Milwaukee Bucks: 5 takeaways from resilient Game 7 triumph
On a memorable, special night, the Milwaukee Bucks surged to pull off a legendary Game 7 win to eliminate the star-studded Brooklyn Nets and advance to their second Eastern Conference Finals in the last three years.
If it weren’t for Kevin Durant’s large shoe size, the result may have been different, but the Bucks resiliently fought their way to a well-earned 115-111 overtime victory that will go down as one of the most historic games in Milwaukee Bucks franchise history.
With so many impactful variables at stake heading into this much-anticipated contest, these Bucks proved to the world that they were ready for the spotlight. They delivered under pressure to overcome looming criticism throughout a pivotal Game 7 (the two best words in sports), which signifies how far this core group has come together.
“We worked extremely hard our whole lives for this moment,” Giannis Antetokounmpo stated following his masterful 40-point performance. “I wanted everyone to live up to this moment and cherish this moment. We are built for this.”
Behind Antetokounmpo’s on-court relentlessness and inspiring leadership, Khris Middleton added 23 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and five steals across a team-high 52 minutes. Brook Lopez made one costly mistake by causing a shot clock violation with seconds left in regulation that led to the Nets forcing overtime, but made up for it by rejecting two key shots down the stretch and finished with an efficient 19 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks.
Following a resilient Game 7 triumph to eliminate the Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. Here are five takeaways.
Durant set a playoff record for most points scored in a Game 7 with 48 points despite excellent efforts on him defensively by a combination of P.J. Tucker, Jrue Holiday, Middleton, and Antetokounmpo. It was another special performance from a special talent, but the Bucks ultimately prevailed.
Milwaukee shot 41.7 percent from beyond the arc compared to Brooklyn’s 30.8 percent and were down by as many as 10 points before using a strong second half to secure everlasting satisfaction and pure happiness.
It took plenty of perseverance, grit, character, and stability for the Milwaukee Bucks to send home the league’s newest formed ‘superteam’ in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Let’s dive into what we learned about this cohesive group of Bucks after taking down the second-seeded Brooklyn Nets.