NBA roundup: Celtics throttle Bucks by 27 in Giannis' return from injury

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antetokounmpo-giannis/zw2Tm2a1/"]Antetokounmpo[/a], making his first appearance since suffering a right calf strain in late January, finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/milwaukee-bucks-QTBEW6rC/?mid=YsxR9V2s"]losing effort[/a] against the outclassed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-bucks/QTBEW6rC/"]Bucks[/a].[/p][embed guid="fb5ff6c5-56c9-422d-b1b1-8cd0235957b1" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2028633607904878633?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Boston[/a], meanwhile, kept up their pursuit of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit Pistons[/a] at the top of the Eastern Conference with a potent all-around offensive effort.[/p][p]All five starters finished in double digits for the Celtics, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pritchard-payton/SWoc4GBt/"]Payton Pritchard[/a] produced an eye-catching 25-point cameo off the bench that included five three-pointers.[/p][p]The Celtics drained 20-of-50 from outside the arc, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/white-derrick/6ZkKkpYd/"]Derrick White[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hauser-sam/n3qRZBQk/"]Sam Hauser[/a] bagging four three-pointers apiece.[/p][p]Boston improved to 41-20 with the victory as the Bucks fell to 26-34. The Celtics are second in the East, five games behind leaders Detroit (45-14).[/p][p]The Bucks' third straight loss leaves them in 11th place in the East, just outside the play-in places.[/p][embed guid="7cda477d-70b6-469c-aa41-695e552b9c4e" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2028666888855667198?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Around the league[/h2][p]In other games on Monday, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/young-trae/CCUGKxek/"]Trae Young[/a] managed the unusual feat of getting ejected for new club, Washington, before playing a game for the franchise.[/p][p]Young has been injured since his trade to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/washington-wizards/W6vGWPsn/"]Wizards[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Atlanta[/a] on January 7th, but is due to make his debut later this week on February 5th.[/p][embed guid="f8303a1b-d1a2-410d-9bc9-518e343c09e4" url="https://x.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/2028660511710089326?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]On Monday, however, he was ejected after walking onto the court during the third quarter of the Wizards' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/houston-rockets-Sr9PQALP/washington-wizards-W6vGWPsn/?mid=Uer1SwJ8"]123-118[/a] defeat to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Houston Rockets[/a] to complain after teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/watkins-jamir/jT9jwpIE/"]Jamir Watkins[/a] was shoved to the hardcourt by Houston's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eason-tari/zg1IXqlq/"]Tari Eason[/a].[/p][p][b]"Don't expect me to get ejected too many more times D.C...but I'm definitely bringing that energy & competitiveness when I'm back for my brothers!"[/b] Young wrote on Twitter following the incident.[/p][p]On the court, Washington were well beaten by Houston, who improved to 38-22 and remain in third place in the Western Conference.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sengun-alperen/6VXU9SGb/"]Alperen Sengun[/a] led the Houston scoring with 32 points, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/durant-kevin/pKXcd9rI/"]Kevin Durant[/a] finished with 30 points.[/p][embed guid="aaabf9b9-2c42-4be6-a660-661b0323ad7f" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2028679254167130437?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]