Monday’s matchup with Milwaukee called for an unsung hero in a season that’s been filled with them. Rookie Hugo González, starting in place of Brown, began his night by scoring Boston’s first two buckets and never relented.
Get Starting Point
Despite spending most of his evening checking the physically punishing Antetokounmpo, Gonzalez played the best game of his short NBA life, helping the Celtics trounce the Bucks 108-81 at Fiserv Forum with career bests in points (18) and rebounds (16).
Meanwhile, coming off his first scoreless game in 14 months, Payton Pritchard responded with 25 points and nine assists off the bench as Boston won for the 12th time in 14 games.
In a game that meant so much to the Bucks, the Celtics outclassed their opponent with 20 3-pointers, 19 offensive rebounds, and six scorers in double figures. With Queta out, Luka Garza soaked up backup center minutes and pitched in with seven offensive rebounds in 19 minutes.
Boston has spent this surprising season relying on its bench, pelting teams with its depth and Monday was no different.
“It goes back to the beginning of the season,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “One of the strengths of the locker room has always been being able to win games when guys have been out. We’ve sat guys over the last three or four years and still have been able to win games. That’s just the DNA of the locker room. I thought Hugo was great tonight, taking on the challenge of guarding Giannis, just his energy on the offensive end.”
Antetokounmpo, who has never requested a trade but was on the block before the deadline, made his first appearance since Jan. 23 and led Milwaukee with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes. But the Celtics won those Antetokounmpo minutes by 16 points and forced him into 11 misses in 18 attempts.
González led that effort despite giving up 50 pounds and plenty of muscle. In one play Antetokounmpo grabbed the ball in the post, pump-faked González in the air and then threw down a thunderous dunk. But those vintage Antetokounmpo moments weren’t consistent as the Celtics threw multiple bodies in his direction.
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned after a six-week calf rehab and led the Bucks with 19 points.Aaron Gash/Associated Press
“With those types of players, you can’t really guard them by one person,” González said. “You got to take the matchup as a team. Those types of players are some of the best in the world. He’s big. He’s strong. He’s fast. He can do everything. He’s a really difficult player to guard.”
The Celtics responded from that early 7-point hole with a 10-0 run and took a 16-15 lead at the 5:07 mark of the opening period and wouldn’t trail again. The game was a series of runs with Pritchard and Derrick White sparking a 22-10 run for a 52-30 lead. Antetokounmpo scored the first 7 points of the second half and the Bucks sliced the Celtics’ lead to 9 early in the third quarter.
After a 15-0 Boston run and a 15-2 Milwaukee run, the Celtics finally gained control with a White-led flurry to end the third period and then Pritchard nailed four triples in the fourth quarter. Pritchard attempted just four shots in his 27 minutes in Sunday’s win against Philadelphia. Mazzulla said before the game he was convinced Pritchard would respond favorably, and he was right.
“Yeah, I didn’t score but it’s funny every year I do have games like that,” Prichard said. “Every year there’s times where the flow of the game can just work like that. It can be frustrating for sure. I hold myself to a high standard but just turn the page and get ready for the next one and come out and do what I do.”
The Boston defense held the Bucks to 36.5 percent shooting and a combined 13 points from starters AJ Green, Myles Turner, and Kevin Porter Jr. The Bucks fell to 3½ games behind the Hornets for the final play-in spot. The Celtics host the Hornets Wednesday at TD Garden.
“Give them credit, they were faster to the ball the entire night,” Rivers said of the Celtics. “They fought through screens. They blew up a lot of plays. I didn’t think we were committed to the way we wanted to play and we lost our way.”
The Celtics, meanwhile, continue to win when they’re shorthanded, improving to 6-1 without Brown, as Mazzulla continues to reap benefits from giving his reserves more opportunities.
“Brad [Stevens] does a great job of finding guys that have a high competitive character,” Mazzulla said. “You’re looking for nights to create ownership and responsibility. We want to validate work ethic. We want to validate the process by trusting all 12, 13 guys that are in the game.”
After rehabbing with the Maine Celtics, Jayson Tatum looks to return to the NBA. Conor Ryan and Ben Volin debate when we could see the star’s comeback.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
