Jaylen Brown missed the Celtics' game against the Bucks Monday night with an illness.
Jaylen Brown missed the Celtics' game against the Bucks Monday night with an illness.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
MILWAUKEE — The Celtics’ assignment of beating the Bucks suddenly became more difficult Monday afternoon.
As the Celtics scratched Jaylen Brown (illness) and Neemias Queta (rest), the Bucks countered by declaring two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo healthy enough to play and he was in the starting lineup against Boston.
Antetokounmpo, the subject of trade rumors as Milwaukee contemplates its long-term future, has been rehabilitating from a calf strain for the past several weeks after suffering the injury Jan. 23 against the Nuggets.
He played Monday on a minutes limit as Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers, formerly of the Celtics, said he was glad to see his team whole. The Bucks are vying for the final play-in spot and began tipoff three games behind the Hornets, the Celtics’ opponent Wednesday.
“We didn’t play ourselves out of it,” said Rivers, whose team was 8-7 in Antetokounmpo’s absence. “I’m competitive, I feel like we should have had even a better record but not having your best player for that long and staying above .500 is huge for us.”
The Celtics haven’t faced Antetokounmpo this season. He was injured the previous two matchups and with primary defender Al Horford now with the Warriors, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla had to adjust his game plan.
“He’s obviously a great player, so it changes the scout,” Mazzulla said. “You talk about things you can control and what you take away when he’s on the floor. It’s obviously different identities when he’s on the floor and when he’s not. You focus on how you’re going to defend him.”
As for Brown, the Celtics have been trying to give him rest on grueling back-to-backs such as this one. After an emotional win over the 76ers that ended at approximately 10:40 p.m. on Sunday, the team did not arrive in Milwaukee until 3 a.m. Central time. The Celtics flew back after Monday’s game and then face Charlotte the next night.
Brown is not in risk of falling short of the mandatory 65 games to receive NBA awards. Monday was his seventh missed game this season and he’ll need to play in 11 of the team’s final 21 games to reach the benchmark.
The Celtics started rookie Hugo Gonzalez in Brown’s spot while Nikola Vucevic made his first Boston start in place of Queta.
Keeping their focus
With the expectations for a Jayson Tatum return growing louder as February turned to March and he continues his rehabilitation, Mazzulla said it’s his job to ensure his team is focused on the now, not a potential Tatum presence.
“That’s why I did what I did in LA that day [not answer a Tatum question] because it was a game day,” Mazzulla said. “On game day, you’re focused on your opponent. You’re focused on the guys that are playing. You’re focused on what we need to do to go after the Bucks. Every day presents different opportunities to focus on different things. Ninety minutes before the game you focus on the Bucks, you focus on how you’re going to stop their team.”
Keep it moving
Sunday was Payton Pritchard’s first scoreless game since Jan. 5, 2025 as he went 0 for 4 in 27 minutes with 5 assists and 2 turnovers. Mazzulla said he was not concerned.
“It happens, over the course of the season he’s going through small situations like that,” the coach said. “He’s fine and I expect him to be great for us, But I didn’t notice anything.”
After rehabbing with the Maine Celtics, Jayson Tatum looks to return to the NBA. Conor Ryan and Ben Volin debate when we could see the star’s comeback.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.