Closing statement
Bucks rally to enter break on a high note
The Milwaukee Bucks did not want to overlook the Memphis Grizzlies and have their minds wander toward the all-star break, and for a half they looked focused and sharp in taking an 18-point first half lead. They would lose that lead, only to see their “Big Three” of Jrue Holiday, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton pull out a 112-111 victory in the final seconds Thursday night at FedExForum.
The Bucks now go into the break at 2214 overall.
Milwaukee lost its big lead at the end of the third quarter and would trail by as many as seven in the fourth quarter. But, beginning at the 5-minute, 14-second mark the Bucks gradually worked 100-93 deficit down thanks to several key plays on defense by Holiday and his eventual game-winning shot with two seconds left.
Memphis nearly closed out the Bucks thanks to the play of guard Ja Morant, who scored 35 points and handed out five assists – with 28 of those points coming in the second half.
And he gave his team a 106-103 lead to kick off a furious closing 90 seconds.
82 seconds left: Middleton pulled the Bucks to 106-105 on a tough runner.
61 seconds: Antetokounmpo squared up on Morant defensively, but he took the reigning Defensive Player of the Year to the paint and drew a foul. Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer challenged the call, but it stood. Morant made the front end of the pair to make it 107-105 but he missed the second – his first of the game.
61 seconds: The Grizzlies corralled the offensive rebound and looked to run out some clock. Morant pulled the ball back near halfcourt, this time drawing Jrue Holiday.
49.7 seconds: Holiday swiped the ball away and dove on top of it to give the Bucks possession
39.1 seconds: Antetokounmpo’s gravity pulled in the Memphis defense leaving Pat Connaughton open on the wing. Antetokounmpo kicked it out and Connaughton made it, giving the Bucks a 108107 lead. They had been 0 for 13 from the three-point line to that point.
25.6 seconds: Grizzlies guard Dylan Brooks lofted a floater up to the rim and Antetokounmpo swatted it, but the officials called it a goaltend. The play was reviewed, and upheld, giving the Grizzlies a 109-108 lead.
13.3 seconds: Middleton drew a foul as his shot rattled around the rim and out. He calmly sunk two free throws to give the Bucks a 110-109 lead.
7.3 seconds: Morant got the rim sidestepping Donte DiVincenzo and shielding the layup from Antetokounmpo.
DiVincenzo quickly inbounded the ball to Holiday. With no timeouts left, Holiday skated to left side of the court and got Brooks leaning.
2.0 seconds: Holiday stepped back from 11 feet and knocked it down with two seconds left.
Inbounding from halfcourt, the Grizzlies were left with Desmond Bane heaving a 28-footer at the buzzer that came up short.
Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 26 points, 11rebounds and eight assists. And by doing so he moved up the all-time franchise rankings in two categories during the game.
He passed Sidney Moncrief on the scoring list and is now third with 11,617. His eight assists also moved him into third place all time.
Holiday, limited to 18 minutes in his first two games, had 23 points.
He went 6 for 14 from the floor and scored 15 points and had three steals.