Dennis Schröder leads Celtics to overtime win against Bucks
In a game where neither team led by more than 10, the Celtics survived a late defensive collapse to beat the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night at TD Garden, 122-113. The win gets the Celtics back to .500 at 6-6 on the season.
Each side was missing a star player in this game – the Celtics were without Jaylen Brown, and the defending champion Bucks didn’t have two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With that kind of star power missing, role players stepped up. Leading the Celtics was point guard Dennis Schröder, who had far and away his best performance so far in Boston. Inserting into the starting lineup in place of Brown, he led all scorers with 38 points, including eight in overtime.
Both teams started the game shooting the ball well. At the first commercial break, the Bucks led 13-11 thanks to Bobby Portis going 4-for-4 to start the game. The offensive tempo kept up, and the game was tied 30-30 after the first quarter.
The teams went back and forth again in the second quarter. A 6-0 run for the Bucks to close the frame gave them a 55-51 halftime lead, closing out a half that saw neither team lead by more than five points.
It wasn’t until late in the third quarter that the Celtics finally separated. An 13-2 run that started with just over three minutes to play in the quarter gave them the first double-digit lead of the game for either team. Milwaukee hit a couple of shots to make it 88-81 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Celtics were still up six with just under three minutes to go before the Bucks found their rhythm. A 10-4 run to close the quarter was capped by a game-tying three pointer from Grayson Allen. Jayson Tatum missed a fadeaway in the final seconds to send the game to overtime at 108-108.
After the two teams dueled to start overtime, Schröder gave the Celtics some cushion with about two minutes to go – hitting a long two-point jump shot then cutting to the basket for a layup on the next play.
HUGE NIGHT AND HUGE SHOT FROM DENNIS pic.twitter.com/xZRtWbhah6
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) November 13, 2021
That sequence put the C’s up five, and keyed a 12-2 run for Boston to close out overtime on their way to the win.
Schröder’s 38 points were just three shy of his career-high 41, which he achieved with the Hawks in 2018. The 28-year-old also added eight rebounds and three assists.
Jayson Tatum also had a big night for the Celtics. He picked up his third straight double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Robert Williams had a double-double as well, recording 12 points and 10 rebounds, and tacked on three blocks. Marcus Smart added 19 points and had a team-high six assists.
The Celtics’ new City Edition uniforms made their debut in the game Friday night. Check below for a closer look at the team’s latest design.
This was the first game of a back-to-back for the Celtics. They’ll head on the road tomorrow for a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m., with pregame coverage starting at 7:30 on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Celtics.
Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.
