nba playoffs | Thursday’s game

Bucks 97, Celtics 86

MILWAUKEE

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 14 rebounds and Milwaukee pulled away late to beat Boston to force a Game 7 in the first-round series. Khris Middleton and Malcolm Brogdon each added 16 points, with Brogdon hitting a momentum-swinging 3 from the left corner to give the Bucks a two-possession lead with 5:22 left. The Bucks held the Celtics at bay from there to force the winner-take-all game Saturday night in Boston. The up-and-coming Bucks haven’t played a seventh game in the playoffs since losing to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round in 2010. Both teams went on extended runs to take big leads. The Bucks made the last big push to close out the Celtics. Boston had to settle for perimeter looks down the stretch. They couldn’t hit enough 3s, finishing 10 of 36 (28 percent) on the night, and the Bucks limited Boston on the glass. On offense, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks’ charge right at the heart of the Celtics’ defense. After Eric Bledsoe picked off Jayson Tatum’s inbounds pass, Antetokounmpo converted an offensive rebound with a putback off the glass for an 89-81 lead with 3:08 left.

Associated Press