BOSTON — The Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-102 at TD Garden, recovering late after a 22-point first-half lead gave way to a close finish. Paul George and Derrick White led Boston, while Neemias Queta contributed several important plays during the fourth quarter.
The seven-point victory came after a much less comfortable second half than Boston’s early advantage suggested. Milwaukee rallied back into contention, forcing the Celtics to secure a game they had led by a substantial margin before halftime.
MassLive’s game recap described Boston’s finish as a late rally following the loss of its large cushion. Its separate player-of-the-game report highlighted Queta’s contributions in the tight fourth quarter, identifying him as a key figure in getting the Celtics through the closing stretch.
Boston also received a contribution from Baylor Scheierman, who scored nine points and collected 11 rebounds as a reserve, according to Boston.com. That production gave the Celtics a bench presence alongside the efforts of George, White and Queta.
A big cushion becomes a close game
The first-half advantage was the clearest measure of Boston’s early control. At its largest, the gap reached 22 points, putting Milwaukee well behind before the break. But that margin did not translate into a straightforward path to the final buzzer.
The Bucks’ response changed the shape of the contest. Rather than simply protecting a comfortable advantage through the closing minutes, the Celtics had to answer Milwaukee’s comeback with a late push of their own. The final margin reflected Boston’s ability to finish the game, not the size of the lead it had established earlier.
Those two phases defined the result: Boston created considerable separation in the first half, then needed decisive contributions in a competitive fourth quarter. Milwaukee’s rally erased the comfort of the early cushion, but the Celtics ultimately kept the comeback from becoming a defeat.
Contributions beyond the leading names
Boston.com’s account emphasized George and White in the victory. MassLive’s focus on Queta added another part of the picture, pointing to multiple fourth-quarter plays rather than a single contribution as the reason for its player-of-the-game selection.
Scheierman’s nine points and 11 rebounds supplied another concrete measure of Boston’s supporting production. His rebound total reached double figures even as he came off the bench, making his contribution distinct from the leading roles highlighted in the coverage.
Together, the accounts described a win that required more than Boston’s strong opening. George and White led the Celtics, Scheierman supplied points and rebounds in reserve, and Queta helped during the period when the outcome remained close.
For Boston, the result was a seven-point home victory after a game with sharply different stages. The Celtics’ early lead did not hold up as a comfortable cushion, but their late response was enough to finish ahead of Milwaukee.
