A retrospective of the stunning Milwaukee Bucks victory over the Boston Celtics on December 24, 2021.

On Christmas Day in 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the Milwaukee Bucks more than just cheer and gifts—he delivered a victory. In his first game following his placement in the NBA’s health and safety standards, the “Greek Freak” led the Bucks to victory, 117-113, as they rallied from a 13-point hole in the final five minutes behind 36 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists.

Here’s a look back at the match that NBA.com named as one of the league’s many Christmas-themed great moments.

Glad to be back

Since being added to the NBA’s health and safety regulations on December 12, Giannis has not been with the team. He scored seven goals in the first half despite having a poor start. But Antetokounmpo eventually found his rhythm, scoring 17 points in the third quarter and 12 more in the fourth to help the Bucks win.

After the game, Giannis said, “I was excited to play the game, excited to be around my teammates and the fans again, and excited to be back.”

A deficit of up to 19 points

Thanks to the brilliance of their two dynamic wingmen, Boston led by as much as 19 points even though they only had eight players available. Jaylen Brown scored 14 of his 25 points in the first quarter to start the celebration early. In this game, Jayson Tatum also scored 25 points.

With 30.3 seconds remaining, Wesley Matthews, the Bucks’ then-wingman, made a huge play to tie the score at 114 points after Milwaukee had fallen behind by two points, 113-111.

Next, Khris Middleton was sent to the free-throw line by Boston’s Jaylen Brown, who missed a baseline jumper on the other end. Middleton split his charity shots to give his team a 116-113 lead. Tatum drove into the paint and put the ball in for what appeared to be a wide-open dunk to Robert Williams, but the Celtics decided against going for a game-tying three. To withstand the Celtics, the “Time Lord” attempted a slam, but Giannis stopped him.