What a win for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Down by double digits during parts of Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Boston Celtics, the Bucks were clutch on both sides of the ball as the game came down to the wire. With blood streaming down his face from an earlier injury, Giannis Antetokounmpo hit a clutch 3-pointer in the final two minutes to keep the game from getting away. After a sequence where Antetokounmpo missed a potential game-tying free throw, Bobby Portis grabbed the rebound and tapped it in to give the Bucks a lead.
That wasn't the end of the late-game heroics for Milwaukee. Boston had a chance to take the lead in the final seconds, but Jrue Holiday blocked Marcus Smart's layup attempt -- and, crucially, grabbed the rebound. Then, after two Pat Connaughton free throws gave the Bucks a three-point lead, Holiday came up strong again, stealing the ball from Smart and sealing the win for the Bucks. To give a sense of just how rare that is, according to ESPN Stats and Information, Holiday is the first player over the last 25 postseasons to record a block and a steal inside the final 10 seconds of the 4th quarter of a playoff game.
Players from around the game gave massive props to Holiday on his incredible performance.
Tatum was naked on that play too sheesh that was a really good game and unbelievable stops by jrue
β CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) May 12, 2022
Wow Jrue
β Josh Hart (@joshhart) May 12, 2022
That was a big time block and he's keeping the ball ππ½
β Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) May 12, 2022
@Jrue_Holiday11 π³π
β Reggie Jackson (@Reggie_Jackson) May 12, 2022
Game 5 as a whole drew widespread praise from players like Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt.
BUCKSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! #
β Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) May 12, 2022
β JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 12, 2022
WOW!!!!
β Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 12, 2022