MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — Paul George scored 27 points, Jayson Tatum added 21 and the Boston Celtics pulled away for a 117-97 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Boston improved to 8-2, while Milwaukee dropped to 1-9. The teams met for the second time in five nights; Boston also beat Milwaukee earlier in the week while resting Tatum. The Celtics continued a four-game trip that opened with a win at Charlotte and next head to Philadelphia and Toronto. An announced attendance of 13,402 watched Boston score 117 points on 92 possessions for an offensive rating of 127.7. Milwaukee scored 97 points on 91 possessions for an offensive rating of 107.0.

The Bucks started fast. Kyle Kuzma hit three 3-pointers and Milwaukee grabbed a 20-6 lead with 7:05 left in the first quarter. Kuzma finished with 27 points, four rebounds and two blocks, and Brayden Burries added 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Nate Ament scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Ryan Rollins had seven points, six assists and five rebounds. Tyler Herro and Myles Turner helped Milwaukee’s early offense, but the Bucks could not sustain it against Boston’s pressure and rebounding.

Boston weathered the early deficit behind Tatum and George. Tatum hit a pair of first-quarter 3-pointers and converted free throws to keep Boston close, and George opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer that gave the Celtics a 28-27 lead. Boston never trailed again. George scored from beyond the arc and in the mid-range during the second quarter, while Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson supplied inside finishes. Derrick White added a 3-pointer and a driving floater, and Payton Pritchard helped organize the offense. Boston scored 33 points in the second quarter and led comfortably at halftime after closing the period with Queta’s driving dunk.

The decisive stretch came early in the third quarter. Queta opened with a tip shot, Tatum hit a 3-pointer, Queta added a fadeaway and White scored on a short jumper as Boston opened the quarter with a 9-0 run. After Milwaukee scored twice, Mike Conley hit a 3-pointer to cap a 12-2 Boston surge that made it 70-47. The Bucks responded with 3-pointers from Rollins, Kuzma and Ament, and Rollins hit a technical free throw, but Boston’s lead remained comfortable. Pritchard hit a 3-pointer late in the third, and Sam Hauser scored twice to help Boston carry a comfortable lead into the fourth.

Pritchard then broke the game open again in the fourth. He hit three 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the quarter, and Hauser and Baylor Scheierman added outside shots as Boston stretched its lead to 106-86. George hit another 3-pointer with 6:59 remaining, and Boston emptied its bench in the final minutes. Luka Garza scored inside and made free throws, while Ron Harper capped the scoring with a short jumper. Milwaukee got fourth-quarter production from Burries, Ousmane Dieng and Ament, but the Bucks never cut the deficit below 20 after Boston’s early third-quarter run.

George, who had 25 points in the earlier meeting between the teams, led Boston with 27 points to go with three rebounds and one assist. Tatum had 21 points, six assists and four rebounds. Queta finished with 13 points and nine rebounds, Robinson had 12 points and seven rebounds, Pritchard scored 12 points and White had nine points and seven assists. Boston shot 45 of 95 from the floor, 18 of 48 from 3-point range and 9 of 14 from the free throw line. The Celtics held a 20-9 advantage in offensive rebounds, committed 10 turnovers and blocked five shots. Milwaukee shot 35 of 79 overall, 15 of 43 from beyond the arc and 12 of 14 from the line. The Bucks committed 14 turnovers and had five assists. Boston had 12 assists, and both teams blocked five shots. Boston was called for 16 fouls and Milwaukee for 15.

Kuzma’s 27 points kept Milwaukee within striking distance for a half, but the Bucks managed only five assists and could not match Boston’s second-quarter and third-quarter surges. Burries provided secondary scoring and rebounding, and Rollins had six assists, but Milwaukee’s 1-9 start continued. Boston’s balanced attack included double-figure scoring from George, Tatum, Queta, Robinson and Pritchard, and the Celtics’ rebounding edge helped offset a quiet night at the free throw line. Milwaukee’s defense forced 10 Boston turnovers but could not turn them into enough offense.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected Boston 109, Milwaukee 106. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Boston with an 88.8 percent probability to win. Boston had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -13. The combined 214 points fell under the over/under line of 222.