NBA Playoffs 2019: Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks live score, updates, news, stats, highlights

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The Bucks, owners of the league's best regular-season record, advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001with a dominant 25-point win over the Boston Celtics.

If you missed any of below for updates from throughout the decisive Game 5…

Final: Bucks 116, Celtics 91 (Bucks win 4-1)

Milwaukee uses a balanced offensive attack and a dominant defensive performance to cruise to a 25-point series-clinching win over Boston

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks with 20 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals but he received plenty of help. Khris Middleton (19 points), Eric Bledsoe (18 points), George Hill (16 points), Ersan Ilyasova (10 points), Nikola Mirotic (10 points) and Malcolm Brogdon (10 points) each finished in double figures.

The Bucks shot 42-for-94 (44.7%) from the field while holding the Celtics to 29-for-93 (31.2%) shooting for the game.

Kyrie Irving scored a team-high 15 points (on 6-for-21 shooting) while Marcus Morris and Jayson Tatum both added 14 points apiece. Jaylen Brown finished with 12 points in the game and Al Horford added nine points on 4-for-13 shooting.

The Bucks await the winner of the series between the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers.

End of third quarter:  Bucks 80, Celtics 62

The Bucks take their biggest lead of the night into the fourth quarter and are 12 minutes away from their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 18 years.

After a relatively quiet scoring first half, Giannis Antetokounmpo has made his presence felt with 10 third-quarter points to bring his total for the game to 16 points. The Bucks MVP candidate has also added eight assists, seven rebounds and two blocks on the game.


Khris Middleton (17 points), Eric Bledsoe (13 points) and Nikola Mirotic (10 points) are the three other Bucks to have scored in double figures through three quarters.

Kyrie Irving still leads the way for Boston with 13 points but is now 5-for-19 from the field. After a one-point first half, second-year forward Jayson Tatum scored 11 points in the third quarter to bring his total for 12 points on the night.

Boston is shooting an ice-cold 19-for-71 (26.8%) from the field and will look to warm up to have a chance to claw back into this one.

Halftime:  Bucks 52, Celtics 39

Milwaukee outscores Boston 30-20 to build a 13-point halftime lead.


It's been a rough shooting night for the Celtics, who are 13-for-51 (25.5%) from the field and 4-for-23 (17.4%) from beyond the arc. In the second quarter alone, Boston connected on just two of its 14 3-point attempts.

Though he has a game-high 13 points, Kyrie Irving's shooting woes continue as he is 5-for-13 (31.3%) from the field.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, is heating up as it shot 4-for-9 from deep and 11-for-22 from the field in the second frame thanks to the play of Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, Nikola Mirotic and George Hill.

Mirotic has a team-high 10 points at the half while Bledsoe (nine points), Hill (nine points) and Middleton (eight points) aren't too far behind. Giannis Antetokounmpo has just six points but has also dished out six assists and grabbed five rebounds.

End of first quarter:  Bucks 22, Celtics 19

After leading by as many as 11 points in the first quarter, the Bucks take a three-point lead into the second frame.

Milwaukee is led by five points from both Nikola Mirotic and Eric Bledsoe while Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored three points, grabbed two rebounds, dished out two assists and blocked two shots.


Kyrie Irving leads Boston with six points but is 2-for-9 from the field. Boston is shooting 6-for-26 (23.1%) from the field as a team while Milwaukee isn't much better at 7-for-22 (31.8%).

Pregame

Milwaukee goes with Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Mirotic and Brook Lopez to start.

Boston will employ a different starting lineup featuring Aron Baynes at the centre alongside Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford


The Celtics Marcus Smart made a triumphant return in Game 4 and is expected to reprise his role in Game 5 (in limited minutes).


After missing the last 17 games with a foot injury, 2017 Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon is back in action for Game 5.


 

Author(s)
Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News.