BOSTON – Jayson Tatum had 34 points and 10 rebounds and the Boston Celtics beat the Bucks 111-105 on Friday night in Khris Middelton’s season debut for Milwaukee.

Jaylen Brown added 25 points as the Celtics hit 17 3-pointers to earn their 10th win in 11 games.

Damian Lillard finished with 31 points for Milwaukee, which has lost two straight since winning a season-high seven straight. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points and 11 rebounds on his 30th birthday.

Middleton had 11 points and five assists in 23 minutes after missing the Bucks’ first 21 games while recovering from offseason ankle surgeries.

Boston led 107-102 on a floater by Jrue Holiday when Brown was whistled for a foul on a 3-point attempt by Middleton, who hit all three free throws.

Two free throws from Holiday gave Boston a 109-105 lead. Antetokounmpo then turned the ball over, leading to a layup by Al Horford.

Takeaways

Bucks: Middleton’s return marked just the 43rd time he, Antetokounmpo and Lillard played together. How well the recently on-the-rise Bucks can integrate Middleton could determine their chances of competing in the East.

Celtics: This was another outstanding win for a team that has beaten the Bucks in all three meetings this season.

Key moment

The back and forth between Antetokounmpo and Brown added another chapter on Friday. Early in the third quarter, Antetokounmpo leaned his shoulder against Brown as Antetokounmpo passed on his way to throw the ball downfield. Brown then returned the favor, running across the field and being whistled for a technical foul. The exchange followed a similar incident during Boston’s win at Milwaukee on Nov. 10.

Key statistics

The game featured 11 ties and 14 lead changes. Neither team led by more than eight points.

Next

The Bucks visit Brooklyn on Sunday. The Celtics host Memphis on Saturday.

——

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