Bucks Take Down Nets In Overtime
The Nets looked to have the game closed out with about three minutes left in the fourth. Kyrie Irving threw and alley oop to Kevin Durant to extend their lead to nine. The Bucks clawed their way back. Giannis Antetokunmpo hit a three that sent the game into overtime. Something he wouldn’t have done a couple years ago.
the ENERGY in here 😤 pic.twitter.com/eXAtP3v4e6
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 1, 2022
With this win the defending NBA champions return back to the playoffs for another run. After Giannis had a 40 point game against the 76ers he comes to Brooklyn and does the same. Trying to convince everyone he should be MVP. Giannis ended the game with 44 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. The three pointer he hit to force the game into overtime made him the leading scorer in Bucks franchise history, but he wasn’t too concerned about that.
“When I’m done we can talk about it, but now there’s no time,” Said Giannis.
Kevin Durant had 26 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. He did miss a game winning three at the end of overtime. Irving had 25 points and Bruce Brown had 23. This game had flashbacks of last year’s game seven between these two teams.
The Bucks led in overtime but the Nets came back to take the lead. Durant was fouled on a three making all three free throws with 8.7 seconds left. The Bucks decided to not call a timeout and let Giannis dribble the ball all the way to the rim. Once he got there he got fouled by Nic Claxton. He made both free throws giving the Bucks a 120-119 lead. Giannis went 15-19 from the strike.
Earlier in the game Khris Middleton was received a flagrant two foul for grabbing Brown’s arm while he was going up for a dunk. His night ended in the third and he had 16 points.
There is a possibility that these two teams face each other in the first round of the playoffs. The Bucks are a half game back of Miami for the one seed and Brooklyn tied for eighth the best than can do is a seventh seed.
The Nets next game is Saturday where they will play the Atlanta Hawks. That is a big game as they are part of the three team tie for the eighth seed.