Jrue Holiday comes up big late as Bucks hold off Knicks rally to win fourth straight

The Milwaukee Bucks once again had to overcome a slow shooting start at Fiserv Forum to win their fourth straight game to open the season, toppling the New York Knicks 119-108 Friday night. It’s the Bucks’ best start to a season since beginning the 2018-19 campaign 7-0. While that team didn’t have any issues scoring in the early going, a commonality has been the home-heavy schedule. The Bucks had five home games in that hot start five seasons ago, and this year’s team is currently 3-0 to begin its season-long six-game homestand.

"It says a lot about the team, we have a very good team, but we've got to stay humble as much as we can," Giannis Antetokounmpo said of the start without several key players. "I remember the year 2018-19, we had the 7-0 run, the 7-0 start to the season, but we didn't win the championship. But it doesn't really matter. We have a good team right now, we are playing good, we are building good habits, we are defending well."

Here are some takeaways from the victory:

Struggling to find a three-point touch

The Bucks have won four straight games to open the season, and that’s despite the fact they are shooting 33.7% (52 for 154) from behind the three-point line. They were just 13 for 45 against the Knicks.

To help offset some of the sluggish shooting, Milwaukee has played very strong defense in the opening part of this schedule in allowing just 100.0 points per game.

Box score: Bucks 119, Knicks 108

While the overall percentage from deep wasn’t great, the Bucks did hit timely triples – namely a pair from Jrue Holiday and makes from Giannis Antetokounmpo, Grayson Allen and George Hill in a key stretch in the third quarter that saw the Bucks expand a 64-60 lead to 90-66 and give them the margin they needed to hang on late.

Milwaukee was just 5 for 19 (26.3%) from beyond the arc in the first half and it shot just 38.8% overall from the field as it managed to keep the Knicks at arm’s length with a 56-53 lead.

But the Bucks made six of their 11 threes in the third quarter to temporarily blow the game open in the heart of the third quarter. It helped offset an ice cold 2-for-11 finish to the game from deep, including a handful of open looks late.

Giannis Antetokounmpo continues hot start

What must players and coaches in the NBA be thinking when they hear Giannis Antetokounmpo talking about how he hasn’t quite unlocked his game yet this season?

The two-time league most valuable player came into Friday night’s game shooting 67.7% from the field and having scored 108 points in three games. He added to that with a 30-point, 14-rebound, 9-assist effort against the Knicks that saw him make 11 of 22 shots. It was his fourth straight double-double and second time with at least eight assists.

If there has been one soft spot in his game in the early going, it has been at the free throw line. He came in shooting just 62.5% (20-for-32) and he was 7-for-11 against the Knicks, and at one point during a Knicks challenge he grabbed the ball to get up some extra practice shots. He made 72% of his freebies a year ago.

But overall, the 27-year-old has been his “usual” dominant self in the opening games – even if he insists he’s still finding his way in the early going. Should he get to where he wants to? A third MVP isn’t too early to talk about.

Jrue Holiday comes up big at the end

The Bucks point guard hasn’t had much luck on offense in the early going, at least in terms of making shots.

He was 6 for 19 from the floor against the Knicks and he is now 21 for 67 (31.3%) from the floor on the season – but he made big plays when it mattered most.

He hit his only 2 three-pointers of the game in a key third quarter surge and then with the Bucks having gone through a nearly 5-minute scoreless drought, he picked off a backcourt pass and streaked in for a layup to seal the game with 29 seconds left.

“I do think he kind of busted the game," Budenholzer said. "I think we got to 20, up 20 at one point. It felt like that was a lot of Jrue Holiday. The 2 threes back-to-back just changed everything. And his defense. I think the effort that he gives every night, it’s very – he’s unique. And you put him with the big guy.”

Bucks unveil throwback jersey

Milwaukee threw it back to the early 2000s Friday night by debuting its Classic Edition uniforms. The uniforms, called the “Light it Up” version of the Classic Edition line, feature the purple-heavy colorways popularized by the team’s “Big Three” of the 2001 Eastern Conference finals run of Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell.

