NBA: Injury-ravaged Bucks hold off Celtics, Rockets beat Clippers

(AFP) The depleted Milwaukee Bucks put a slow start behind them and dominated in the second half to beat 116-101 Boston on Thursday, ending the Celtics' five-game NBA winning streak.

Milwaukee holds off Celtics

The NBA's two-time Most Valuable Player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was again sidelined with a calf injury.

But Kyle Kuzma stepped up with 31 points, Kevin Porter Jr. signed a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, and Bobby Portis Jr. contributed 27 points off the bench for a Bucks that had lost 10 of their previous 12 games.

Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Jordan Walsh added 20 for the Celtics, who built a 14-point lead heading into halftime, when they went up 67-60.

However, Boston flamed out in the second half, making only three of 26 three-point attempts after halftime.

Milwaukee outscored Boston 27-13 in the third quarter, the game's decisive stretch, to take control.

"They beat us early in the game," Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. "We got back in the game. We came out in the third quarter and I thought our defense was phenomenal."

"We pretty much eliminated their three-point shots, and that's what they were looking for time and time again; we took them away, and we did that very well."

Kuzma attacked the rim to tie it 73-73 midway through the third quarter and the Bucks took their first lead since the first period on a Porter free throw, never to relinquish it again.

"I think we had some good lead-generating moments and missed shots, but then they turned up the pressure and we weren't fine in execution in that second half," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.

Houston narrowly wins

In Los Angeles, the Houston Rockets powered by 22 points and 15 rebounds from center Alperen Sengun, held on for a 115-113 win over the LA Clippers in a close game in which neither team took a lead larger than nine points.

Clippers star James Harden tied the score 110-110 with 37.1 seconds to play, but Amen Thompson gave the Rockets the lead back for good by converting a putback shot, finally scored on Houston's fifth possession attempt.

Sengun had grabbed three consecutive offensive rebounds without being able to make a basket until Thompson caught his final attempt and scored, also getting fouled and making the extra free throw.

Rockets star Kevin Durant barely scored three points on a poor 1-of-7 shooting from the field in the first half, but added 13 in the second half as Houston rallied from 54-51 down at halftime.

Center Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with33 points, and Kawhi Leonard added 24 points and nine rebounds, but Los Angeles suffered its third straight loss and eighth in its last nine outings.

Denver beats Sacramento Kings

The Clippers slump into 14th place in the West, while the Rockets remain third, just behind the Denver Nuggets, who won 136-103 on the home court of the Sacramento Kings.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic stood out with 36 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists. On the other hand, Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento's starting center, finished with 15 points and 9 assists.

Pelicans win against Portland

In other results, The New Orleans Pelicans ended a streak of seven consecutive losses with a 143-120 win over Portland.

Frenchman Sidy Cissoko scored an NBA record 20 points coming off the bench for the Trail Blazers, while fellow countryman Ryan Rupert achieved 14 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.