BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 34 points and 10 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Bucks 111-105 on Friday night in Khris Middelton's season debut for Milwaukee.
Jaylen Brown added 25 points as the Celtics made 17 3-pointers to earn their 10th victory in 11 games.
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Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) is congratulated by teammates after scoring late in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates as his team defeats the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket as Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots over Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives against Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) reacts to a call during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Damian Lillard finished with 31 points for Milwaukee, which has lost two straight since winning a season-best seven in a row. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points and 11 rebounds on his 30th birthday.
Middleton had 11 points and five assists in 23 minutes after missing the Bucks’ first 21 games while recovering from offseason ankle surgeries.
Boston led 107-102 after a floater by Jrue Holiday when Brown was whistled for a foul on a 3-point attempt by Middleton, who hit all three free throws.
Two free throws by Holiday put Boston ahead 109-105. Antetokounmpo then turned it over, leading to a layup by Al Horford.
Bucks: Middleton’s return marked only the 43rd time that he, Antetokounmpo and Lillard have played together. How well the recently surging Bucks can integrate Middleton could determine their prospects of contending in the East.
Celtics: This was another statement win for a team that has beaten the Bucks in all three meetings this season.
The back-and-forth antics between Antetokounmpo and Brown added another chapter Friday. Early in the third quarter, Antetokounmpo leaned his shoulder into Brown as Antetokounmpo passed by on his way to throw the ball inbounds. Brown then returned the favor he ran up the court and was whistled for a technical foul. The exchange followed a similar incident during Boston’s Nov. 10 win at Milwaukee.
The game featured 11 ties and 14 lead changes. Neither team led by more than eight points.
The Bucks visit Brooklyn on Sunday. The Celtics host Memphis on Saturday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) is congratulated by teammates after scoring late in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates as his team defeats the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket as Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots over Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives against Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) reacts to a call during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Congratulations, Team C. You've won the Rising Stars competition.
Your reward? A trip to the All-Star Game on Sunday night — where LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are among those who'll be waiting in the second semifinal.
San Antonio's Stephon Castle scored 12 points and won MVP honors, Keyonte George had a 3-pointer for the game-winning score and Team C beat Team G League — composed of players from the NBA’s developmental league — 25-14 in the championship game of the Rising Stars competition to open All-Star weekend on Friday night.
“We all wanted to play on Sunday," Castle said. “We all wanted to win.”
Combined, the seven first- and second-year players on Team C — Castle, George, Phoenix’s Ryan Dunn, Memphis teammates Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells, Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Dalton Knecht — have a combined 5,028 points, 25 double-doubles and no triple-doubles in their NBA careers. (An eighth player, Houston's Amen Thompson, was added to the roster after Friday's final.)
“All of us are about to play in our first All-Star Game,” Knecht said. “That's crazy. ... I might play against ’Bron, right? That true? I get to go against one of my teammates. It’s going to be a lot of fun to get a chance to go out there and make a statement.”
Team C — which will go by Candace's Rising Stars on Sunday, named for Candace Parker — will face the team drafted by Shaquille O’Neal in the All-Star semifinal. That means it'll be taking on James, Curry, Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Damian Lillard and James Harden.
That team, combined: 7,577 NBA games, 188,331 points, 1,812 double-doubles, 243 triple-doubles — and about $2.7 billion in on-court earnings.
But past stats won't mean anything in a first-to-40 game on Sunday night. The NBA stars will surely feel some pressure against a young team that has nothing to lose.
“Nobody will want to lose to that team,” Curry said.
Dink Pate of the Mexico City Capitanes and Leonard Miller of the Iowa Wolves each had five points for the G League team in the Rising Stars final.
Three of the teams in the Rising Stars tournament were named in honor of Golden State’s famed Run TMC days. Team T was named for Tim Hardaway Sr., Team C for Chris Mullin and Team M for Mitch Richmond.
George scored 10 points, Castle made the game-winning jumper and Team C defeated Team T in the first semifinal.
Toronto's Gradey Dick led Team T with 12 points in the first-to-40-points, untimed format.
Bryce McGowens hit a 3-pointer for the winning score and Team G League beat Team M 40-39 in the second semifinal.
Miller had 14 points for Team G League. Houston’s Amen Thompson had 10 points for Team M.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) looks to pass the ball against Washington Wizards forwards Corey Kispert, center, and Tristan Vukcevic (00) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)