Holiday heroics give Bucks thrilling win vs Kings

Jrue Holiday turned a short jumper into a three-point play with 1:32 to go then added a driving hoop 33 seconds later, allowing the visiting Milwaukee Bucks to stall a Sacramento Kings rally and pull out a 129-128 victory on Saturday, April 3 (Sunday, April 4, Manila time).

Playing without MVP teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo, Holiday took over late with a personal five-point flurry to cap a season-best 33-point outing for the Bucks, who led 118-105 after a tip-in by Brook Lopez with 6:48 left.

But despite playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Kings made an energetic late push, scoring the next 14 points to take a 119-118 lead on a Terence Davis three-pointer with 2:06 to play.

That was when Holiday saved the game for the Bucks, who improved to 3-1 without Antetokounmpo this season. He was given the night off to rest a sore left knee.

Davis, who shared Kings’ scoring honors with De’Aaron Fox with 27 points, had a pair of three-pointers in their frantic late run. Fox added a three-point play, while Buddy Hield did the rest of the scoring on a dunk and a three-pointer.

Donte DiVincenzo hit two late free throws and Pat Connaughton converted 3 of 4 to help secure the Bucks’ third straight win. They are now 3-1 on a six-game venture that continues Tuesday at Golden State and Thursday at Dallas.

A buzzer-beating three-pointer by the Kings’ Davis accounted for the final one-point margin.

Holiday also found time for a game-high-tying 11 assists for the Bucks, who swept the two-game season series from the Kings.

Lopez added 26 points, Bobby Portis 18, and Khris Middleton 16 for the Bucks, who out-shot the Kings 53.8% to 49.5%. DiVincenzo complemented a game-high 14 rebounds with 12 points.

Davis shot 7-for-10 on three-pointers for the Kings, who lost their third straight and second in two nights. They were drubbed 115-94 at home by the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.

Hield finished with 19 points, Richaun Holmes had 12 to go with a team-high 9 rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton put up 12 to complete a double-double with a team-high 11 assists in the loss.

Delon Wright made it 6 Kings in double figures in scoring with 10 points off the bench. – Rappler.com