Photo by: Morry Gash/APMilwaukee Bucks’ Bobby Portis reacts after a three pointer during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Through Associated PressPublished on January 12, 2024, at 6:12 PM, and modified on January 13, 2024, at 7:12 AMMilwaukee, Wisconsin (AP) – The Milwaukee Bucks broke out of their slump and put on their most impressive performance of the season as they took on the NBA-leading Boston Celtics.Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to make sure that the Bucks play with the same intensity even against weaker opponents.

“There was a respect-slash-fear factor also that’s very important for this team, that we have to go out there and play at our best today,” Antetokounmpo said after the Bucks trounced the tired-looking Celtics 135-102 on Thursday for just their second win in six games.

Bobby Portis and Antetokounmpo combined to score 20 straight points during a 25-0 spurt midway through the first half. The Bucks led by as many as 43 points in Jrue Holiday’s return to Milwaukee, and their 75-38 lead at the break was their fourth-biggest halftime advantage in franchise history.

“Hopefully we can keep this up not just against the Boston Celtics, not just when we have two days off or not when we have not played well,” Antetokounmpo added. “Even if we’ve played well and even if we’ve played bad, be able to come in the game and play with the same urgency and with the same focus and with the same energy.”

The Bucks had not played since falling to the Utah Jazz 132-116 at home on Monday, a game they had trailed by 31 points at the half. One night after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-120 in overtime, the Celtics were back in play.

Malik Beasley, a guard with the Bucks, revealed that the team met to discuss how to get better following the Jazz game. The major goal was to play with greater vigor and effort.

“I think we did that,” Beasley said. “We came out and competed. I think the main thing for us, we came out physical. We hit first instead of getting hit.”

Portis scored 28, Antetokounmpo added 24 and both players had 12 rebounds. Damian Lillard chipped in 21 points while returning to Milwaukee’s lineup after missing the Jazz game for personal reasons.

“I love the way we responded,” Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. “We responded like champions today.”

Boston rested all of its starters for the second half and gave up its highest point total of the year. In the fourth quarter, none of the Bucks’ starters saw action.

The Celtics shot 9 of 34 from beyond the arc after missing 16 of their first 17 3-point attempts, led by Payton Pritchard’s 21 points and Sam Hauser’s 15. Overall, Milwaukee shot 56.5%.

“We just didn’t have it tonight,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “That can happen from time to time.”

After Boston’s Oshae Brissett dunked to trim Milwaukee’s advantage to 31-23 with 2:14 remaining in the first quarter, the Celtics wouldn’t score again for nearly 6 1/2 minutes.

During the 25-0 run, Antetokounmpo scored seven points and Portis scored thirteen. Portis shot 5 of 6 from beyond the arc on Thursday, up from his previous performance of 1 of 12 from 3-point range this month.

In his first game back in Milwaukee since the Bucks traded him in September to get Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers, Holiday scored six points on two of nine shooting. A few days later, Portland sent him to the Celtics.

Holiday was a Bucks player from 2020 to 23. During the first stoppage of the game, a tribute video that was playing on the Fiserv Forum scoreboard brought him a standing ovation.

“It was cool to kind of see that,” Holiday said “The fans here have always been great.”