It had been a while since the Celtics had played a game and they looked rusty on Thursday night, especially in the 2nd half. Kyle Kuzma’s 31 points and Bobby Portis’ 27 led the way for the Bucks in their 116-101 win over Boston. For the C’s, Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Jordan Walsh added 20 of his own as his leap continued.
The Celtics were without Jayson Tatum, Chris Boucher, Amari Williams and Ron Harper Jr. They started their usual starters of Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jordan Walsh and Neemias Queta. Meanwhile, the Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo, A.J. Green and Taurean Prince. They started Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner.
Joe Mazzulla quickly removed Queta from the game, just 2:09 in, after he picked up his first foul. Josh Minott check in and hit his first three.
The Celtics got out on the Bucks quickly, hitting 5 of their first 6 threes and going on a 16-2 run to take a 21-8 lead.
It is a game of runs, however, as the Bucks cut into the Celtics lead by going on a 21-9 run of their own, making the score 30-29.
The Celtics ended the quarter with two Jaylen Brown baskets and the Celtics led 35-29 after the first quarter. Brown led the team with 13 points going 5-5 from the field, Jordan Walsh and Payton Pritchard also had 8 points each.
The Bucks continued to hang around in the half even though it felt like the Celtics were significantly out playing them.
The Celtics led the Bucks 67-60 at halftime. They were led by Jordan Walsh who scored 18 points while going 7-7 from the field and 3-3 from three. He also had 3 steals and 3 rebounds in the first half.
The Jordan Walsh ascension has broken my brain. For him to go from a guy who couldn’t get off the bench to what he has become this quickly is shocking and so much fun to watch.
HE CANNOT MISS 🤯 pic.twitter.com/o2sDo6eo8R
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 12, 2025
Kyle Kuzma kept the Bucks attached for much of the game, he had 27 points with 8 minutes left in the 3rd quarter as he capped off an 11-0 run to tie the game.
The Celtics went ice cold in the third quarter scoring 11 points in the first 10 minutes of the quarter while going 0-10 from three as the Bucks took 5-point lead.
It was one of the most frustrating quarters of the season for the Celtics. They did not heat up in the final two minutes and finished the period with 13 points, missing every three they took and a pair of free throws at the end of the quarter. They lost the quarter 27-13 and trailed the Bucks 87-80 at the end of the third.
Brown led the team with 25 points to go along with 3 rebounds and 3 assists.
As the 4th quarter began both Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis reached their season high in scoring. Kuzma had 31 points and Portis had 22 points.
13/16 for kuzma and 9/10 for portis. whatever man.
— jack (@janderson22_) December 12, 2025
This is 2023 Eastern Conference Finals levels of fake shooting
— Sam LaFrance (@SamLaFranceNBA) December 12, 2025
Jaylen Brown finally made the Celtics first three of the half with 7:38 to go in the 4th quarter. Of course, Cole Anthony hit a three the very next possession.
It was not Sam Hauser’s night as he went 0-10 from the field and 0-9 from three.
The game got away from the Celtics in the 2nd half and the shooting percentages for each team will tell you how they did. Milwaukee shot 63% in the half and the Celtics shot 26%.
For the game the Celtics shot 39% from the field and 29% from three while the Bucks shot 58% from the field and 45% from three. Boston’s next game is Monday at TD Garden against the Pistons at 7:00 EST.
