In a stunning turn of events, the Milwaukee Bucks dominated the Boston Celtics in the first half of their NBA matchup on Thursday night. The Celtics, facing challenging circumstances and a grueling schedule, found themselves in an insurmountable deficit, prompting Coach Joe Mazzulla to make a strategic decision.

With the Bucks exploding for a 75-38 lead in the opening 24 minutes, Mazzulla made the unexpected move of benching the entire Celtics' starting five for the second half. Instead, Payton Pritchard, Svi Mykhailiuk, Sam Hauser, Lamar Stevens, and Luke Kornet took the court in their place.

The decision seemed to be more of a strategic maneuver on the part of Mazzulla rather than a disciplinary action towards his team. The Celtics were already missing key player Al Horford for the game, and the team had just completed a demanding schedule, playing five games in seven days as per NBA regulations.

Adding to their challenges, the Celtics had a late arrival to their team hotel, getting in at 3 a.m. ET on Thursday morning, just 16 hours before tip-off against the well-rested Bucks. Milwaukee capitalized on their advantage, shooting an impressive 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc in the first half. In contrast, the Celtics struggled on both ends of the court, converting only one of their 16 attempts from the three-point range.

Jaylen Brown was the sole Celtic to reach double figures in scoring during the disastrous first half performance. Meanwhile, four Bucks players finished with double-digit points, contributing to a commanding 37-point lead for Milwaukee at halftime.

Facing an almost insurmountable deficit, Mazzulla chose to rest his starters for the remainder of the game, conserving their energy for their upcoming match against the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. The Celtics will have the chance to rebound from this disappointing loss as they prepare to host the Rockets at the TD Garden, marking Ime Udoka's return to Boston.

Although the Celtics' decision to bench their starters may have seemed drastic, it was a strategic move aimed at preserving their energy and avoiding further fatigue in their hectic schedule. As they regroup, the team will look to bounce back and put this historic defeat behind them in hopes of a better performance in the upcoming game.