AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 40-point, 13-rebound performance propelled the Milwaukee Bucks to the Eastern Convention Finals after they defeated the host Brooklyn Nets 115-111 in extra time in Game 7 of their 2nd-round playoff series at Barclays Heart.
Nets forward Kevin Durant played all 53 minutes and led all scorers with 48 factors on 17-of-36 capturing.
Bucks forward Khris Middleton nailed a 13-foot recreation-winning jumper with 40.7 seconds final to present Milwaukee a 113-111 advantage.
The Nets had chances to tie or opt the lead on their next two possessions, nonetheless a pair of Durant two-point jumpers were off the label, with the latter accelerate away out ending with accurate three-tenths of a 2nd final.
After a Nets ugly, Bucks heart Brook Lopez closed the scoring with a pair of free throws.
Durant hit an tale 24-foot jumper with 1.6 seconds final in regulation accurate to pressure extra time:
Then again, it wasn’t meant to be for the Nets.
Milwaukee will invent its 2nd Eastern Convention Finals appearance in three seasons after defeating the Nets four games to about a within the supreme-of-seven matchup.
Fundamental Performances
Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo: 40 factors, 13 rebounds, 5 assists
Bucks G Jrue Vacation: 13 factors, 8 assists, 7 rebounds
Bucks G/F Khris Middleton: 23 factors, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals
Nets F Kevin Durant: 48 factors, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
Nets G James Harden: 22 factors, 9 rebounds, 9 assists
Nets F Blake Griffin: 17 factors, 11 rebounds
Bucks’ Wide 3 Delivers Ample Grab Plays to Seal Sequence Snatch
Antetokounmpo dragged the Bucks to the fourth quarter with a sensational performance as Middleton and Jrue Vacation largely struggled for the majority of regulation, nonetheless all three excelled down the stretch to build Milwaukee into the Eastern Convention Finals.
Antetokounmpo used to be simply out of the ordinary all recreation nonetheless additionally delivered leisurely. His floater with below three minutes left within the fourth tied the sport at 101:
A rock combat ensued in extra time, as two gassed groups went up and down the court docket without producing necessary offense outside a Bruce Brown two-pointer over the first 3: 48 of the extra session.
Antetokounmpo build a conclude to the Bucks’ chilly spell, on the opposite hand, backing down Durant and tying the sport at 111.
As for his teammates, Middleton and Vacation combined to shoot accurate 14-of-49 (4-of-16 from three-point fluctuate) nonetheless the 2 of them delivered when the Bucks wished them essentially the most.
Along with Middleton’s aforementioned recreation-winner, the aid-to-aid All-Smartly-known individual additionally scored 11 fourth-quarter factors, including a tall three-pointer to carve the Nets’ fourth-quarter consequence in 101-99:
It used to be a tall shot after James Harden had accurate despatched the Barclays Heart crowd into a frenzy with a bank-shot three-pointer as the shot clock expired.
Middleton additionally came up with a tall take (his fifth of the sport) and acquired fouled on the reasonably about a conclude, leading to 2 made free throws to build his team up 109-105 leisurely in regulation.
ESPN’s Kirk Goldsberry shouted out Middleton’s fourth quarter and extra time:
The Bucks don’t seem like attending to that point if no longer for Vacation, who began the sport capturing accurate 2-of-17 nonetheless came through when his team wished him to mumble.
Vacation delivered assists on Middleton’s draw to Harden and Antetokounmpo’s ensuing recreation-tying layup. He then went to work himself, nailing a 3-pointer, a 16-foot jumper and 1-of-2 free throws on successive possessions to build Milwaukee up 107-105:
Milwaukee done with the supreme usual-season file in the end of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons nonetheless fell brief within the Eastern Convention playoffs on every occasion.
It gave the influence of the Bucks would make so again Saturday, nonetheless the Bucks’ Wide Three had reasonably about a tips.
Now they’re within the Eastern Convention Finals looking out for their first NBA championship berth since 1974.
Durant Sensational in Defeat
Durant might most in all probability effectively be going home, nonetheless he might most in all probability no longer be doing so earlier than including one more chapter in his legendary, future Hall of Standing profession.
For starters, Durant ended the evening with the supreme-scoring total in Game 7 historical previous:
He additionally joined some elite company alongside the style:
Durant used to be so grand that Los Angeles Lakers story and Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson gave credit ranking the build it used to be due postgame:
And Antetokounmpo did too:
Durant, who suffered a ruptured Achilles two years within the past that compelled him to miss out on the total 2020-21 season, used to be a human spotlight reel Saturday.
KD threw down a hammer dunk despite being hacked by Bucks guard Pat Connaughton:
He later slithered into the lane and acquired by the Bucks protection with relative ease:
Durant excelled within the mid-fluctuate too, nailing a operating one-footer:
He additionally took Vacation to college:
KD done the Bucks series averaging 35.4 factors on 51.0 p.c capturing, 10.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists. He averaged 42.7 minutes for the series and sat accurate eight minutes total from Games 5 to 7.
KD wished to raise the offense with a sidelined Kyrie Irving (sprained accurate ankle) and an injured nonetheless playing Harden (accurate hamstring tightness), and he did so against a team that might most in all probability thoroughly make this season as the NBA champion.
His season can have ended with a loss, nonetheless Durant silent authored one among the supreme playoff performances within the NBA’s 75-season historical previous.
What’s Next?
The Bucks will play the Philadelphia 76ers or Atlanta Hawks within the Eastern Convention Finals. Philadelphia will host Atlanta in Game 7 of their 2nd-round playoff series on Sunday to search out out Milwaukee’s opponent.
