 11 of Milwaukee’s first 13 points of the third.
Milwaukee went on a 22-6 run to take a 5-point lead late in the third. Boston missed all 12 3-point attempts they took in the quarter and went into the fourth trailing 87-80.
Portis hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the final quarter, giving Milwaukee its first double-digit lead of the night.
The Bucks controlled it from there as Boston shot just 3-for-26 from beyond the arc in the second half. Milwaukee made 7-of-12 from deep in the half and shot 62.9 percent overall from the floor.
Milwaukee ends its three-game losing skid against Boston after the Celtics swept the season series a year ago.
