Jrue Holiday on Tuesday produced a scintillating 40-point performance as the Milwaukee Bucks snatched a 131-125 overtime victory against the Boston Celtics in a pulsating clash between the Eastern Conference heavyweights.
Holiday’s virtuoso display included seven points in overtime — including a crucial three-pointer to give Milwaukee the lead — as the Bucks stretched their unbeaten streak to 11 games.
The 32-year-old two-time All-Star also conjured the moment of the game in the third quarter, launching a remarkable 41-foot bucket to get Milwaukee within five points after Boston had led by 14 just minutes earlier.
Photo: AFP
It was one of eight three-pointers nailed by Holiday, who was given heavy scoring support from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo finished with 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
“I don’t really, I guess, care for how I’m playing as long as we’re winning,” Holiday said. “As long as we get the win, I’m okay. The only stat I look at is turnovers. That’s kind of how I determine if I had a good or bad game.”
“Tonight, what did I have, five turnovers? To me, I’m like — that hurts my soul. For me it doesn’t matter if I score: I want to make plays on defense when I’m on the court,” he said.
The Bucks improved to 40-17 with the win, and are now just half a game behind Eastern Conference leaders Boston, who fell to 41-17 following the loss.
However, the Celtics are likely to take heart from a gutsy performance from what amounted to a second-string starting lineup. Boston went into the game missing several key players, including Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Yet for long periods the depleted Celtics threatened to end the Bucks’ winning streak in front of their home crowd at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.
Derrick White led Boston’s scorers with 27 points, while Malcolm Brogdon finished with 26 off the bench.
All five Boston starters finished in double figures, with Mike Muscala chipping in with 18, and Blake Griffin and Hauser adding 15 apiece.
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