3 Studs, 2 duds from Milwaukee Bucks' hard-fought loss to Boston Celtics

Dud - Malik Beasley

Most nights, Malik Beasley has been nothing short of a fantastic addition to the Milwaukee Bucks, but this was not one of those contests. The starting two-guard finished with just six points on 2-of-8 field goal shooting, struggling mightily to get himself into a groove.

On top of his poor shooting, Beasley committed a devastating and unnecessary foul on Jaylen Brown with 20 seconds left to play and the Bucks down by two. The foul sent Brown to the line, where he put the Celtics up by four points and essentially put an end to Milwaukee's comeback try.

Stud - Bobby Portis

Bobby Portis has been on a bit of a roll following the NBA All-Star break, and that trend continued in this matchup with Boston. Like Lillard, he got off to a slow start, but after a few shot attempts, he got going, pouring in 24 points while also collecting 15 rebounds. He scored 14 of those 21 points in the final frame as he helped stage Milwaukee's comeback attempt in a big way.

Despite his missed free throw late that would have pulled the Bucks within one just before Beasley's poor foul, this was a good game for the big man. It's beyond welcoming to see him score and grab a handful of rebounds with authority like the Bobby Portis of old. They need this play from him all the time, especially when playing top competitors like the Boston Celtics.

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