Jrue Holiday's 40-point night highlights Bucks' 131-125 overtime victory over Celtics

The Milwaukee Bucks won their 11th straight game Tuesday night with a 131-125 overtime victory over the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum, which tied Memphis for the second-longest winning streak in the league this season. Brooklyn (12) had the longest stretch of wins at any point this year.

It is the longest winning streak by a Bucks team since the 2019-20 edition won 18 in a row.

"It feels good to head into the break with these wins – we've got one more to finish out the break (in Chicago) – but I don't think anybody's really focused on the win streak right now," Khris Middleton said. "We're just focused on each game at a time.

"We're adding new pieces. I'm coming back with playing more minutes. Jae (Crowder's) coming. Joe (Ingles). Just the new guys, we're trying to figure out how to play with one another and win games because we know every game is going to be different, different guys will be in and out of the lineup, how do we compete?

"Forgot Bobby (Portis), too. Bobby hasn't been playing, so when he comes back that will be the first time, basically I feel like, I'm playing with Bobby and Jae and all them.

"We've got a long way to go to figure ourselves out, too, so we're not really worried about the win streak as much."

Jrue Holiday's career night bails out Bucks

The Bucks completed a 3-0 road trip with back-to-back wins in Los Angeles last Thursday and Friday, but after two days off and a practice on Monday they could not keep their rhythm against Boston. In falling behind by as many as 14 in the third quarter, the Bucks gave the ball away (16 turnovers for 25 Celtics points) and kept the officials busy (16 personal fouls) – which allowed the Celtics to put up 10 more shots.

But, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday helped the Bucks close the quarter on a 12-3 run to head into the fourth down 95-90.

Middleton then got in the act and scored five straight to open the fourth and Antetokounmpo added four more to effectively reset the game.

"They went on a run in that third quarter, mid-to-late, just wanted to try to finish strong, win that last three, four minutes, whatever it was -- that kind of cut the lead to single digits," Middleton said. "Then after that start of fourth just try and get the momentum going back in our way, try to get the crowd into it a little bit, play with a little more energy."

BOX SCORE:Bucks 131, Celtics 125

Boston continued to hang tough but in about a four-minute stretch the Big Three combined to score 15 straight points to give the Bucks a 116-113 lead with 7.4 seconds left.

They couldn’t close it out, however, as Sam Hauser sent the game to overtime by hitting a 29-foot three-pointer over Middleton.

Overtime was Holiday’s time, though.

The point guard came up with two of his three steals in the extra session, including a strip of Derrick White that led to a transition dunk over White to pull the Bucks to 123-122.

"I just think it's a calculated risk," Holiday said of making a clutch defensive play.

"I feel like maybe in certain times I might take a risk, put my hand in there and see what happens. And I got a steal tonight."

Holiday then hit the eventual game-winner with his career-high eighth three-pointer with 25.2 seconds left to make it 127-125.

The play came off a swing pass from Pat Connaughton after a drive-and-kick from Antetokounmpo collapsed the defense.

Holiday was 8 for 12 from deep and tied a career-high with 40 points. He was 13 for 21 overall and also recorded six assists.

"I had some good looks at threes and knocked 'em in," Holiday said of his night. "Just locked in, kept my follow through. Giannis obviously getting into the paint and attracting five guys and being able to kick it out and make the right play, trusting me to shoot. Just knocking down those threes and then being comfortable just attacking, being aggressive, making plays at the rim, getting mismatches that I want and kind of going from there. Really just staying confident, knowing that my team wants me to stay confident and aggressive."

Nickel:Jrue Holiday finds room for improvement even after 40-point night in Bucks' big victory

Antetokounmpo finished the Celtics off by stripping Grant Williams with 3.9 seconds left, and the Bucks’ star scored the game’s final four points.

"We gotta guard, we gotta guard," Antetokounmpo said. "They're a team that moves the ball a lot. It doesn't matter who's out there, they're very disciplined, they just keep moving the ball, try to break down our defense and find open shots. We've got to have that individual pride to keep guys in front of us as much as we can. That's what makes us great.

"Obviously we did it a little bit more when we were down in the fourth quarter, did it in overtime, but like, we gotta do it throughout the whole game. That's when we're at our best."

Antetokounmpo finished with 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. He was 12 for 26 from the field, but 11 for 19 from the free throw line. Despite early struggles from the line, he was a perfect 4 for 4 in overtime.

Middleton finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and four assists off the bench.

Grayson Allen added 13 for the Bucks.

More:A question and answer with Jae Crowder, the newest member of the Milwaukee Bucks

Celtics hang tough without stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and more

Boston was shorthanded Tuesday night as the star backcourt trio of Jayson Tatum (non-COVID illness), Jaylen Brown (facial fracture) and Marcus Smart (ankle sprain) all sat out. They were also missing big man Al Horford, and the Celtics elected to severely limit the minutes of fellow big Robert Williams III.

