Nets – Bucks 109-121: Antitokunbo and … Milwaukee II joked with Harden and Durand

The Nets are heartbreaking, with Kevin Durand (29 points, 9/16 two points, 1/3 three points, 8/8 shots, 9 rebounds, 7 assists) being a team of his own. Brooklyn fell to 24-13 (10-10 at home and 14-3 away), doesn’t play well at home, has no competitive spirit, doesn’t have the squad everyone was expecting, and as long as Kairi Irving doesn’t play, it will likely to be predictable. James Harden was bad despite 9/16/07, Patti Mills is not having his best season and Steve Nas is more worried than ever. He sent a message when he emptied his bench prematurely seven minutes before the end of the game, waiting to be accepted by his athletes, who have lost four of their last five games and received 118 points per game.

Next game of the Bucks in a few hours, in the early morning hours of Sunday at 02:00 in Charlotte, against the very ambitious Hornets.

The race

The Bucks opened the match with Matthews, Noora, Middleton, Antetokunbo and Portis who were superb on both sides of the floor. John was doing well for himself and those around him, 7-13 just before mid-season showed the Nets that Milwaukee didn’t go to Brooklyn for tourism and Langston Galloway was the first change, right after the 6 ‘break. Portis was impressive in defense and attack, he got Durand’s second foul early, he hit 10 with a mid-range shot to make 11-21 and he was great, as great as Giannis until 21-29 of the twelve minutes he was both each had 10 points.

At the start of the second period, the Bucks tried a zone 2-3 defense, they saw Giannis make two quick fouls and hit three in eleven minutes, but they also saw Portis do incredible things with a three, a torfoul, and a lay.-ap for 30-39. The Nets seemed trapped, shocked, Milwaukee played with intensity, stubbornness and determination, scoring +13 (51-38), with Rodney Hood offering key mid- and long-distance solutions before Ham went to an incredible five: Galloway, Nuora, Hood , Thanasis, Mamukelasvili, where Thanasis conceded Durand’s third foul and the difference remained around ten points to 49-60 of the half in which the guests had three mistakes and the hosts Harden with the six points from 2/10 shots.

Middleton went into the second half with five points for 49-65, Giannis scored a foul for 59-71 with Durand’s fourth foul, Middleton went on with four points for 59-75 and Antetokunbo scored his first three points for +19. And at 24 the difference (64-87) ended exactly in the middle of the third period, before the final found the master with a good margin, who seemed safe, but with twelve minutes at the end. Durand had hit 27 but at the same time John had no opponent and Middleton had gone from five at halftime to 20 with big threesomes, rebounds, creations and defenses.

After Antetokunbo took over the bucks again with scoring and creation and the hood portis appeared in bursts from the periphery, the difference was 20 (90-110) seven minutes before the final. Steve Nash called for a timeout, he was angry and disappointed in his key players, he emptied his bench too soon to show his displeasure and made up for his fate. Milwaukee was impressive anyway, reacting whenever the Nets seemed able to take the game’s momentum with them, and recovering most emphatically at the home of its big opponents after its home defeats to the Pistons and Raptors.

THE TWELVE MINUTES: 21-29, 49-60, 80-98, 109-121

BROUKLYN NETWORKS (Steve Nas): Durand 29 (9/16 two points, 1/3 three points, 8/8 shots, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block), Duke 7, Claxton 14 (6/9 two points, 2/2 shots, 6 rebounds), Mills 3 (1/6 3-pointers), Harden 16 (5/12 2-pointers, 1/3 3-pointers, 3/3 shots, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 errors ), Johnson 6, Thomas 14 (1/5 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, 2 assists), Aldridge 2, Babri, Brown 7 (1), Carter 5 (1), Edwards, Sharp 6

MILGUOKI BUKS (Darwin Ham): Middleton 20 (5/9 three points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals), Giannis Antetokunbo 31 (9/12 two points, 2/5 three points, 7/10 shots, 7 rebounds, 9 assists ), Portis 25 (7/11 two points, 2/5 three points, 5/5 shots, 12 rebounds, 2 assists), Nuora 13 (3), Matthews 12 (2 three points, 7 rebounds), Hood 10 (2 ), Galloway 2 (3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal), Mamukelasvili 4, Ozelege, Thanasis Antetokunbo 4 (1/3 two points, 2/2 shots, 2 rebounds), Smart, Cornet, Doutin

The Brooklyn Nets team stats: 36/65 two points, 6/27 three points, 19/20 shots, 52 rebounds, 23 assists, 8 steals, 5 blocks, 10 errors, 16 fouls

The team stats for the Milwaukee Bucks: 28/52 two points, 16/45 three points, 17/21 shots, 56 rebounds, 21 assists, 6 steals, 3 blocks, 10 errors, 20 fouls