Milwaukee gets another crack at Boston on Sunday night, just four days after turning a 22-point deficit into a brief fourth-quarter lead and still losing 109–102. The rematch at Fiserv Forum arrives with the Bucks at 1–8 and on a five-game losing streak, while the 7–2 Celtics have won two straight. It's a useful early-season test of whether Milwaukee can turn a spirited comeback into a complete 48-minute performance.
Wednesday's meeting showed both the danger and the opportunity for the Bucks. Boston led 62–41 at half-time after hitting 10 of its first 17 three-point attempts. Milwaukee answered with 38 third-quarter points and eventually went ahead 92–91, but the Celtics recovered to win the closing possessions. Boston outscored Milwaukee 12–5 over the final three minutes. A rally can get a team back into a contest; it can't substitute for the defensive discipline needed to finish one. The official game summary captures that swing.
The personnel equation has changed, too. Jayson Tatum sat out that first meeting for rest, then returned with 34 points and nine assists in Friday's 119–80 demolition of Charlotte. Derrick White, who scored 24 against Milwaukee, added 18 in Charlotte. Boston's attack therefore arrives with another major creator available, and Milwaukee can't simply plan for the same version of the Celtics that it nearly caught in Boston. Reuters' rematch report details Tatum's return and the teams' recent form.
Tyler Herro remains the obvious offensive starting point for Milwaukee. He scored 25 in Wednesday's defeat and followed with 23 points and 10 assists against Toronto, although the Bucks lost that game 121–107. The bigger challenge is keeping the ball moving when Boston takes away the first option. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 18 in the previous meeting, and rookie Brayden Burries supplied 21 points and 11 rebounds against the Raptors. Milwaukee has useful contributors; it needs their production to arrive without the long dry spells that have undone its starts.
The frontcourt is another pressure point. Myles Turner went scoreless on seven shots against Toronto, and his offensive struggles have reduced one source of spacing and scoring. Boston's defence can load up on the guards if Milwaukee's bigs aren't making the opposition pay. That doesn't require Turner to dominate the scoring column: a confident catch-and-shoot threat, timely screening and strong rebounding would all make Herro's job easier. Boston also punished Milwaukee's slow defensive rotations with 16 made threes in their last meeting.
For the Celtics, the practical objective is to avoid allowing a commanding advantage to evaporate again. Paul George scored 25 in Wednesday's win, but Boston's late execution mattered more than the early fireworks. The Celtics' 24 made threes against Charlotte showed how quickly their spacing can stretch a defence. Milwaukee can't afford to defend the first action well and then surrender an uncontested second-side shot. Boston, meanwhile, will want its offence to stay composed when the Bucks raise their pressure.
Sunday's game is scheduled for 8 pm Eastern time on 8 November — 11:30 am Monday in Adelaide — and is a pregame preview, not a result. The NBA fixture page lists the matchup at Fiserv Forum. Milwaukee doesn't need a spectacular individual performance to change its trajectory; it needs a reliable defensive possession followed by another, especially when the game tightens. Boston has already shown it can survive the Bucks' best run. Now Milwaukee has to show it can sustain one.
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