NBA Playoffs: Giannis Antetokounmpo helps Bucks edge Celtics to level series; Spurs down Warriors to stay alive

Washington: Greek star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 points, including the decisive tip-in with five seconds remaining, to give the Milwaukee Bucks a 104-102 NBA playoff victory Sunday over Boston. The triumph pulled the Bucks level with the Celtics at 2-2 in their best-of-seven first round series, which continues Tuesday in Boston. Malcolm Brogdon’s three-pointer gave the Bucks a 102-100 lead before Boston’s Al Horford made two free throws to equalize. Brogdon then missed a jumper but Antetokounmpo followed with a tip-in and the Bucks denied the Celtics in the final seconds. [caption id=“attachment_4442471” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks over Celtics forward Al Horford (42) during game four. Reuters[/caption] “This win is incredible,” Antetokounmpo said. “We kept our composure and fought all the way to the end.” Khris Middleton added 23 points while Jabari Parker had 16 off the bench for Milwaukee. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 34 points. Defending NBA champions Golden State failed to complete a sweep of the San Antonio Spurs, with Manu Ginobili coming off the bench to score 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to spark the hosts over the Warriors 103-90. “Our defense was more aggressive than the previous games. Our aggressiveness was off the charts,” Ginobili said. “We need to help each other. Today we did that. “We moved the ball. We made some shots that helped, but it was about teamwork.” LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who led from start to finish to trim Golden State’s lead in their Western Conference series to 3-1. The Warriors, who were led by Kevin Durant’s 34 points and 13 rebounds, can advance to a second-round series against New Orleans with a game-five home victory on Tuesday. The Spurs remained without coach Gregg Popovich, who missed his second game following the death of his wife, which has left the team heartbroken as well. “It’s a tough time. We’ve never been through this type of adversity,” said Ginobili. “Our leader is struggling. We’re trying to push through it like he would do if he weren’t at home.” In Indiana, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers rebounded from a game three loss to even their series at 2-2 with a 104-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers. James finished with 32 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists and Kyle Korver scored 18 points for the Cavaliers in the win. Game five is Wednesday in Cleveland. Elsewhere, Bradley Beal scored 31 points, while John Wall had 27, and the Washington Wizards beat Toronto 106-98 to level their Eastern Conference series at two games apiece. Wall finished with 27 points and 14 assists and, at the other end of the court, guarded All-Star DeMar DeRozan, making sure the Wizards would not be pushed to the brink of elimination ahead of Game 5 at Toronto. “He’s a big shot maker. A playmaker. It was what you want and what you expect,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “We needed him to step up. He stepped up big.” This was a game the Raptors led by 14 points early in the second half. But as their offence bogged down, the Wizards clawed back. It was 92-all when Beal drew his sixth foul on a play in which he and DeRozan collided while Toronto had the ball. Asked whether the official told him why that call was made, Beal replied: “He wasn’t explaining that one. There was no explaining to do.” Wizards center Marcin Gortat’s view of the officiating: “I truly believe that some of those calls are very soft. I’ve never seen so many soft calls in the playoffs.” After Beal left, the Raptors immediately went up by two, but Wall pulled the Wizards even with a layup that drew a goaltending call, then put the hosts in front to stay by feeding Markieff Morris for a layup off the glass. With Beal cheerleading, jumping and waving his arms, Wall just kept producing, showing no signs of fatigue despite playing all 24 minutes in the second half. This is a guy who missed about two months of the regular season because of surgery on his left knee. While the closing seconds ticked away, Wall held up two fingers on each hand: Yes, it’s 2-2 now, and the best-of-seven series has become best-of-three. With inputs from agencies