Recap: Boston vs. Milwaukee
Sports Network | November 15, 2008
Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Ray Allen finished with 27 points and made four key free throws late in overtime, as the Boston Celtics pulled out a 102-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Paul Pierce led Boston with 28 points -- including a 14-for-15 effort from the free-throw line. Kevin Garnett scored 15 before fouling out as the Celtics rebounded from a loss Friday to Denver. They have won seven of eight overall.
Andrew Bogut led Milwaukee with 20 points despite not playing in the final four minutes of regulation and overtime. He was ejected with 3:58 left after receiving his second technical foul.
Luke Ridnour finished with 19 points, which included the game-tying layup with 1.4 seconds in regulation, before also fouling out. The Bucks were coming off an overtime win over Memphis on Friday.
Neither team scored in overtime until Luc Richard Mbah a Moute went to the free throw line with half the time gone. He made both for a 95-93 Bucks edge. Pierce answered with a three-pointer from the top of the arc, but Garnett fouled out on the other end.
After the teams traded possessions, Dan Gadzuric took a dish from Ridnour for an emphatic dunk and a 97-96 Milwaukee lead with 1:07 left. On the play, Rajon Rondo ran directly into Pierce and the two players were shaken up but still were able to play.
Each team was unsuccessful on its next touch, but with 24.9 seconds on the clock Allen was fouled on a pass into the lane. He made both free throws for a 98-97 Celtics lead.
Richard Jefferson's shot rimmed out, then Allen grabbed the board and was fouled with 10.4 left. He made both shots again to put the Celtics up three. Milwaukee's ensuing touch did not go well, as Gadzuric attempted a mid-range shot that missed. Pierce went to the line with 3.6 on the clock and made two to seal the game.
The contest went to the extra session following a tight end of regulation. With Boston maintaining a slim lead, Ridnour canned a three-pointer to get the Bucks within two. Mbah a Moute then managed to hoist in a layup from the left side with several players dangled on his arms. He was fouled on the play and made the foul shot to give Milwaukee an 89-88 lead with just under three minutes left.
But Pierce put Boston back ahead, 93-89, with two free throws and a shot from behind the arc. Jefferson answered with a jumper, and after a few misses on the teams' next possessions, Milwaukee got the ball and a timeout with 45.7 ticks left.
Coming back into play, Jefferson drove into the lane but was called for pushing off to set up a jumper, keeping the Bucks down two. However, Pierce missed on the Celtics' turn downcourt, and Rondo knocked the ball out of bounds with 8.5 seconds left, giving Milwaukee one last chance.
Ridnour dribbled on the right side of the court, drove past Allen and put in an underhanded layup with 1.4 ticks left to knot the game at 93-93. The Celtics' last-gasp attempt was unsuccessful to send the contest to overtime.
A back-and-forth first quarter ended in a pair of Ramon Sessions free throws that brought the Bucks within 21-20. Boston stretched out its lead in the second quarter, and led 50-38 at halftime.
The game went back-and-forth again in the third quarter, and Boston led 71-59 going into the final stanza. But the Bucks got back into the contest on the strength of an eight-point burst. Mbah a Moute had a tip-in followed by a layup, and Jefferson made a pair of free throws and jumper to pull Milwaukee within 78-76 with 6:45 left in regulation.
Garnett was also assessed a technical foul with 3:58 left in the game, as he and Bogut both seemingly made vague swipes at each others' faces...Mbah a Moute, Jefferson and Sessions all ended with 14 points each for the Bucks...The game featured 10 lead changes and nine technical fouls.
