Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets: Who won the NBA game last night, match summary, and more | June 15th, 2021
The Brooklyn Nets overcame a 17-point deficit to outlast the Milwaukee Bucks 114-108 in Game 5 of their semifinal series at Barclays Center.
It was one of the best matches of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, with the Nets’ Kevin Durant playing all 48 minutes and delivering an all-time great performance.
The former MVP recorded a triple-double with 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists to give the Brooklyn Nets a 3-2 series lead in their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup.
From timely jumpers and three-pointers to clutch free throws, Durant did almost everything for the Nets, who played with a hobbled James Harden.
Harden returned after missing all but the first minute of the series against the Milwaukee Bucks due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving missed the game due to a sprained ankle that he sustained in Game 4.
Milwaukee Bucks jump off to an early lead
Jrue Holiday got the Milwaukee Bucks going with a few baskets in the first three minutes. He needed a strong outing to dust off his poor performances in the series, and this was an excellent start.
After Khris Middleton knocked down a couple of free throws, the Bucks went up 12-2 with 8:49 left in the first quarter of Game 5. The Brooklyn Nets looked as tentative as Harden was.
Holiday picked up his second foul with 4:39 left in the quarter and had to sit down. The Nets’ Jeff Green also got Giannis Antetokounmpo to commit his second foul with 3:27 to play, and he had to be subbed out as well.
By the end of the first quarter, the Milwaukee Bucks led 29-15 as they made half of their shots, while the Brooklyn Nets were frigid.
By the second quarter, the Nets hit two three-pointers four minutes in, cutting the lead down to 10. However, Harden was held scoreless in the first half as his hamstring issues continued to bother his movements on the floor.
Antetokounmpo dominated Blake Griffin throughout the first two quarters as the Milwaukee Bucks took a 59-43 at halftime.
Jeff Green and Kevin Durant combined for 33 points as the other Brooklyn Nets players struggled.
Brooklyn Nets bounce back through Kevin Durant's spirited display
By the third quarter, things started to change. Harden scored on an and-1 with 7:21 left in the period, while Durant started to play like an elite floor general.
The Nets forward found the open man repeatedly when he was not taking or making the shot himself.
The Nets’ Blake Griffin, Joe Harris and Landry Shamet eventually joined the fray as they made crucial baskets to energize the crowd.
Green made his first six three-pointers (seven straight by the fourth before missing one) as the Brooklyn Nets chipped away at the Milwaukee Bucks’ 17-point lead. By the end of the quarter, it was 87-81 in favor of the Bucks, but the momentum had already shifted the Nets’ way heading into the pivotal fourth quarter.
Durant then took over and put on a dazzling display of shooting. The two-time Finals MVP made eight straight points for the Nets during the first few minutes, giving them their first lead since the first minute of the game, 94-93, with 8:13 remaining.
The Brooklyn Nets tightened their defense on the Milwaukee Bucks, holding them down to just 21 points after scoring 28+ in the first three quarters. The two teams engaged in an exciting back-and-forth before the Nets slowly pulled away.
Green made a three-pointer with 3:41 to play to give the Brooklyn Nets a 104-100 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks, while Durant and Harden hit clutch free throws. Additionally, Durant nailed a three-point shot with 50.5 seconds to play to give the Nets another four-point breather, 109-105.
With 15.6 remaining, Antetokounmpo fumbled the ball on a pass from Middleton, with the Brooklyn Nets up by just two points. Durant and Shamet finished off the scoring by making three of their four free-throw attempts to give the Nets an improbable victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Final Score: Milwaukee Bucks 108-114 Brooklyn Nets
Milwaukee Bucks' Top Performers
- Giannis Antetokounmpo 34p, 12r, 4a, 2b, 63.6%FG
- Khris Middleton 25p, 4r, 5a
- Jrue Holiday 19p, 3r, 8a
Brooklyn Nets' Top Performers
- Kevin Durant 49p, 17r, 10a, 3s, 2b
- Jeff Green 27p, 3a, 7-of-8 3PT
- Blake Griffin 17p, 3r
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