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Hugo Gonzalez Joins Larry Bird In Celtics History With Monster Game Vs. Bucks originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For the second straight night, the Boston Celtics rolled to an easy win behind a career game from one of their breakout players.
On Sunday night, it was Neemias Queta who led the way against the Philadelphia 76ers, piling up 27 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks at a raucous TD Garden.
With Queta and Jaylen Brown both out on Monday night in Milwaukee, Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez stepped up in their absence. Making just his third career NBA start, all he did was rack up 18 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and two blocks as Boston crushed the Milwaukee Bucks by 27 points.
Not only did Gonzalez achieve personal bests in points, rebounds and steals, but he also became the only Celtics rookie besides Larry Bird to reach all of those numbers in the same game.
Hugo Gonzalez vs Milwaukee:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 3, 2026
18 PTS (career-high)
16 REB (career-high)
3 STL (career-high)
2 BLK
Joins Larry Bird as the only Celtics rookies with those numbers in a game. pic.twitter.com/hRymCEVSn5
Bird did so on Nov. 14, 1979, when he notched his first career triple-double with 23 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks in a home win over the Detroit Pistons.
Gonzalez's performance was arguably more impressive, however, given that Bird was coming off three days of rest. Gonzalez, on the other hand, was playing his second game in less than 24 hours and did it on the road.
Regardless, the 20-year-old rookie is having a historically good campaign for Boston, leading all NBA rookies in plus/minus. He's a big reason why the team has overachieved this season, helping them go 41-20 in his first NBA season.
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