MILWAUKEE (AP) — Free-agent guard Mike Dunleavy Jr. was at the Milwaukee Bucks’ practice facility Friday, but had to watch the team’s first practice from courtside as he waited to sign his new deal.

The Bucks were waiting for the NBA to approve a pending trade that will send guard Keyon Dooling to the Boston Celtics before signing Dunleavy and their rookies. And with teams around the league seeking approval on contracts and trades in a post-lockout logjam, the Dooling trade still was unofficial when the team hit the court for practice.

The trade was finalized later Friday, with the Bucks sending Dooling and a protected second-round pick to the Celtics for the rights to forward/center Albert Miralles.

CBSSports.com wire reports
March 13, 2011

BOSTON — Ray Allen and the Boston Celtics take a lot of pride in their defense, so this one was a gem. For Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles, it was embarrassing.

Allen scored 17 points in just three quarters and the Celtics set a franchise record for fewest points allowed in the shot-clock era, routing the Bucks 87-56 on Sunday.

“I think playing defense perfectly is our goal,” Allen said. “That’s what we shoot for, but a team can still score while you’re doing that.”

Not this time.

It was the lowest score against the Celtics since they beat the Milwaukee Hawks 62-57 at Providence, R.I., on Feb. 27, 1955. The Bucks, who joined the NBA before the 1968-69 season, set a franchise record for fewest points.

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

 

 

 

More on Bucks at Celtics
Related links
Video
NBA Drive Looking back at the Harlem Rens “That’s about as humiliating a defeat as you’ll ever see,” Skiles said. “They got us on our heels and took our competitive fight away from us. We pretty much just gave into it.” Milwaukee was coming off 102-74 home win over Philadelphia on Saturday. When the Bucks flew east to Boston, they lost an hour to the Eastern time zone and then another hour to daylight savings time. And when the 6 p.m. EDT start arrived on Sunday, they plodded their way to all of nine points in the first quarter. “You could see they were tired,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “So, we took advantage and that was great, but a lot of it had to do with their schedule.” The Celtics held the Bucks to just 38 points through three quarters — an NBA record, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. They clinched the new franchise low when Milwaukee’s Keyon Dooling missed a pair of free throws with 22 seconds remaining. Nenad Krstic had 11 points and 14 rebounds and Paul Pierce scored 14 for the Celtics, who rested their starters throughout the fourth quarter. Earl Barron was the only player to score in double figures for the Bucks, finishing with 10 points. Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings led Milwaukee’s starters with eight points apiece. Guard John Salmons was shut out altogether in 21 minutes. It was Milwaukee’s most dismal performance since an 88-58 loss to Seattle on Feb. 21, 2003 — the day after the Bucks traded Allen to the SuperSonics in a multiplayer deal for Gary Payton. Eight years later, Allen had a light workout with 30 minutes for the Celtics, who also got Glenn “Big Baby” Davis back after missing four games with a strained tendon in his left knee. Davis finished with nine points and seven rebounds. Troy Murphy added 12 points and seven boards and Jeff Green scored 11 for Boston. The Bucks, who had won three straight, barely avoided the NBA record for fewest points in a half. Two field goals by Bogut in the final minute of the second quarter pushed Milwaukee’s score from 18 to 22 — just three better than the league record for futility. It tied the Bucks’ franchise low and was the fewest scored in a half against the Celtics ever. The Bucks had more turnovers (nine) than field goals (eight) in the half and were outrebounded by Boston 27-17 in the first two periods. Notes The Celtics got an early start on St. Patrick’s Day festivities by wearing their green and gold uniforms at home. Bogut was called for his second foul just 4:31 into the game.	Â	Ray Allen drops behind the arc, looking for a trey vs. the Bucks.(Getty Images) Scoreboard Final 1 2 3 4 T Milwaukee (26-39) 9 13 16 18 56 Boston (47-17) « 20 19 21 27 87 MIL:E. Barron 10 Pts MIL:A. Bogut 8 Reb MIL:B. Jennings 3 Ast BOS:R. Allen 17 Pts BOS:N. Krstic 14 Reb BOS:C. Arroyo 6 Ast   Milwaukee STARTERS M FG FT TR A PF PTS L. Mbah a Moute, SF 27 3-6 1-1 7 0 0 7 B. Jennings, PG 27 3-8 1-3 2 3 0 8 A. Bogut, C 25 4-6 0-0 8 1 3 8 C. Delfino, SG 24 1-6 0-0 0 1 2 3 J. Salmons, SF 21 0-5 0-0 0 2 3 0 BENCH M FG FT TR A PF PTS K. Dooling, PG 27 3-9 0-2 3 2 3 7 E. Boykins, PG 21 1-7 0-0 2 1 1 2 J. Brockman, PF 18 1-2 1-1 6 1 4 3 C. Douglas-Roberts, SG 17 1-7 0-0 0 1 3 2 L. Sanders, PF 17 1-4 1-2 2 1 1 3 E. Barron, C 10 4-7 2-2 1 0 1 10 C. Maggette, SF 7 0-3 3-4 1 0 1 3 M. Redd, SG Did Not Play D. Gooden, PF Did Not Play E. Ilyasova, SF Did Not Play Totals   22-70 9-15 32 13 22 56   31.4% 60.0%   Complete Box Score Boston STARTERS M FG FT TR A PF PTS R. Allen, SG 30 6-10 3-3 1 3 2 17 P. Pierce, SF 28 4-7 6-7 3 2 0 14 N. Krstic, C 27 5-8 1-2 14 1 0 11 K. Garnett, PF 25 4-7 0-0 8 1 1 8 R. Rondo, PG 23 1-6 0-0 3 3 0 2 BENCH M FG FT TR A PF PTS C. Arroyo, PG 25 1-5 0-0 2 6 2 2 J. Green, PF 23 4-10 3-4 3 1 4 11 G. Davis, PF 18 3-6 3-3 7 0 0 9 T. Murphy, PF 17 5-7 2-3 7 0 4 12 S. Pavlovic, SG 16 0-3 1-2 1 0 2 1 A. Bradley, PG 8 0-3 0-0 1 2 0 0 J. O’Neal, C Did Not Play S. O’Neal, C Did Not Play D. West, SG Did Not Play V. Wafer, SG Did Not Play Totals   33-72 19-24 50 19 15 87   45.8% 79.2%   Complete Box Score

