Bucks, Celtics, Knicks advance in NBA in-season tournament

MIAMI – Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and Damian Lillard added 32 as the Milwaukee Bucks beat Miami, 131-124, on Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time), advancing to the knockout rounds of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

On the final night of group stage play in the NBA's inaugural version of a World Cup, the Bucks took the Group B crown at 4-0 and became the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Boston routed Chicago 124-97 to win Group C and advance while the New York Knicks, second behind Milwaukee in Group B, beat Charlotte 115-91 to finish 3-1 and advance as a wildcard based on superior point differential over Cleveland 42-29.

The Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers had already secured berths in next week's tourney quarter-finals ahead of the semi-finals and final next month in Las Vegas.

"We completed the task," Milwaukee's Khris Middleton said. "To get to Vegas now, we've got to do a little bit more.

"We want it. We're hungry for it. It's exciting times for us. We want to go to Vegas so we're happy."

Joining the Lakers in the West knockout stage were the Phoenix Suns, who clinched a wildcard spot when Minnesota beat Oklahoma City 106-103.

Later Western Conference games will complete the final eight with Golden State at Sacramento and Houston at Dallas. Sacramento and Houston would advance with a victory.

At Miami, the Bucks opened a 15-2 lead to start, Miami answered with a 16-4 run, then Milwaukee closed the first quarter on a 12-4 spurt for a 31-22 lead.

"We started out great, but it's hard," Middleton said. "You're just not going to knock a team down in the first five minutes. They did a great job coming back. We did a great job keeping our composure and finding a way to close this thing out."

Miami, lacking Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro due to ankle sprains, battled back for a 62-59 halftime edge and led 97-93 entering the fourth quarter.

Middleton, who had 17 points and eight rebounds, hit back-to-back jump shots for a 122-118 Bucks lead and Brook Lopez's dunk put Milwaukee ahead 129-124 with 38 seconds to play. Antetokounmpo's final dunk sealed the triumph.

"Thankfully I was able to hit a couple shots," Middleton said. "I'm just happy we won a tough