A hot shooting start gave the Bucks a 69-58 lead over the Celtics at halftime

The Milwaukee Bucks play their first game since Giannis Antetokounmpo proclaimed the team's fighting spirit, hosting the defending champion Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon at Fiserv Forum.

Milwaukee survived a three-point shot from Payton Pritchard in the second quarter to take a 69-58 lead into halftime behind 27 points from Antetokounmpo and a 10-for-17 team effort from behind the three-point line. Pritchard led the Celtics with 17 points.

A hot start helped the Bucks to a 40-30 lead over the Celtics in the first quarter, while Milwaukee built a 16-2 lead in the opening minutes thanks to a 5-5 performance from the field. Boston never led in the first 12 minutes, but cut the deficit to just eight a few times. Antetokounmpo scored 19 points in 10 minutes.

The Bucks are coming off a loss to the New York Knicks on Friday night that dropped them to 2-7 on the year, while the Celtics beat Brooklyn in overtime that same night to improve to 8-2.

Boston edged Milwaukee 119-108 at TD Garden on Oct. 28, but it was — at that point — the best game the Bucks had ever played. They had limited Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and mitigated the Celtics' extensive three-point shooting – but backup Payton Pritchard single-handedly gave the Celtics the lead by hitting eight three-pointers of his own. The Bucks' regulars only managed six as a group.

Is Giannis playing?

Yes, according to head coach Doc Rivers. It was determined that the Bucks star likely suffered from tendinopathy in his right patella. It is highly unlikely that he would opt out of the team and then miss the following game. He has played the last two games with the injury, and although his shooting ability was impaired, he was still dominant at the rim.

More: To whom did Giannis direct the “If you don’t want to be here, you can leave” comment after Friday’s loss in New York?

What channel is the Bucks game on?

Although the game ends at 2:30 p.m. CT, it is not a nationally televised contest. The game will be broadcast locally on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin with Lisa Byington, Marques Johnson and Melanie Ricks.

Bucks injury report

• Khris Middleton is out (surgery on both ankles)

• Gary Trent Jr. is out (lower back cramps)

• Andre Jackson Jr., available (left hip pointer)

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, available (right patella tendinopathy)

• Ryan Rollins, available (left shoulder contusion)

Celtics injury report

• Kristaps Porziņģis is out (foot surgery)

• Jaden Springer, out (left knee tendinopathy)

• Jaylen Brown, available (left hip flexor strain)Note: Brown will start Sunday after missing his last four games.

• Luke Kornet, questionable (tension in right thigh muscles)

Bucks starter

Guards: Damian Lillard, Andre Jackson Jr.

Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bull Prince

Center: Brook Lopez

Bucks vs. Celtics odds, over/under

Boston is a 4.5-point favorite to beat Milwaukee, and the game's over/under is 228.5 total points, per BetMGM.

This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A hot shooting start gives the Bucks a 69-58 halftime lead over the Celtics