MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jrue Holiday demonstrated just why he’s heading to the All-Star Game for the first time in a decade.
Holiday matched a career high with 40 points and made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 25.2 seconds left in overtime as the Milwaukee Bucks edged the short-handed Boston Celtics 131-125 on Tuesday for their 11th consecutive victory.
The 32-year-old Holiday shot 8 of 12 from beyond the arc — including one from behind midcourt that beat the third-quarter buzzer — to set a career high for 3-pointers.
Holiday will join Bucks teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo at Sunday’s All-Star Game at Salt Lake City. It’s the first time Holiday has been selected since he was playing for Philadelphia in 2013, which marks the longest gap between All-Star appearances in league history.
Antetokounmpo added 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists as the Bucks (40-17) moved within a half-game of the Celtics (41-17) in the Eastern Conference standings.
Boston was playing without both its All-Stars – Jayson Tatum (non-COVID illness) and Jaylen Brown (facial fracture) – as well as Marcus Smart (sprained right ankle) and Al Horford (swelling in right knee).
The Celtics still nearly earned their fifth straight win.
Boston’s Sam Hauser, a Wisconsin native who had 40 friends and family members in the stands, made a game-tying 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Boston’s Derrick White then scored the first five points of overtime.
The Celtics still had a five-point lead with two minutes left, but the Bucks scored the final seven points of the game. The game-ending spurt started with Holiday’s go-ahead 3-pointer.
Grant Williams lost the ball on Boston’s next possession, Grayson Allen got the steal and a clear-path foul was called on the Celtics with 3.2 seconds left.
Antetokounmpo made the ensuing two free throws and capped the scoring with a dunk at the buzzer.