"I love 'em," Antetokounmpo said. "I think this one's my favorite. And the second ones are definitely the cream ones we had a couple years ago. Yeah, I love 'em. I think I took it with me. I'm going to frame it and put it in my basement."

MarJon Beauchamp, who was born in October of 2000 when that team was just starting its season, appreciated the look and attention to detail.

“It’s taking me back to Ray Allen when he was wearing that jersey,” he said with a nod. “I remember. It’s crazy that I’m putting it on for sure. I love the purple. I love how they put the NIKE swoosh on it – it’s kind of underrated from the old school. It’s amazing.

“I’m feeling it. I love it.”

For Grayson Allen, born in 1995, the jerseys mean Ray Allen as well. And, the color is a new one for him.

“I don’t think I have any just purple stuff in my closet,” he admitted. “But I mean these jerseys are tough. I love the colors of these. The element of the throwback, just like knowing – I don’t even know if it was when I was growing up or if it was just watching highlights of Ray Allen and other guys play in these jerseys or playing (NBA) 2K with the Bucks and rocking these jerseys – it’s really cool to be able to put them on now.”

Bucks injury report

Before the game, Mike Budenholzer did not have a firm update on the progress of Khris Middleton (left wrist surgery), Pat Connaughton (right calf strain) and Joe Ingles (left knee surgery) but said he’s been impressed with the work the trio has put in to return.

Of the three, Middleton may be the one closest to a return. He began ball handling drills on Oct. 12 and Budenholzer did say the all-star has progressed to taking some contact in his rehab sessions.

Despite the absence of an all-star starter and one of their key reserves in Connaughton -- along with their top offseason import -- the Bucks have seen contributions from the entire roster.

“We’ve got a deep team,” Allen said. “So we’ve got a bunch of guys that can play, a bunch of guys that can do more than they’re normally asked to do. I think it says a lot about who we are as a group.”

5 numbers

1 Three-pointers the Bucks made in the first quarter on 10 attempts.

2 Defensive three seconds called on Bucks center Brook Lopez, his third violation in four games. The Knicks made both technical free throws.

12 Drawn fouls by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. Their presence helped keep the Knicks front court on the bench, as Julius Randle (14 points), Mitchell Robinson (5) and Isaiah Hartenstein (6) were largely ineffective on offense.

12-12 Points and rebounds for Bobby Portis off the bench. The Bucks’ big man said his goal was to win Sixth Man of the Year, and Friday marked his third double-double in four games.

26-8 Run by the Bucks in the third quarter that gave them a 24-point lead, a margin they needed as the Knicks fought back to get to within nine late in the fourth quarter.

“The game was over with. Sorry," Knicks point guard Derrick Rose said of the late run by his team. "We’ve got to come out with urgency a lot better early on in the game and just wear on people. But we didn’t rebound the ball well. We didn’t communicate.”

Play of the game: A Wesley Matthews steal leads to a Giannis dunk

Bucks guard Wesley Matthews said he wasn’t surprised with how far Jalen Brunson has come in his career and the newly minted $104 million Knicks point guard had the Bucks’ attention. That was the case, as the Bucks had active hands around Brunson with Matthews, Jevon Carter, George Hill and others. They forced him in three turnovers, including this strip by Matthews that led to a transition poster by Giannis Antetokounmpo on the other end.

For the night, the Bucks scored 17 points off 13 Knicks giveaways and Brunson was limited to 13 points on 3 of 10 shooting.

“Just trying to make him uncomfortable,” Jevon Carter said of the effort on Brunson. “Guys in this league are the best of the best and my job is just to try to make everything hard, keep ‘em off balance and make ‘em uncomfortable and play hard.”

Video of the game is the Bucks using the player introduction video from 2000-01

To accentuate the look on the court, the Bucks not only used “retro” graphics on the scoreboard and around the arena but they also brought back the player introduction video from two decades ago.

Who do the Bucks play next?

Milwaukee continues its season-long homestand by hosting the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night at Fiserv Forum at 7 p.m. The teams played two preseason games against one another in the United Arab Emirates, and the Hawks feature newly acquired all-star guard Dejounte Murray along with star Trae Young.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks top Knicks 119-108 to win fourth straight game.