But, like the similarly depleted Denver Nuggets on Jan. 25 and the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 9, the Celtics still gave the Bucks all they could handle. Reigning Eastern Conference player of the week Derrick White scored 27 points and handed out 12 assists while former Bucks point guard Malcolm Brogdon came off the bench to score 26.

Hauser, a native of Stevens Point, scored 15, including a 29-footer over Middleton to send the game to overtime.

"I mean, I thought about (fouling) for a split-second but it was too late – I think he was about to go into his shot," Middleton said of Hauser. "We've been in that situation many a times before, so of course when a guy makes a shot you're 'damn, I should've fouled.' But when a guy misses everything's good. Credit to Sam. He made a hell of a shot. I was there, almost fouled him on the landing. Big time shot by a guy that's proving himself in the league right now."

Newly acquired big man Mike Muscala scored 18 for Boston, and Blake Griffin (15) and Grant Williams (12) also reached double figures.

The Celtics led most of the first half and trailed 64-63 in large part to the Bucks' inability to hold onto the ball, as the Celtics scored 16 points on 11 Bucks giveaways. Boston also made 8 of its 10 free throws while Milwaukee was just 6 for 10. They also didn't wilt down the stretch when the Bucks made charges to take the lead, including a 113-107 advantage with 3:53 to go.

White and Brogdon helped the Celtics take a 123-118 lead early in the overtime period, too.

"I thought our guy's focus was good," Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. "Boston, the group, whoever comes out, they're going to execute, they're going to play on bother end and our guys competed and found a way to win a game. I thought the effort, the focus, the character was everything was what we expect from our guys."

Scary moment for Giannis in fourth quarter

With 1 minute, 51 seconds left in the game Antetokounmpo drove to the basket through contact, and he went down in obvious pain for a few moments. The Bucks called time for trainer Scott Faust to attend to him, and the Bucks’ star laid flat on his back to collect himself. He then tapped his forehead with two fists before getting up – and he stayed in the game.

He then went right back to the basket and drew a foul, making 1 of 2 free throws with 1:21 to go.

After the game, head coach Mike Budenholzer said Antetokounmpo banged knees with a Celtics defender. He added they'll follow up with Antetokounmpo in the morning before the team heads to Chicago.

"Went up – I don't know, I'm not sure, I gotta watch the clip – I think he hit me with his knee, knee-to-knee," he said after the game. "That's pretty much it."

Antetokounmpo has been listed on the injury report with right knee soreness since Jan. 27.

Five numbers

6-0 Bucks record in February, with 3-0 marks on the road and at home. They began the season with a 6-0 mark in October.

20-8 Bucks record vs. teams with a .500 record on the day of the game.46 Place, all-time on the assists list for Holiday. With his seven assists against the Celtics he passed Boston Hall of Famer Larry Bird for that spot. Holiday passed Bird with his assist of a Khris Middleton jumper with 2:40 to go in the first quarter.

48 Feet of Holiday’s buzzer-beater to end the third quarter, cutting the Bucks deficit to 95-90 to begin the fourth. It was Holiday’s fifth, three-pointer of the game.

56.4 Percent of Boston’s offense that was missing Tuesday night with the absences of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford.

Video of the game is Jae Crowder's introduction

New Bucks forward Jae Crowder isn't going to play until after the all-star break, but he was on the bench Tuesday night and the team introduced him with a highlight video and a shot on the big screen.

Play of the game is Jrue Holiday's buzzer beater

On paper, the Bucks should have not had a problem with the Celtics on Tuesday but the reserves for the top team in the East had something to say about that and took a 14-point lead late into the third quarter. But, the Bucks began to claw back and Holiday put a punctuation mark on it with a 48-footer to pull the Bucks within five and get the home arena rocking. And even though the quarter ended, Milwaukee took some of that juice into the fourth quarter and opened with nine straight points.

"That one was pretty deep, I'm not gonna lie," Holiday said. "I feel like you see it more and more, like when you watch games, guys are taking that shot with two seconds left and it's going in. I'm not gonna lie, it's something that I think we just kind of do for fun. We'll be at practice, start shooting it, see how close you can get or if you make it. So, honestly, I just took my chance.

"I think knocking in those shots leads to something good. I think that the momentum is shifted when you make a shot like that, the crowd gets into it, your teammates get into it, and even if for me building that confidence."

Bucks injury report

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (right knee soreness), probable
• Pat Connaughton (left calf soreness), probable
• Bobby Portis (right MCL sprain), out
• Jae Crowder (return to competition conditioning), out

Who do the Bucks play next?

Milwaukee finishes up the “first half” of the season on Thursday when it heads to Chicago to play the Bulls at the United Center at 6:30 p.m. The Bucks are 0-2 against the Bulls, who are an under .500 team. Chicago is lead by all-star DeMar DeRozan and former all-stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević.