Tonight’s matches were between the top two teams.
The Brooklyn Nets, ranked second in the Eastern Conference, faced the Milwaukee Bucks, ranked third. Both teams are championship contenders. The match will most likely be difficult.
Both teams gave each other intense battle, and the Bucks eventually upset the Nets, defeating them 114-112. Basketball is unpredictable and full of shocks until the end.
The Brooklyn Nets opened well, grabbing a 9-point lead in the opening quarter, but Milwaukee quickly responded in the second quarter.
The Bucks eventually won by two points over the No.2 at the end of regulation.
Brooklyn Nets make a solid start
Kevin Durant returned to the Nets lineup after missing a game to rest. Similarly, Giannis returned for the Bucks after suffering an injury in the previous game against the Houston Rockets.
The game also included an amazing struggle between these two players, who both finished with 40 or more points. To begin the night, Giannis slams over Kevin Durant on an alley-oop from Khris Middleton.
The Nets soon responded, with Joe Harris hitting a three-pointer.
And Milwaukee has tied the game at 4-4.
The game then went back and forth, with the Nets and Bucks knotted with 7:35 left in the first quarter. Kevin Durant hit a jumper, and DeAndre Jordan blocked Middleton’s shot, sparking an 8-0 run that gave the Warriors their highest lead of the quarter, 8 points.
With 4:59 remaining, Giannis trimmed the margin to four points. Following that, the Bucks trailed the Brooklyn Nets for the rest of the quarter. The Nets lead by 11 points with 2:03 left in the quarter. The Nets then responded to every shot made by the Bucks.
Nets established a 9-point advantage following Bucks Middleton’s final three-pointer of the quarter, ending the quarter 37-28.
In the second quarter, the Bucks took the lead. The Bucks started the second quarter on a hot streak, trimming the lead to three points with a 6-0 run before Durant ignited a 5-0 run in back-to-back possessions.
Durant and Giannis traded blows, with the score 44-36 with 6:45 left in the second quarter. After two minutes, Giannis scored three baskets to trim the lead to three points, 47-44.
However, Joe Harris responded with a three-pointer, restoring the margin to six points. The Nets responded by trimming the margin to one point with a 5-0 run that included Connaughton stealing the ball from Durant and PJ Tucker hitting a three-pointer from behind the arc.
With 3:20 remaining, Jrue Holiday knotted the game at 52-52.
Forbes gave the Bucks the lead for the first time in the game with a deep three-pointer. Forbes then hit another long three-pointer with 26.7 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Bucks led at the halftime break, 59-62.
Giannis was on fire in the third quarter.
Giannis surged in the third quarter, answering every Nets bucket. Jeff Green’s bucket gave the Nets the first shot of the third quarter. But Giannis responded with a three-pointer.
Giannis scored again with a jumper on the Bucks’ next possession.
THREAD FOR THE FINAL SCORE
Giannis Antetokounmpo scores 49 points to lead the @Bucks past Brooklyn in a thriller!
Khris Middleton had 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Jrue Holiday has 18 points.
Kevin Durant: 42 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 three-point attempts. pic.twitter.com/YWy1Jqno6F
May 2, 2021 — NBA (@NBA)
Durant shot a three-pointer in response to Giannis’ bucket, but Giannis responded with a three-pointer of his own.
The Bucks’ star proved unstoppable once again, scoring on a Donte DiVincenzo pass.
Irving and Durant combined for back-to-back buckets, but Giannis couldn’t stop himself and scored again.
Forbes hit a three-pointer off a Giannis assist to keep the Nets in the game.
However, with a minute and a half left in the third quarter, Kevin Durant hit a three-pointer to take the lead for the first time in the third quarter after trailing by as much as seven points.
The Nets’ Landry Shamet shoots a three-pointer to retain the advantage at 90-88 before Giannis’ jumper with 35.3 seconds remaining ties the game at 90-90.
Bucks Brook Lopez stopped Kevin Durant, tying the game in the fourth quarter.
Milwaukee Bucks end strong
A minute into the fourth quarter, the Nets’ Blake Griffin hit a three-pointer to take the lead.
Shamet hit another three-pointer on the next possession to increase the advantage to six points before Middleton answered with the Bucks’ first basket.
Middleton earned a foul and scored from behind the three-point line to tie the game at 96-96.
With 7:20 left in the game, Giannis and Holiday hit back-to-back baskets to take the lead.
The Bucks went on a 10-3 run to make the score 106-99.
Similarly, the Nets trailed the Bucks throughout the quarter, but rallied in the final seconds.
Kyrie Irving made a bucket to trim the advantage and make it four-point game with 57.0 seconds remaining.
Durant missed a three-pointer with 2.6 seconds remaining, allowing Middleton to take the ball and conclude the game 117-114.
Giannis and Durant perform
NBA fans witnessed an epic clash between two of the best players in the game right now, as reigning MVP Giannis went off against former MVP Kevin Durant to put up an incredible performance.
Both had fantastic nights, with Giannis ending with a season-high 49 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant concluded the match with a double-double of 42 points and 10 rebounds, as well as 2 assists.
Kevin Durant (42 points in each of his last two games) is the first Nets player since Vince Carter to score 40 points in consecutive games (Feb. 5-7, 2005). pic.twitter.com/SNSRosXuWP
May 2, 2021 — NBA History (@NBAHistory)
After scoring 42 points against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, he became the first player since Vince Carter in 2005 to score 40 or more points in consecutive games.
“I wasn’t back and forth with KD,” Antetokounmpo explained. “No one in this world can go back and forth with him.” He is one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
“You have to be able to do it as a team, to guard him and make it difficult for him.” “All I wanted to do was do my job, go to my location, execute, and help my team win.”
What was striking about the two was that they were not just firing but also shooting efficiently.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and Kevin Garnett of the Nets are both efficient shooters.
Giannis Antetokounmpo made 21 of 36 attempts from the field, while Kevin Durant made 16 of 33.
“I’ve spent my entire life training on a jump shot,” Antetokounmpo said. “I know it’ll all come together one day.”
“That image I established tonight is who I want to be moving forward.” It makes no difference if I get 49 points. That is irrelevant to me. What matters to me is how I slowed down and found my comrades. What if I missed one, then another, then another, and still be able to come down and shoot another one? This is what I believe I am capable of.”
What a fight.
Giannis has 49 points (W)
Durant has 42 points. pic.twitter.com/vWcNNECxK9
May 2, 2021 — NBA (@NBA)
Both players hit at least 50% of their long-range shots, with Giannis hitting 4 of his 8 tries and Durant nailing 7 of his 13 attempts.
“Every day you get up, you’re thinking about your craft,” Durant said. “We simply have to be psychologically focused on what we’re attempting to do as a group.”
“You’ve got a player who’s about the same size as Giannis and has unlimited range,” Middleton added. “KD is the type of man that will pull up in front of you as if you’re not there.”
Even though it was largely Giannis and Durant’s show, other players from both sides shone and helped Giannis and Durant in whatever way they could.
Other Bucks players shone in the victory.
Khris Middleton stood out for his efforts to assist Giannis, as well as his incredible shooting from the field and behind the arc.
He also worked hard to obtain the rebounds. The Bucks won with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds, as well as six assists.
Similarly, Jrue Holiday contributed 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists to help the Nets hold on. Another Bucks player shone as well. Brynn Forbes’ excellent three-point shooting helped the Bucks hold off the Nets.
He scored 12 points while playing only nine minutes off the bench. In fact, everyone on the Bucks did an excellent job in rallying from a 9-point deficit in the first quarter.
The Nets were led by Kyrie Irving and Luc Mbah a Moute.
Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, was Brooklyn’s second leading scorer. He ended with 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists on the night.
Landry Shamet did an excellent job of keeping the Bucks on their toes as well. He ended with 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists while coming off the bench.
Blake Grffin shone in the fourth quarter, hitting three-pointers to cut the lead to one point. He finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and an assist.
DeAndre Jordan ended with a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds while playing 24 minutes and guarding Giannis. He was ineffective in defending Giannis because he was unstoppable throughout the game.
Giannis scored 49 points, 35 of which came while Jordan was primarily guarding him. When he was well protected, other Bucks players came up to score. The Nets will be without all-star James Harden, who has missed 14 straight games due to a hamstring injury.
While guard Bruce Brown played after missing three games due to a strained right knee. Despite the loss, Nets Coach said the two-game series against the Wizards served as a dress rehearsal for the playoffs.
Nash stated, “We’re still expanding.” “We’re still figuring things out.” “We’re just trying to get there, let alone start hiding stuff,” he continued.
The race for the top seed becomes more competitive.
As the playoffs approach, the race for the top seed to join the playoffs becomes more competitive.
With the win, the Bucks advanced to 40-24, winning for the third time in four games to close the gap on the Nets, who fell 43-22. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers have a 43-21 record and will face the Chicago Bulls tomorrow after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 113-111.
Meanwhile, the Nets will play the Milwaukee Bucks again on Wednesday, May 5th.
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