NBA Playoff Top Moments: Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks Game 6
What happens when an unstoppable force collides with an immovable object? The NBA got an answer on Thursday night.
After a career-defining performance from Kevin Durant – and the return of James Harden – in a 114-108 Game 5 win, the Brooklyn Nets were on the verge of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.
However, the Milwaukee Bucks protected home court in Game 6 on Thursday night to avoid elimination in an explosive 104-89 victory.
And it turns out Giannis Antetokounmpo's comments after Game 5's disappointing loss came to fruition.
Here are the top moments from Thursday night's Game 6:
Milwaukee Bucks 104, Brooklyn Nets 89 (Series tied 3-3)
It was a star-studded event Thursday at Fiserv Forum.
And after a 49-point outing in Game 5, Durant wasted no time getting into a rhythm in Game 6.
He launched nine shots in the first quarter on his way to scoring 10 points.
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Harden also got in on the scoring in the first quarter, making one of his patented step-back 3-pointers early in the game after not making a basket until the third quarter of Game 5.
Antetokounmpo managed to outpace Durant in the first quarter, scoring 11 points and snatching seven rebounds to help pace the Bucks to a 26-19 lead at the end of the first quarter.
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In the second quarter, Khris Middleton showed up to the party to provide more of an offensive punch for the Bucks.
But Harden continued to find a rhythm and look more and more like the MVP-caliber player he has proven himself to be, scoring 11 points early in the quarter.
At the half, the Bucks had built a 59-48 lead on the back of a dominant Antetokounmpo, who scored 19 points to go along with 13 rebounds. Middleton also scored 19.
For the Nets, Durant scored 13 and Harden 14 to pace the Nets.
It's safe to say that the home crowd as Fiserv Forum was pumped up by the Bucks' first-half performance.
The third quarter was all Durant though, with him scoring 10 straight points at one point in the quarter and 12 points overall to keep the Nets within arms reach.
But even with Durant's scoring binge to cut the Bucks' lead down to single digits, the home team remained poised and weathered the storm.
The Bucks ended the third quarter on a 6-0 run to push their lead back to 11 points entering the fourth quarter, providing themselves with breathing room for the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, the Nets went on a 10-0 run to make it a 5-point game, and for the seventh time this postseason, Durant put up 30 points.
The Bucks returned Brooklyn's efforts with a 14-0 run of their own, led by Antetokounmpo, to extend their lead to 19 points heading into the final minutes of the quarter.
Middleton took charge late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal for the Bucks.
He went 11-for-16 for a postseason career-high 38 points – including 5-for-8 from the 3-point line – and added 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals on the night. Antetokounmpo finished with 30 points.
It was a family affair, as Thanasis Antetokounmpo got in on the action to close out the game with some must-see moves.
The series returns to Brooklyn for Game 7 on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
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