Giannis Drops 44 Parts as Bucks Achieve off Kevin Durant, Nets in OT Thriller

An time past regulation showdown between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks? Sound familiar?

Very like Game 7 of the Jap Conference Semifinals supreme season, Thursday’s showdown went to time past regulation. And real like that game, it became the Bucks who earned the declare, 120-119. 

A shut game perceived to alternate dramatically leisurely in the fourth, when Khris Middleton became given a flagrant-2 and ejected from the game for this sinister on Bruce Brown:

Suffice to teach, the resolution to eject Middleton split opinon:

The Nets promptly went on a 9-3 fling, turning a 3-level lead real into a 9-level wait on. However Milwaukee made a leisurely push, occurring an 11-2 fling tying the game with 18 seconds supreme on a grab Giannis Antetokounmpo three. Kevin Durant’s game-profitable strive clanged off the rim, sending the game to time past regulation.

Durant had the probability to declare on the buzzer in time past regulation too, but his turnaround jumper real rimmed out. A merciless effect to an unparalleled game. 

The declare moved the Bucks (48-28) to real a half of-game in the abet of the Miami Warmth in the fling for the tip seed in the Jap Conference. That locations them on a that you just would factor in collision route with these Nets, would possibly perchance perhaps well comprise to Brooklyn declare its first play-in game. 

In precisely Kyrie Irving’s third residence game this year, the Nets (40-37) confirmed why they’ll be so scary in this year’s postseason would possibly perchance perhaps well comprise to they continue to exist the play-in tournament. 

Factor in that first-spherical sequence—the defending champs against a Nets personnel for the time being +550 to declare the title, which trails handiest the Phoenix Suns (+300), per FanDuel. That would possibly perchance perhaps nicely be a wild system for both teams to initiate the postseason. 

And if Thursday became any indication, it can most likely perhaps well well be one hell of a chain. 

Key Stats

Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL: 44 aspects, 14 rebounds, six assists

Khris Middleton, MIL: 16 aspects, 9 rebounds

Jrue Vacation, MIL: 19 aspects, eight rebounds, six steals

Kyrie Irving, BKN: 25 aspects, five assists

Kevin Durant, BKN: 26 aspects, 11 assists, seven rebounds, six turnovers

Bruce Brown, BKN: 23 aspects

Giannis Particular Does Look Love An MVP

Coming into Thursday, Antetokounmpo became averaging 32.3 aspects per game in March. He real put 40 aspects and 14 rebounds on the Philadelphia 76ers in a declare, outplaying fellow MVP candidate Joel Embiid. He now has three 40-level games this month on my own. 

In but one other game against an elite player, it became Giannis who became the supreme player on the floor. He became downright unstoppable at cases.

He is a two-time MVP, finally. And perchance a 3-time MVP quickly ample. His leisurely-season push can now not be overlooked. 

This Wasn’t Vintage KD. Till It Became.

When Durant is on—and he’s practically continuously on—he’s the supreme shot-maker on the planet. However for a factual chunk of this game, he wasn’t on against the Bucks. 

However he discovered it leisurely. He sunk a 3 and done an alley-oop in Brooklyn’s fling after Middleton’s ejection. He had 13 aspects between the final four minutes and 10 seconds of the game and time past regulation.

So howdy, perchance it wasn’t classic Durant for stretches. Had he made regarded as one of his two game-profitable attempts, we shall be speaking about this one a bit in a completely different contrivance. However he became aloof big for the Nets down the stretch.

What’s Subsequent?

The Bucks head abet residence for the 2nd half of of a abet-to-abet after they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday at 8 p.m. ET. The Nets run to Atlanta on Saturday to face the Hawks at 7: 30 p.m. ET on NBA TV.