The Milwaukee Bucks strike first in their Eastern Conference semifinal showdown against the Boston Celtics with an impressive 101-89 road win in Game 1. Giannis Antetokounmpo finishes with a triple-double (24 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists) as the Bucks steal home court away from Boston at TD Garden.
The Celtics led early, but the Bucks soon took control and didn’t let up. Milwaukee held strong during a long stretch in the third when Giannis went to the bench with four fouls. Boston’s offense, meanwhile, struggled miserably in the opener. The team finished 28 for 84 shooting (33 percent) in the loss, including just 10 2-point field goals. It suffered a scare when Marcus Smart left late in the second quarter with a shoulder stinger, but returned to what was a very physical contest.
The defending champions entered the series against Boston as underdogs, and without All-Star forward Khris Middleton for likely the entire series. Game 2 is set for Tuesday.