In Game 5, the Milwaukee Bucks had a fantastic chance to take control of their second-round NBA playoff showdown against the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets were missing Kyrie Irving and were forced to play with a limited James Harden, leaving Kevin Durant as the only healthy member of their Big 3.
Milwaukee led by as many as 17 points in the game, looking to be too much for the Nets’ undermanned defense. Then came halftime, and Brooklyn, driven by Durant, pushed things up a notch.
The Nets outscored the Bucks 71-49 in the second half, thanks to Steve Nash’s superb halftime adjustments, while Mike Budenholzer stood on the sidelines once more without solutions. The majority of this series has been dominated by drubbings, with Brooklyn winning the first two games quite convincingly. But not tonight, as Durant demonstrated why he is one of the best basketball players in the world.
KD answered the call, knowing he had to carry this team to victory. He scored 49 points while shooting 16-of-23 from the field, 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 13-of-16 from the foul line. Durant also had 17 rebounds and 10 assists for a monster triple-double.
He willed this club to win, while the only other players in double figures for Brooklyn were Jeff Green (27 points) and Blake Griffin (17 points). No one else on the squad had more than six rebounds, and only Harden, with eight, had more than three assists.
It was an outstanding performance that fans will remember for a long time. His opponents will remember that for a long time, as former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo praised him after the game.
That is great praise from another of the finest basketball players on the planet right now.
If the Bucks want to win these next two games, they will need their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, to perform at the same level as the Nets, who are riding high following Kevin Durant’s most recent performance. Furthermore, the longer this series goes, the healthier Harden and Irving will become, which will only help the Nets’ chances of making the playoffs.