Milwaukee Bucks: Player grades from 119-112 win over Boston Celtics

B-. Filling in for the absent Eric Bledsoe, as he had done during the Bucks’ scrimmages, Donte DiVincenzo looked up to the challenge for what eventually could be a playoff preview between the two sides down the line. The second-year guard was his energetic, whirling dervish-self all throughout the 26-and-a-half minutes he saw the floor. <p>Offensively, DiVincenzo chipped in a couple of threes and showed some nice drives off the bounce that eventually helped him get into double figures by the end of the night. On the other side, the 23-year-old regularly fought through screens and toggled between defending a variety of Celtics players to ward them off from finding a consistent offensive rhythm. All while pulling down six boards as well. It was a solid, if not spectacular, return for DiVincenzo, but he still made his mark on the win all the same.</p>. Guard. Milwaukee Bucks. DONTE DIVINCENZO

Having only accounted for nine points on 2-of-6 shooting from 3-point range (3-for-3 from the free throw line), Wesley Matthews’ box score would indicate it was a run of the mill night for the veteran 3-and-D wing. However, Matthews put in the thankless job of having to defend the likes of Jayson Tatum as well as Gordon Hayward throughout his 26-and-a-half minutes on the court. To that end, Matthews looked as sharp as he has all season long in shadowing Tatum as he maneuvered to find any slice of space inside and outside of the arc, which helped inform Tatum’s awful showing. The same applied to Hayward in the possessions that Matthews guarded the veteran swingman and Matthews certainly got under Hayward’s skin after drawing an offensive foul in the fourth quarter. Just as he has done all season long, Matthews has taken on the unheralded and unenviable tasks of defending some of the top scorers in the league and continues doing a fantastic job doing so.. Guard. Milwaukee Bucks. WESLEY MATTHEWS. A-

B-. If any one player’s performance resembled the Bucks’ performance throughout the night, it would be Khris Middleton. Along with his superstar teammate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Middleton got off to one hot start, just as the team did on the whole. He looked to be dialed in scoring from his patented spots on the floor and reached double figures early and easily. Eventually, though, Middleton’s shot turned for the worse and so did his extended cold spell, which had a precipitous effect on the Bucks’ offense. Luckily, Middleton was able to break through very late in the fourth quarter to bury his second of two triples for the night to give the Bucks a 6-point lead with 1:13 to go. Middleton eventually finished with 18 points on 20 shots (2-for-9 from three). But for as much as he struggled to find the bottom of the net until late, Middleton’s precise playmaking, especially in the pick-and-roll with Antetokounmpo, was incredibly lethal and played a huge factor in the Bucks’ victory and gave him a team-leading eight assists.. Forward. Milwaukee Bucks. KHRIS MIDDLETON

Forward. Milwaukee Bucks. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO. A+. Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was more than ready to return to official game action, it turns out. The reigning MVP unquestionably led the Bucks to victory and couldn’t be stopped doing so, in more ways than one. Offensively, Antetokounmpo was his dominant self as he easily burst by a variety of Celtics defenders on his way to the cup to give him a team-leading 36 points on 20 shots. While he was solid by his standards going 7-for-12 from the free throw line, Antetokounmpo can surely improve in that regard while in Orlando. Antetokounmpo’s performance was made even more masterful by the way he picked out shooters with ease, even as a slew of defenders came running his way and eventually gave him seven assists. And adding 15 rebounds while guarding multiple positions on the floor, it was all in a day’s work and only a return to form for the Bucks’ leading superstar.

BROOK LOPEZ. B. Brook Lopez made his presence known all night long during the Bucks’ victory over the Celtics Friday night. Lopez got started right away protecting the basket to the All-NBA level he has done throughout the season, which eventually gave him six rejections on the night. Lopez didn’t meet the same high bar on the offensive end, but he certainly had his moments, whether it was on the block, from 3-point range or even bursting by Celtics big man Enes Kanter for a dribble-drive score. All in all, Lopez posted 14 points on 10 shots (2-for-5 from three, 4-for-4 from the foul line), six blocks, four rebounds, two turnovers in nearly 29 minutes of play.. Center. Milwaukee Bucks