Paul George scored 25 points and Derrick White added 24 as the Boston Celtics held off the Milwaukee Bucks 109-102 on Wednesday night at TD Garden, The Associated Press reported.
Boston improved to 6-2 and remained unbeaten at home. Milwaukee fell to 1-7, including 0-4 on the road.
Tatum sits, Hauser starts
Jayson Tatum sat out for the first time this season after playing in Boston’s first seven games. Sam Hauser made his first start of the year in Tatum’s place and scored 11 points. The starting five was White, George, Hugo González, Hauser and Neemias Queta, who finished with nine points and 12 rebounds.
George went 5 of 9 from beyond the arc and added five assists and four steals. White had seven assists and was perfect at the line, 9 of 9. Off the bench, Baylor Scheierman had nine points and 11 rebounds, Luka Garza scored 11, and Payton Pritchard added 10.
Early lead, late scare
Boston never trailed through three quarters, opening a 22-point lead in the second and taking a 21-point edge into halftime, according to the AP. Milwaukee won the third quarter 38-25 behind Tyler Herro, who scored 18 of his 25 points in that period, and cut the deficit to single digits.
The Bucks briefly led in the fourth after Nate Ament tied the game and then put Milwaukee ahead 92-91. White answered with a three-point play that made it 102-97 with 2:22 left, after Scheierman found him cutting, and Boston outscored Milwaukee 12-5 over the final three minutes.
Box-score notes
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 18 for Milwaukee, and Myles Turner had 12. The Celtics shot 16 of 39 from 3-point range (41%). Boston opens a four-game trip at Charlotte on Friday night in NBA Cup group play. Milwaukee hosts Toronto on Friday.