East Notes: Celtics, Jayson Tatum, Sixers, Bucks

Celtics

The Celtics were missing the injured Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, but Jayson Tatum (38 points) and Derrick White (24) made sure they had no issues in an easy road win vs. the Jazz on Tuesday.

For starters, Boston shot a sizzling 41 percent on 3-pointers.

“The law of averages, you play so many games you won’t be perfect every night. You have to stick with it and trust that you’re going to have more good days than bad,” Tatum told reporters.

• In the process, the Celtics became the first team this season to record 50 wins.
• The Celtics have also won three straight to finish their five-game road trip with a flurry. They’re an impressive 9-2 on the second game of back-to-backs.

76ers

All-Star Tyrese Maxey returned after missing four straight games with a concussion, but it did the Sixers little good in their blowout road loss to the Knicks on Tuesday.

But hey, at least Maxey is back and said he’s feeling good — as Philadelphia continues to hold out hope that fellow All-Star Joel Embiid will play again before the playoffs.

“I felt pretty good. I was definitely tired when I came out the first time, my wind,” Maxey told reporters. “It’s kind of difficult because only so much you can do while you’re in the protocol. But overall, it was all right.”

• Coach Nick Nurse was not pleased with the Sixers’ effort at the start of the game, calling a timeout just a little more than a minute into the game. “Their speed, they were moving faster than we were,” Nurse said of the Knicks. “Their physicality, I thought on the ball, was a big difference on both ends.”

Bucks

The Bucks finished just 1-3 on their trip out West, getting run out of the gym by the Kings on Tuesday.

“We deserved it tonight,” coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “It’s my fault. I didn’t get them prepared the way I should mentally. At shootaround, guys were talking about planes leaving.

“As a staff, we talked about it after shootaround that if our focus is not better than this morning, it’s going to be a long day. And it was a long day. So that’s on us.”

• Giannis Antetokounmpo again impressed with 30 points and 13 rebounds on an otherwise forgettable night. But Khris Middleton missed his 15th straight game with a sprained ankle.