GIANNIS Antetokounmpo had a triple-double and Jrue Holiday scored a game-high 25 points as the visiting Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics 101-89 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
Antetokounmpo finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. Holiday added nine rebounds, Bobby Portis put up a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds and Grayson Allen scored 11 points.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 21 points and Al Horford added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Jaylen Brown scored 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting and committed seven turnovers. Marcus Smart added 10 points despite playing through a shoulder stinger and a bruised thigh and Derrick White scored 10 for the Celtics, who lost for the first time in the playoffs after sweeping Brooklyn in the first round.
Game 2 will be Tuesday night (Wednesday in Manila) in Boston.
The Celtics made 18 of 50 3-pointers, but just 10 of 34 2-pointers.
Portis made a 3-pointer to complete a 7-0 run that gave Milwaukee an 87-72 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Horford made a 3-pointer to pull the Celtics within 12, but Holiday made a 3-pointer and Antetokounmpo scored on a put-back dunk for a 94-78 lead midway through the quarter.
In the other game, Jordan Poole scored 31 points on 12-for-20 shooting, Stephen Curry finished with 24 points and the visiting Golden State Warriors held on for a 117-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series.
Poole and Curry drained five 3-pointers apiece as the Warriors recovered from a double-digit deficit in the first half as well as the surprise ejection of veteran forward Draymond Green. Andrew Wiggins finished with 17 points, and Klay Thompson scored 15 despite making only six of 19 shots from the field.
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 34 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 33 points and 10 rebounds, while De’Anthony Melton scored 14 off the bench.
