Playing without Kyrie Irving, the Nets received an iconic performance from Kevin Durant in a 114-108 Game 5 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Here are a few key takeaways …
– In the first five minutes of the game, the Nets got off to an 0-for-5 start from beyond the arc, allowing the Bucks to start the game on a 12-2 run, with five early points from Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton.
The Nets looked completely disjointed to get things started, shooting 2-of-13 in the first 10 minutes. In the final minutes of the quarter, Jeff Green hit his second three to try to help the Nets climb out of their early hole, but Milwaukee took a 29-15 lead into the second. Brooklyn shot just 4-of-20 as a team with four turnovers.
– To start the second, Green and Kevin Durant continued to be the only scorers for the Nets, as the duo scored the first 23 points of the game for Brooklyn before Joe Harris hit a three-pointer with around eight and half minutes left in the first half.
The Bucks’ lead was as large as 17 in the half, but a Blake Griffin dunk cut the lead to 12 with 4:17 to go. A late three from former Net Brook Lopez helped open that lead back up to 16, as the Nets took a 59-43 lead into the break, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 17 points.
– James Harden did everything he could before the game to get himself ready to play, but the effects of his hamstring injury appeared to play a major role in this game. Harden played most of the first half, but went scoreless. In the third, Harden finally got on the board, but Green, Durant, and Griffin continued to shoulder most of the load offensively.
– With just under six minutes to go in the third, Green his sixth three-pointer of the game, bringing the Nets within 11 at 76-65. A few moments later, Landry Shamet drilled a corner three to cut the lead to single digits at eight, as the Nets went on an 11-2 run.
The third quarter belonged to the Nets, as they outscored Milwaukee 38-28, but the Bucks took an 87-81 lead into the final quarter. Durant had 11 points in the quarter, giving him 29 in the game to that point.
– The Nets started the fourth quarter on an 8-4 spurt, as a Bruce Brown layup cut the Bucks’ lead all the way down to two points. On the Nets’ next possession, Durant was fouled and hit two free throws to tie the game. The next time down the floor, Durant drained a three to give the Nets their first lead of the game, and after Milwaukee took the lead back, Durant did it again, nailing a three to put Brooklyn up 97-96.
Later in the quarter, a Green three put Brooklyn up by four at 104-100. In the final half-minute with the Nets up two, Durant missed a three, but Antetokounmpo turned the ball over. Durant would hit enough of his free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
– Durant gave an all-time performance, carrying the Nets with a triple-double, scoring 49 points with 17 rebounds and 10 assists, and playing the entire game.
Harden played 46 minutes, but scored just five points on 1-of-10 shooting with eight assists and six rebounds.
What’s next
The Nets will look to close out the series in Game 6 on Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. in Milwaukee.