Bucks get big win at Boston 110-101

BOSTON (AP) — Ersan Ilyasova led Milwaukee's third-quarter surge from a halftime deficit with 11 points and the Milwaukee Bucks hurt the Boston Celtics' playoff chances with a 110-101 win Friday night.

Boston dropped a half-game behind idle Miami in the competition for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with six games left.

Trailing 52-50 at halftime, the Bucks outscored the Celtics 36-23 in the third quarter and took an 86-75 lead. They pulled ahead with Ilyasova scoring his 11 points in an 18-2 run that made it 73-58 with just under five minutes left in the period.

The Celtics cut the lead to 86-82 by scoring the first seven points of the fourth quarter but came no closer.

O.J. Mayo led Milwaukee with 24 points. Boston was led by Isaiah Thomas with 23 and Avery Bradley with 17.