BOSTON – The Celtics knew they’d need their younger players to step up this postseason with Kyrie Irving sidelined for the postseason.
They have, and it’s added up to 2-0 lead in Boston’s first-round matchup with Milwaukee.
Jaylen Brown had a playoff career-high 30 points and the Celtics pulled away into second half to earn a 120-106 win over the Bucks on Tuesday night.
Terry Rozier added 23 points. Game 3 is Friday in Milwaukee.The Celtics led by as many as 20 in the fourth quarter as their ball movement overwhelmed the Bucks.
Brown, who is in his second year, said right now the Celtics are feeling “confident as ever.”
“People have been writing us off all year. And we just keep proving people wrong. So that’s what we’re gonna do,” he said.
Milwaukee got as close as 107-97 with 4:13 to play. But the Celtics responded with an 11-2 run, capped by a banked in 3-pointer by Brown to push their lead back up to 118-99.
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Khris Middleton added 25 points.
“I think as a team we didn’t show up tonight,” Antetokounmpo said.
Turnovers were an issue for the second straight game for Milwaukee. The Bucks finished with 15, leading to 21 Boston points. They also shot just 41 percent from the free-throw line (7 of 17).
“They were just the more desperate team tonight again,” Middleton said. “We started off poorly again. … We’ve just got to more into it, got to be the more desperate, hungry team.”
Boston had just three turnovers through three quarters and only seven on the night. Rozier finished no turnovers for the second straight game.
“I’ve just got that confidence,” Rozier said. “My teammates, my coach, they trust in me to get everybody in their spots to run the plays. … I’m gonna do what I can to protect the ball and get my guys open.”
The Celtics’ bench also came up big, outscoring their Milwaukee counterparts 41-25. Marcus Morris led Boston’s reserves with 18 points. Shane Larkin chipped in 11 points, scoring in double-digits for the first time in a playoff game.
He also had a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter that gave Boston a 15-point cushion entering the final period.
Brown said he is expecting to see a much different Bucks team as the series shifts to Milwaukee.
“We not taking anybody lightly,” he said. “I know they’re going to come out and make adjustments.” (AP)