The Boston Celtics haven’t had any prolonged slumps, so the prospect of losing a third consecutive game has to be a bit foreign to the defending Eastern Conference champions.

With the way they’ve played most of the season, the thought of a fourth straight win has to be surreal for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Celtics will try to avoid their longest slide in nearly a year Sunday as they host the Bucks, who have blown out their last three opponents to get back in the playoff race.

Boston (46-17) won its first five games with recently acquired Jeff Green(notes) and Nenad Krstic(notes), including 89-83 at Milwaukee last Sunday.

The Celtics came out flat Wednesday against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers and lost 108-103, then couldn’t recover Friday at Philadelphia. Boston shot 41.8 percent and got just 16 combined points from Paul Pierce(notes) and Ray Allen(notes) – 20 below their average – in an 89-86 defeat.

“We were dead tired, dead out of it, it looked like,” coach Doc Rivers said.

That 76ers certainly had that look Saturday in Milwaukee. Fresh off a 19-point win at Washington and a 20-point victory over Cleveland, the Bucks (26-38) shot 52.6 percent and cruised 102-74.

Milwaukee, which averages 91.7 points and shoots 42.7 percent – both NBA lows—has averaged 102.3 points and shot 50.4 percent while tying its longest winning streak of the season.

“Our defense has always been kind of stable. On the offensive end, we’re moving the ball better, guys are shooting their shots with more confidence,” said Luc Richard Mbah a Moute(notes), who had 14 points, 12 rebounds and five steals. “We need to play that way for the rest of the season if we want to make the playoffs.”

Beating the Celtics could put the Bucks in playoff position. Tenth in the East heading into the day, Milwaukee is just one half-game behind Indiana and Charlotte – both of which play on the road Sunday.

“It’s pretty ridiculous, isn’t it?” center Andrew Bogut(notes) said.

There are plenty of reasons to doubt the Bucks can pull out a win at the TD Garden, though. Boston hasn’t lost three straight since March 28-April 2, 2010, and it’s responded to its four two-game skids this season with winning streaks of 14, four, four and three.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, has gone into a tailspin after its previous three-game winning streaks. The Bucks have followed with slides of five, three and four games.

They’ll at least be healthier than they were a week ago against Boston. Bogut missed that game with a muscle strain in his ribcage, while Corey Maggette(notes) should be available after sitting out two games with a knee injury.

Maggette was active Saturday, but coach Scott Skiles didn’t play him.

Bogut’s presence could be key. He’s averaged 22.8 points and 13.3 rebounds in his last four games against the Celtics.

Bogut will likely see an additional big body he’ll have to deal with underneath the basket, however. Boston expects to have Glen Davis(notes) back after its burly forward has missed the last four games with patellar tendinitis.

The Celtics could use him, considering they fell into a tie for the East’s top spot Saturday after Chicago won its sixth straight game.

Rivers, though, is prone to playing it cautious with his aging team’s injured players. Delonte West(notes), Shaquille O’Neal(notes) and Jermaine O’Neal(notes) are all being cautious in their recoveries.

