Doc Rivers Sees ‘Positive’ For Bucks In Schedule Quirk With Celtics

BOSTON — There was really no spacing out the regular-season matchups between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks this season.

The two Eastern Conference giants faced off three times in the first quarter of the season, culminating in Friday night’s showdown at TD Garden. The Celtics and Bucks won’t see each other again in the regular season.

It’s a scheduling oddity and one Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is unsure brings any tangible benefit to his team. But the Rivers did try to find one, though.

“I have no idea. I really don’t. It’s funny, we were talking about it today. I don’t even know the answer to that,” Rivers said prior to facing the Celtics. “It is strange, though. You could look at it in a positive way for us, well we don’t have to play Boston the rest of the year. And if we see them again it will be in the playoffs and we’d be happy about that.”

The Celtics took both previous meetings this season against the Bucks, scoring over 110 points in each contest. Jaylen Brown went for 30 points in Boston’s first win over Milwaukee while Jayson Tatum tallied 31 points in the last go-around. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 36.5 points against the Celtics this season.

The last game between the Celtics and Bucks, which occurred nearly a month ago, provided plenty of drama. Brown called out Antetokounmpo over “child” antics on the court and Tatum sounded off on Antetokounmpo for sliding his foot under the Celtics star on a 3-pointer from the corner. Tatum suffered an ankle sprain on the play.

Things could really heat up if the Celtics and Bucks collide in the playoffs. But they will have to wait a long time for that to come.