Staff Reporter.
Khris Middleton scored a season-high 44 points, Jrue Holiday had 17 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied to beat the short-handed Phoenix Suns 132-122 on Sunday.
Milwaukee outscored Phoenix 12-1 over the last three minutes to win in the Suns’ first visit since Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in a 105-98 Game 6 victory gave the Bucks their first NBA title in 50 years. In their only previous matchup this season, the Suns won 131-107 in Phoenix on Feb. 10.
The NBA-leading Suns were playing without their usual All-Star starting backcourt of Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Booker missed his third straight game due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Paul broke his right thumb Feb. 16.
Phoenix also was missing Cam Johnson, two days after he scored 38 points in a 115-114 victory over the New York Knicks. Johnson has a bruised right quadriceps.
The Bucks won their fourth straight as they completed arguably their toughest three-game stretch of the season. In each of those three games, they came from behind down the stretch.
Antetokounmpo had 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes before fouling out with 1:12 left. Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 30 points. Cam Payne had 23.
“We know what it takes, especially in moments like that, to win games,” Holiday said.
The Bucks are third in the Eastern Conference, while the Suns are still top of the West.
Elsewhere, Jayson Tatum scored 54 points as the Boston Celtics left it late to beat the Brooklyn Nets 126-120.
Tatum scored 34 points in the second half alongside five rebounds and three assists as the Celtics claimed their 14th victory from their past 16 games.
It is the fourth time in his career that Tatum has scored 50 or more points.
“These are the kinds of moments that as a kid, you dreamed about and looked forward to,” Tatum said.
The New York Knicks broke a seven-game losing streak with a 116-93 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Utah Jazz beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-103.