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Kuzma and Portis lead Bucks past Celtics 116-101 without injured Antetokounmpo

Kuzma and Portis lead Bucks past Celtics 116-101 without injured Antetokounmpo | iNFOnews.ca
Milwaukee Bucks' Kyle Kuzma (18) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics' Neemias Queta during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 31 points and Bobby Portis added 27 points and 10 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks rallied in the second half to defeat the Boston Celtics 116-101 on Thursday night without injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Portis hit a pair of 3-pointers from the left corner as Milwaukee opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to go in front 95-82. Another 3 by Portis put the Bucks up 106-89 with 6:49 remaining.

Portis hit 11 of 13 shots, including 5 of 6 beyond the arc, in 26 minutes. Kevin Porter Jr. had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Jordan Walsh added 20 for the Celtics, whose five-game winning streak ended.

Milwaukee improved to 2-7 this season without Antetokounmpo, who missed his third consecutive game with a strained right calf. Antetokounmpo, who’s averaging 28.9 points and 10.1 rebounds, is expected to miss two to four weeks.

Boston led 67-60 at the half. Kuzma scored nine points to fuel an 11-0 spurt that brought the Bucks even at 71-all midway through the third quarter.

Milwaukee, which trailed by 10 in the first quarter, pulled within 30-29, but the Celtics responded with a 23-9 run, going in front 52-38 on Payton Pritchard’s 3-pointer with just under seven minutes left in the half.

Pritchard and Walsh each hit three 3-pointers in the first half. However, the Celtics went cold from 3-point range, finishing 14 of 49 (28.6%).

Up next

Celtics: Host the Detroit Pistons on Monday.

Bucks: Visit the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Kuzma and Portis lead Bucks past Celtics 116-101 without injured Antetokounmpo | iNFOnews.ca
Milwaukee Bucks’ Kevin Porter Jr. (7) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics’ Josh Minott (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Kuzma and Portis lead Bucks past Celtics 116-101 without injured Antetokounmpo | iNFOnews.ca
Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo smiles from the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Kuzma and Portis lead Bucks past Celtics 116-101 without injured Antetokounmpo | iNFOnews.ca
Milwaukee Bucks’ Ryan Rollins (13) drives to the basket between Boston Celtics’ Jordan Walsh (27) and Hugo Gonzalez (28) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Kuzma and Portis lead Bucks past Celtics 116-101 without injured Antetokounmpo | iNFOnews.ca
Milwaukee Bucks’ Ryan Rollins (13) shoots against Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

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The Associated Press

Jim Hoehn

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

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