“We want the one seed, but we want health, too,” Rivers said.

With only nine players dressed, the Boston Celtics had no choice but to rely on their Big Three in the clutch.

Paul Pierce scored 23 points, Kevin Garnett added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Ray Allen hit the go-ahead jumper as the Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 89-83, on Sunday night for their fifth straight win.

“We got a nice little rhythm, truthfully. It really starts with our core group,” Pierce said. “At the end of the day, we’re finding a way to win.”

The Celtics (46-15) held Milwaukee without a field goal in the final 31/ 2 minutes, proving they have no problem closing out games even with just nine players dressed. Boston remained three games up on Chicago atop the Eastern Conference and four games up over Miami with the Heat struggling to finish games.

“We made plays at the end of the game, more defensive than offensive,” Garnett said. “We had to get stops and make plays and we made them.”

With the game tied at 82, Boston’s three stars came through. Allen hit a 17-foot jumper, Garnett made an 11-foot fadeaway jumper while being heavily defended and Pierce converted a three-point play with 18 seconds left to seal it. Garnett also grabbed a big rebound and made a key block late.

“We’re definitely not where we want to be, but we’re grinding it out,” Pierce said.

Boston got 17 points from Nenad Krstic and 11 points from Jeff Green, two of the Celtics’ five new players acquired in the last 10 days.

Brandon Jennings scored 23 points for the similarly short-handed Bucks, who have lost 12 of the last 16.

John Salmons hit a jumper and Carlos Delfino added a 28-footer to tie the game at 82all with 3:36 left. But Allen answered with his jumper and the Celtics dug in on defense, forcing turnovers on two consecutive possessions.

Jennings, who finished 8 of 19 from the field, missed an open shot on the baseline with 56 seconds left and Garnett grabbed the rebound before making his contested shot that gave the Celtics an 86-82 lead.

Salmons hit a free throw that made it 86-83 with 38 seconds left after Allenwas called for a foul before the ball was put in play and the Bucks retained possession. But Garnett swatted away Luc Richard Mbah a Moute’s layup attempt and pumped his right arm as Rajon Rondo grabbed the rebound and was fouled.

“We knew the plays they were running,” Garnett said. “I let him go by and blocked it. We got the rebound and the game was pretty much over after that.”

On the ensuing inbounds play, Rondo found Pierce streaking to the basket. Pierce made an easy layup after a bad foul by Keyon Dooling and his free throw was the final margin.

“The whole game, we felt like we hung in there, we did a good job of hanging in there with them, but I feel like we shot ourselves in the foot, turning the ball over and not executing when we needed to at a crucial moment of the game,” Mbah a Moute said. “That really cost us.”

Mbah a Moute returned from missing two games with an illness to finish with a seasonhigh 19 points and Salmons had 11 for the Bucks.

Boston has a slew of injury problems, leaving Jermaine O’Neal (left knee), Shaquille O’Neal (right heel), DelonteWest (right ankle), Glen Davis (left knee) and Von Wafer (right calf) at home for its only stop in Milwaukee.

â–  Celtics add Arroyo: The Celtics signed Carlos Arroyo for the rest of the season after the guard was released by the Miami Heat.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers says that Arroyo will join the team today.

The Heat waived Arroyo on Tuesday to make room for Mike Bibby. Arroyo, a nineyear NBA veteran of six different teams before Boston, made 42 starts for Miami, averaging 6.4 points and 2.2 assists per game this season.

MILWAUKEE — With only nine players dressed, the Boston Celtics had no choice but to rely on their Big Three in the clutch.

Paul Pierce scored 23 points, Kevin Garnett added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Ray Allen hit the go-ahead jumper as the Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 89-83 on Sunday night for their fifth straight win.

“We got a nice little rhythm, truthfully. It really starts with our core group,” Pierce said. “At the end of the day we’re finding a way to win.”

The Celtics (46-15) held Milwaukee without a field goal in the final 3½ minutes, proving they have no problem closing out games even with just nine players dressed. Boston remained three games up on Chicago atop the Eastern Conference and four games up over Miami with the Heat struggling to finish games.

“We made plays at the end of the game, more defensive than offensive,” Garnett said. “We had to get stops and make plays and we made them.”

With the game tied at 82-82, Boston’s three stars came through. Allen hit a 17-foot jumper, Garnett made an 11-foot fadeaway jumper while being heavily defended and Pierce converted a three-point play with 18 seconds left to seal it. Garnett also grabbed a big rebound and made a key block late.

“We’re definitely not where we want to be, but we’re grinding it out,” Pierce said.

Boston got 17 points from Nenad Krstic and 11 points from Jeff Green, two of the Celtics’ five new players acquired in the last 10 days.

Brandon Jennings scored 23 points for the similarly short-handed Bucks, who have lost 12 of the last 16.

