Milwaukee Bucks of America’s Nigerian-born star, Giannis Adetokunbo (Antetokounmpo) was again in breathtaking form and his efforts on the night took his side into yet another final of USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA) league.
‘The Greek Freak’ stole the show on a night Kevin Durant scored 48 points, the most ever in a Game 7, but it was not enough as Milwaukee beat Brooklyn Nets in overtime to advance to the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals.
Megasportsarena.com reports that Durant played all 53 minutes and scored 48 points, including a dizzying fadeaway jumper with one second remaining in regulation to force overtime.
Had it not been for his toe on the line, half a shoe size, that would have been the game and the series done, then and there. For a moment it felt as though it was. T
he Barclays Center erupted, some fleeting ecstasy, but replays showed it was not to be, with points at 109-109 and a fifth quarter set to play, the last thing either team looked like they wanted.
That the overtime period ended 6-2 proved just how much these two teams have given throughout the series and in particular on Saturday night, through an utterly delirious 53 minutes of basketball.
Durant played every second, as did James Harden, while Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton both got only marginally less time on the court.
A relentless Bruce Brown – 6ft 4in and a guard’s body – took two crucial offensive boards to open the overtime period, outworking Giannis in the process, who was by now running on fumes.
One lead to a put-back basket. The other a vital extra possession on which the Nets couldn’t capitalise.
Down the other end, Giannis backed Durant down as far as he could, as deep into the paint as their two battered and bruised bodies would allow.
A one-handed hook over his opponent from a few feet out was all that was allowed. Tie game again, 111-111.
Lopez, ironically the Brooklyn Nets’ all-time leading scorer, had a quietly excellent night for the Bucks, scoring 19 points on 3-of-4 shooting from deep.
Middleton and Jrue Holiday (5-of-23 field goals, 2-of-9 from three-point range) struggled for the vast majority. But that block, his fourth of the evening, was the play he’ll remember for the rest of his days.
Sensing the opportunity to put the Nets to bed once and for all, Middleton took a screen off Giannis, feinted into the lane and then span back for the jumper.
He had a poor shooting night overall (9-of-26 from the floor, 2-of-7 from three for 23 points) but when it mattered he made sure the net didn’t move. Swish. 113-111.
With 40 seconds left and nothing else left to give, Durant went for the win. On this attempt, his last after almost 300 minutes played this series, the legs were gone.
This was Durant’s third straight playoff game with over 30 points, a Nets franchise record. His 48 points an NBA record, the most in a Game 7.
That he ended on the losing team is down to everything other than him. With no time left Harden fouled Lopez under the basket, who hit two free-throws to finish things for good 115-111. The Bucks were celebrating long before that.
