NBA playoffs: Top moments from Game 1 of Nets-Bucks
We're on to the second round of the NBA playoffs!
To kick things off, the No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks faced the 2-seed Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference battle.
Both teams came into the series red-hot. The Bucks swept the Miami Heat in the first round and had a week off to prep for the Nets. Meanwhile, the Nets dispatched the Boston Celtics in five games, putting on an offensive showcase that had the NBA world buzzing.
With the Lakers eliminated from the postseason and Sixers star Joel Embiid injured, some are going as far as to call this series the de facto NBA Finals. It's must-see TV for sure.
Here are the top moments from Game 1:
It was a star-studded event Saturday at Barclays Center.
Giannis Antetokounmpo got things going early for the Bucks, with a huge dunk to set the tone in the first quarter. He finished the frame with 10 points to lead the Bucks to a 32-30 advantage.
On the other side, Kyrie Irving led the charge for the Nets in the opening quarter, leading Brooklyn with nine points.
On a much more somber note, less than one minute into the game, James Harden grabbed at his right hamstring after his first layup attempt. He walked straight off the court and to the Nets' locker room.
Harden strained his right hamstring earlier this season, which caused him to miss 21 games.
For more up-to-date news on all things Nets, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!
After going 2-for-4 for six points in the first quarter, Blake Griffin’s hustle for a loose ball in the second quarter made Barclays Center erupt. He added four points, three rebounds and two steals in the second quarter to help give the Nets a 63-61 lead heading into halftime.
On the other side, Bucks small forward P.J. Tucker, who got his first start of the playoffs Saturday, kept Milwaukee alive with a fully committed defensive rebound late in the second quarter.
With 2:45 left to play in the second, Antetokounmpo made a dramatic statement when he blocked Kevin Durant's shot. Antetokounmpo went 8-for-9 from the paint for 16 points in the first half.
Center Brook Lopez made a buzzer-beating layup to close out the period. The Bucks shot 45% in the first half.
For more up-to-date news on all things Bucks, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!
Irving showed off his intricate ball-handling skills in the third quarter, and Nets center Nicolas Claxton set the tone with a massive block on Bucks power forward Bobby Portis to bring fans to their feet.
Durant, who was quiet in the second quarter, went off for 13 points in the third to keep the Nets in the lead at 98-84 entering the fourth.
Heading into Game 1, Brooklyn was undefeated this season after leading by 14 points or more at any point in the fourth quarter or overtime.
In the final frame, the Nets rode the hot hand of Griffin, who went 7-for-13 from the floor and 4-for-9 from distance for 18 points and 14 rebounds, recording his first playoff double-double since 2016 and his most rebounds in a playoff game since 2015.
In the final minutes, Durant and Irving connected on an over-the-shoulder pass that sealed the Bucks' fate.
Durant finished the game with 29 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, while Irving added 25 points, five rebounds and eight assists.
The Nets' 115-107 Game 1 victory caught the attention of fans and players from around the NBA.
Game 2 tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET Monday (TNT) at Barclays Center.
For more up-to-date news on all things NBA, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!