Bold opener: A shorthanded Celtics just proved they can win on their own terms, and they did it again against Milwaukee with remarkable depth and grit. And this is the part most people miss: Boston isn’t leaning on stars as much as they’re leaning on a trusted, resilient collective. Here’s a fresh take on the game report, keeping all the essential details and ideas while expanding a touch for clarity and context.
MILWAUKEE — Across this astonishing Celtics season, coach Joe Mazzulla has consistently aimed for decisions that end up paying off. He chose to leave Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta back in Boston for the back-to-back, a move that drew questions but ultimately supported the rest of the squad’s cohesion.
Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers emphasized the gravity of facing Boston as a critical test for the Bucks’ playoff hopes. Milwaukee announced Giannis Antetokounmpo, back from a six-week calf rehab, as healthy and ready, and the Bucks wasted no time, scoring the opening seven points against a thinner Celtics lineup.
Following Boston’s emotional win over Philadelphia the night before, Brown remained in Boston due to illness, Queta sat out after a career-high performance, and the team arrived in Milwaukee around 3 a.m., tired but undeterred.
In Monday’s game, an unsung hero emerged. Rookie Hugo González started in place of Brown, opening by hitting Boston’s first two buckets and maintaining the tempo throughout the night.
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González delivered the kind of performance that earns first NBA starts: he spent much of the night guarding Antetokounmpo, yet still put up the best game of his young career with 18 points and 16 rebounds. Boston rode his effort to a 108–81 victory at Fiserv Forum, outpacing Milwaukee in nearly every statistical category.
Meanwhile, Payton Pritchard, who had just endured his first scoreless game in 14 months, bounced back with 25 points and nine assists off the bench as Boston secured its 12th win in 14 games.
The Celtics’ depth shone again, with six players reaching double figures and Boston draining 20 three-pointers, while pulling down 19 offensive rebounds. With Queta unavailable, Luka Garza stepped in for backup center duties and grabbed seven offensive boards in 19 minutes.
This season, Boston has leaned on its bench to a remarkable degree, and Monday’s performance underscored that trend once more.
“From the start of the season, one of the locker room’s strengths has been the ability to win games even when guys are out,” Mazzulla said. “We’ve sat players in recent years and still found ways to win. That’s the locker room’s DNA. Hugo was outstanding tonight, accepting the challenge of guarding Giannis and bringing energy on offense.”
Antetokounmpo logged 19 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes, but Boston neutralized him for long stretches. The Celtics held him to 11 misses on 18 attempts, and González, despite giving up substantial size and strength, thrived by embracing a team-based approach to defending elite one-on-one talents.
González reflected on the challenge: “With players like that, you can’t guard them with one person. You must treat it as a team matchup. He’s big, strong, fast, and capable of everything, which makes him incredibly difficult to stop.”
Boston overcame an early seven-point deficit with a 10–0 run, grabbing a 16–15 lead by the 5:07 mark of the first quarter and never looking back. A 22–10 stretch, sparked by Pritchard and Derrick White, pushed the lead to 52–30. Antetokounmpo opened the second half with seven straight points, but the Celtics extended their cushion to 16 points on the night’s margin—West-like dominance in a game that mattered deeply to Milwaukee.
White then spearheaded a closing surge, and Pritchard buried four triples in the fourth quarter. His post-game note reflected the season’s rhythm: a rare game with limited shooting opportunities early on, followed by a productive finish when the moment demanded it.
As for the Bucks, their starting trio of AJ Green, Myles Turner, and Kevin Porter Jr. combined for just 13 points, while the Celtics’ defense held Milwaukee to a 36.5 percent shooting clip. Milwaukee slid to 3½ games behind the Hornets for the final play-in spot, setting up a busy stretch with the Celtics hosting Charlotte next.
Rivers summed up the night’s mood: the Celtics were faster to the ball, fought through screens, and disrupted plays with relentless energy. He attributed the setback to a lack of full commitment to their preferred style of play, admitting they lost their way at times.
For Boston, the ongoing narrative of the season continues to be the strength of the assembled depth. With Brown sidelined, the club improved to 6–1 in his absence, a testament to Mazzulla’s trust in a deep, competitive roster and Brad Stevens’s talent-scouting acumen.
“We’re looking for nights that create ownership and responsibility,” Mazzulla added. “We want to validate the work ethic and the process by trusting all 12 or 13 guys who are contributing.”
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
