Top scorers face off in Milwaukee-Boston matchup
Boston Celtics (41-16, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (39-17, second in the Eastern Conference)
LISTEN: Celtics at Milwaukee on WKTY, beginning with pregame Tuesday at 6 p.m. Tune in on 96.7 FM / 580 AM
BOTTOM LINE: A pair of the NBA’s top scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum, meet when Milwaukee and Boston take the court. Antetokounmpo ranks third in the NBA averaging 32.4 points per game and Tatum ranks sixth in the league averaging 30.5 points per game.
The Bucks are 21-13 in Eastern Conference games. Milwaukee leads the Eastern Conference in rebounding, averaging 49.1 boards. Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks with 12.3 rebounds.
The Celtics are 24-11 in Eastern Conference play. Boston averages 13.0 turnovers per game and is 16-4 when committing fewer turnovers than opponents.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Celtics won the last matchup 139-118 on Dec. 25. Tatum scored 41 points to help lead the Celtics to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jrue Holiday averages 2.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Bucks, scoring 19.1 points while shooting 36.8% from beyond the arc. Antetokounmpo is averaging 32.4 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists over the past 10 games for Milwaukee.
Tatum is averaging 30.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown is averaging 16.1 points over the last 10 games for Boston.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bucks: 10-0, averaging 124.7 points, 53.1 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.5 points per game.
Celtics: 6-4, averaging 113.1 points, 47.3 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 4.7 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.7 points.
INJURIES: Bucks: Bobby Portis: out (knee).
Celtics: Jaylen Brown: out (face), Danilo Gallinari: out for season (knee), Malcolm Brogdon: day to day (achilles), Marcus Smart: out (ankle).
TOP PHOTO: FILE – Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo during the second half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinals playoff series Friday, May 13, 2022, in Milwaukee. The Celtics won 108-95 to tie the series at 3-3. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)