Giannis scores 42 to lead Bucks over Celtics

SAN FRANCISCO

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 42 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and passed off eight assists to spark defending champion Milwaukee over Boston 103-101 on May 7 in the NBA playoffs.

The Greek superstar center also had two blocked shots and two steals for the Bucks, who seized a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference second round series, which continues at Milwaukee on today.

In Western Conference action, the Golden State Warriors went up 2-1 on the Memphis Grizzlies with a 142-112 blowout in San Francisco.

The defeat was even more painful for the Grizzlies as they saw star Ja Morant limp out with an apparent knee injury late in the fourth quarter.

Morant had been sensational in defeat, scoring 34 points with three rebounds and seven assists. He appeared to hurt his knee in a tussle for a loose ball in the final period.

But the Grizzlies couldn’t slow a Warriors team that connected on 63.1 percent of their shots, with Stephen Curry leading the way with 30 points and Jordan Poole adding 27 off the bench.

Klay Thompson scored 21 for the Warriors, who had six players score in double figures in a comprehensive victory.

In Milwaukee, the Celtics rallied from 14 points down to pull within 103-100 with 4.6 seconds remaining, and Boston’s Marcus Smart sank the first of two free throws to lift the visitors within the final margin.

Smart missed the second free throw with hopes of grabbing a rebound and making a tying inside shot, but Robert Williams missed a tip-in try and Al Horford’s tip-in was ruled to have come after the final buzzer, giving Milwaukee the victory.

“It was very close,” Bucks center Brook Lopez acknowledged of the Horford tip-in.

Holiday had 25 points for the Bucks, while Lopez added 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, bounced back from a poor shooting night in game two, connecting on 16 of 30 shots.