Two matches were played tonight between the top two teams in the standings. The Brooklyn Nets, who were ranked No. 2 in the Eastern Conference, faced the Milwaukee Bucks, who were ranked No. 3. Both teams are strong candidates for the title. The match was likely to be difficult.
AS EXPECTED, BOTH TEAMS GAVE EACH OTHER A HARD TIME, AND IN THE END, THE BUCKS STUNNED THE NETS, DEFEATING 114-112.
Ultimately demonstrating that basketball is unpredictable and full of surprises. The Brooklyn Nets got off to a good start, leading by nine points in the first quarter, but Milwaukee came back strong in the second.
The Bucks eventually won by two points over the No. 2 team at the end of regulation.
The Nets’ Strong Start
Kevin Durant has returned to the Nets lineup after skipping a game to recover. Similarly, Giannis Antetokounmpo returned for the Bucks after suffering an injury in the previous game against the Houston Rockets.
THE MATCH ALSO INCLUDED AN EPIC DUEL BETWEEN THESE TWO PLAYERS, WHO BOTH FINISHED WITH OVER 40 POINTS.
Giannis, KD went at it in today’s Eastern Conference showdown. ??@Giannis_An34: 49 PTS, 3 BLK, W@KDTrey5: 42 PTS, 10 REB, 7 3PM pic.twitter.com/2ffwr3er7J
— NBA (@NBA) May 2, 2021
To begin the night, Giannis made a dunk over Kevin Durant on an alley-oop from Khris Middleton. Joe Harris hit a three-pointer to give the Nets a fast answer. Milwaukee also ties the game at 4-4.
The game then went back and forth, with the Nets and Bucks tied again with 7:35 left in the first period. Kevin Durant hit a jumper and DeAndre Jordan blocked a shot to launch an 8-0 run, giving the Warriors their largest lead of the quarter at 8 points. With 4:59 left, Giannis cut the lead to four points.
Following that, the Bucks trailed the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of the quarter. The Nets are up 11 points with 2:03 left in the game. The Nets then retaliated with a shot after each one made by the Bucks. After the Bucks’ Middleton hit the final three-pointer of the period, the Nets took a 9-point advantage to finish the quarter 37-28.
Milwaukee Took The Lead in Second Quarter
The Bucks began the second quarter on a hot streak, cutting the lead to three points with a 6-0 run before Durant went on a 5-0 run in back-to-back possessions.
DURANT AND GIANNIS FOUGHT BACK AND FORTH IN THE SECOND QUARTER, GOING 44-36 WITH 6:45 LEFT IN THE QUARTER.
After two minutes, Giannis went on a scoring spree, cutting the deficit to three points at 47-44. Joe Harris, on the other hand, responded with a three-pointer, restoring the lead to six points. The Nets then went on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to one point, with Connaughton stealing the ball from Durant and PJ Tucker hitting a three-pointer from behind the arc.
With 3:20 left in the game, Jrue Holiday tied the game at 52-52. Forbes scored a long three-pointer to give the Bucks the lead for the first time in the game. With 26.7 seconds left in the second period, Forbes hit another long three-pointer.
With a score of 59-62 at halftime, the Bucks took the lead.
Giannis’ Brilliant Third Quarter Performance
Giannis erupted in the third quarter, deflecting every Nets bucket. Jeff Green’s bucket gave the Nets the lead for the first time in the third quarter. Giannis, on the other hand, responded with a three-pointer.
Giannis scored again with a jumper on the Bucks’ next possession. Durant responded with a three-pointer to Giannis’ bucket, but Giannis responded with a three-pointer of his own. The Bucks’ star was invincible once again, scoring on a pass from Donte DiVincenzo.
Irving and Durant combined for back-to-back buckets, but Giannis couldn’t help himself and scored again. Forbes hit a three-pointer off a Giannis pass, keeping the Nets in the game.
Kevin Durant hit a three-pointer with a minute and a half left in the third quarter, taking the lead for the first time in the third quarter after trailing by as many as seven points. The Nets’ Landry Shamet hits a three-pointer to hold the lead at 90-88, but Giannis’ jumper with 35.3 seconds left ties the game at 90-90.
bucklings With Brook Lopez’s block of Kevin Durant, the game was tied going into the fourth quarter.
The Bucks With A Strong Finish
Blake Griffin of the Nets opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer, giving his team the lead for the first minute of the game. On the next possession, Shamet hit another three-pointer to push the lead to six points, but Middleton replied with the Bucks’ first basket.
Middleton drew a foul and tied the game at 96-96 with a bucket from behind the arc. With 7:20 left in the game, Giannis and Holiday scored back-to-back baskets to give the Bucks the lead. The Bucks went on a 10-point streak to make the score 106-99.
Similarly, the Nets trailed the Bucks during the fifth, with a frantic final minute. With 57.0 seconds left, Kyrie Irving hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four points. Middleton took the ball and ended the game with a score of 117-114 after Durant missed a three-pointer with 2.6 seconds left.
Giannis VS Durant
NBA fans were treated to an epic matchup between two of the best players in the league right now, as reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and former MVP Kevin Durant put on a show.
What a battle.
Giannis: 49 PTS (W)
Durant: 42 PTS pic.twitter.com/vWcNNECxK9— NBA (@NBA) May 2, 2021
Giannis had a season-high 49 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal to go along with his eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant had a double-double with 42 points and 10 rebounds, as well as two assists.
After scoring 42 points against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, he became the first player since Vince Carter in 2005 to score 40 points in back-to-back games.
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