Jayson Tatum had a strong first half en route to a 31-point night, while Derrick White added 23 points as the league-leading Boston Celtics rolled to a seventh straight win after holding off the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks, 122-119.
Jayson Tatum drops 31 as the @celtics win their 7th straight game and clinch the Atlantic Division 👏👏
— NBA (@NBA) March 21, 2024
31 PTS | 4 3PM | 8 REB | 3 STL | 2 BLK
Boston's won 18 of their last 20 games 🍀📈 pic.twitter.com/M65lonXudN
Tatum waxed hot early and had 23 points in the first half. The five time All-Star was held scoreless until the fourth quarter when he converted a driving layup with 1;38 minutes left with the Celtics leading. 114-107.
White provided yet a solid game to go alongside eight dimes, five rebounds and two steals.
Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis combined for 38 points for Boston, who nearly wasted a 21-point lead. Payton Pritchard added 19 points and six rebounds off the bench for Boston, scoring 10 points in the second quarter including this ridiculous play showing his handles.
Payton Pritchard snaps off a series of handles and steps back. TOUGH.
— NBA (@NBA) March 21, 2024
MIL-BOS on ESPN pic.twitter.com/9lKFPd4SOn
Trailing 110-97 with 5:45 left in regulation, Milwaukee launched a 10-0 run capped off by a Bobby Portis triple to make it a single possession game, 110-17 in a span of three minutes.
Bobby Portis hits the 3 to cut Boston's lead to 3!
— NBA (@NBA) March 21, 2024
Coming down to the wire on ESPN between the top two teams in the East 👀 pic.twitter.com/dHQmZVaspB
After a Kristaps Porzingis slam, Damian Lillard connected on triple followed by a Portis jumper to make it a single possession game at 116-114 with 32 seconds left. However, Boston managed to sink the much-needed free throws late to improve to a league best 32-3 record at home.
Lillard topscored his squad with 32 while Portis had 24 points, including 14 alone in the fourth, and grabbed 15 rebounds. Khris Middleton added 20 with six boards and six dimes.
The win padded the Celtics' (55-14) gap from Milwaukee (44-25) to 11 games for the top spot in the East with the third-seed Cleveland Cavaliers (43-26) just a game behind the Bucks. It also allowed the C's to clinch the Atlantic Division title.