John Salmons hit a jumper and Carlos Delfino added a 28-footer to tie the game at 82-82 with 3:36 left. But Allen answered with his jumper and the Celtics dug in on defense, forcing turnovers on two consecutive possessions.

Jennings, who finished eight-of-19 from the field, missed an open shot on the baseline with 56 seconds left and Garnett grabbed the rebound before making his contested shot that gave the Celtics an 86-82 lead.

Salmons hit a free throw that made it 86-83 with 38 seconds left after Allen was called for a foul before the ball was put in play and the Bucks retained possession. But Garnett swatted away Luc Richard Mbah a Moute’s layup attempt and pumped his right arm as Rajon Rondo grabbed the rebound and was fouled.

(Page 2 of 3)

“We knew the plays they were running,” Garnett said. “I let him go by and blocked it. We got the rebound and the game was pretty much over after that.”

On the ensuing inbounds play, Rondo found Pierce streaking to the basket. Pierce made an easy layup after a bad foul by Keyon Dooling and his free throw was the final margin.

“The whole game, we felt like we hung in there, we did a good job of hanging in there with them, but I feel like we shot ourselves in the foot, turning the ball over and not executing when we needed to at a crucial moment of the game,” Mbah a Moute said. “That really cost us.”

Mbah a Moute returned from missing two games with an illness to finish with a season-high 19 points and Salmons had 11 for the Bucks, who were missing Andrew Bogut (strained left side), Ersan Ilyasova (concussion) and Drew Gooden (left foot). Salmons just stared at the floor in the locker room with his knees iced, the look of frustration obvious after Milwaukee (23-38) reached the postseason last year and were expected to be at least a playoff contender.

Two nights after Milwaukee was outscored 31-15 by Phoenix in the third quarter on the way to a double-digit loss, it happened again with the Celtics. A one-for-10 stretch by the lowest-scoring, worst-shooting team in the NBA allowed Boston to turn a six-point deficit into a 69-65 lead heading into the fourth.

“I kind of take the blame for the loss, missing the jump shot and a couple of turnovers down the stretch,” Jennings said.

Boston has a slew of injury problems of its own, leaving Jermaine O’Neal (left knee), Shaquille O’Neal (right heel), Delonte West (right ankle), Glen Davis (left knee) and Von Wafer (right calf) at home for its only stop in Milwaukee.

The Celtics signed guard Carlos Arroyo on Sunday, but he’ll join the team on Monday. Krstic was acquired on Feb. 24 at the trading deadline along with Green for Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson.

The Celtics have also signed Troy Murphy and Sasha Pavlovic in the last 10 days.

(Page 3 of 3)

So far, nothing has stopped Boston’s championship core from keeping up its torrid pace.

“I told our guys before the game, ‘We have two teams with a hundred injuries. They have starters out. We have our entire bench out.’ It was going to be a funky game and someone was going to have to win it. Let it be us,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “We’re just doing it, you know? We’re just hanging in and winning games.”

Notes: Shaquille O’Neal turned 39 on Sunday. He hasn’t played since Feb. 1. … Davis missed his second game since straining the patella tendon on a dunk in a win over Phoenix.

BOSTON (89)

Pierce 8-13 6-6 23, Garnett 6-12 2-2 14, Krstic 7-8 3-4 17, Rondo 3-7 0-0 6, Allen 5-12 1-1 13, Green 5-8 0-0 11, Murphy 0-2 2-2 2, Bradley 0-3 0-0 0, Pavlovic 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 35-68 14-15 89.

MILWAUKEE (83)

Delfino 2-7 0-0 6, Brockman 2-4 0-0 4, Sanders 4-10 0-0 8, Jennings 8-19 4-5 23, Salmons 4-13 2-3 11, Mbah a Moute 8-13 3-5 19, Maggette 2-5 0-0 5, Dooling 3-7 0-0 7, Douglas-Roberts 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 33-80 9-13 83.

Boston 27 16 26 20 — 89

Milwaukee 26 23 16 18 — 83

3-Point Goals — Boston 5-10 (Allen 2-3, Green 1-1, Pierce 1-2, Pavlovic 1-2, Bradley 0-1, Murphy 0-1), Milwaukee 8-21 (Jennings 3-7, Delfino 2-6, Maggette 1-1, Dooling 1-2, Salmons 1-4, Douglas-Roberts 0-1). Fouled Out — None. Rebounds — Boston 38 (Garnett 11), Milwaukee 47 (Brockman 9). Assists — Boston 23 (Rondo 8), Milwaukee 20 (Salmons 6). Total Fouls — Boston 17, Milwaukee 18. Technicals — Boston defensive three second 2. A — 16,110 (18,717).