The Milwaukee Bucks are headed to the Eastern Conference finals after a thrilling 115-111 overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7.
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The Milwaukee Bucks are headed to the Eastern Conference finals after a thrilling 115-111 overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton lead the way for The Bucks. They will now face the winner of Sunday’s Game 7 between the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern semi-final.
“Against all odds in Game 7… we were able to get the win!”
Giannis speaks to @JaredSGreenberg following the WIN: pic.twitter.com/8Oo2RXnJUc
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) June 20, 2021
Kevin Durant did everything possible to carry the Nets. He scored a Game 7 record 48 points and hit an incredible shot at the end of the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime. But the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40, including the game-tying shot in overtime. Then it was the Game 6 hero (38 points), Khris Middleton, drilled the dagger with a mid-range jumper to seal the deal. The Bucks will be playing in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2019. If they win conference finals, it will be first NBA Finals for them since 1974.
We could not wish for a better game on Saturday. There were 18 lead changes and eight ties over the 53 minutes of action. The biggest lead either team had was when the Nets took a 10-point advantage. Both teams had their key men put up big-time performances. This was just the seventh Game 7 in NBA history to go to overtime, and the first since 2006, when the Dallas Mavericks beat the San Antonio Spurs.
He deserves all the praise for his performance in Game 7. Giannis stepped up in a major way to make sure the Bucks didn’t lose the game. Played 50 minutes, he finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists on 15 of 24 from the field. This was just the second time he’s scored 40 or more in a playoff game. In the process, he became just the fifth player in NBA history to put up at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a Game 7.
The Greek Freak showed up.
40 PTS | 13 REB | 5 AST | 1 BLK pic.twitter.com/uec3hK61nw
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) June 20, 2021
He tied the game with just 1:12 remaining in overtime. Nearly four minutes into the OT, the Bucks still hadn’t scored. Giannis made the big play they needed, as he took Kevin Durant into the post and dropped a little hook shot in over the top.
In the fourth quarter, Middleton and Holiday shrugged off their poor display from the first half to give the Bucks a combined 20 points on 7 of 12 from the field. With things all tied 101-101 in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Holiday scored six straight to put the Bucks back in front. Then, in overtime, Middleton buried a mid-range jumper with 40.7 seconds remaining, and that turned out to be the game winner.
KHRIS MIDDLETON IS GOOD.
23 PTS | 10 REB | 6 AST | 5 STL pic.twitter.com/5X0EbLWwx5
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) June 20, 2021
With Kyrie Irving out and James Harden hobbling, the Nets hopes entirely depended on Kevin Durant. In Game 5, he delivered to give them a 3-2 series lead with one of the best playoff performances of all time. Somehow, he nearly matched that effort in Game 7, but this time it just wasn’t quite enough.
KD FORCES OVERTIME IN GAME 7! ?
Don’t miss OT in this WIN or GO HOME GAME 7 on TNT. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/ntJWam9snL
— NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2021
Durant finished with 48 points, nine rebounds and six assists. For the second time in three games, Durant played every single minute. In doing so, he joined Jerry West and Oscar Robertson as the only three players in NBA history to score 40-plus points and play every minute in a Game 7. Unfortunately, he joined them in another category, as all three lost that game.
