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Eric WoodyardESPN
Under normal circumstances, some child and their family would be at Barclays Center at Martin Luther King Jr. Day have left with a story for centuries.
For starters, there was no school for the holiday as three former MVPs – Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden and Kevin Durant – face off in a high-level showdown, with the Brooklyn Nets past the Milwaukee Bucks 125-123.
Even in the fanless environment forced by the pandemic, the last five minutes of regulation between these two Eastern Conference superpowers sent those watching at home quickly forward to thoughts of a possible playoff matchup.
After Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez hit a 3-pointer with 5:01 to play to level the game at 110, there were eight changes to the lead and 10 field goals going through. Those 10 go-ahead field goals were the most even in the last five minutes of a game that ended in regulation for the past 25 years, including playoffs, according to research from ESPN Stats & Information.
Antetokounmpo almost tripled with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists to go along with two steals.
Here’s a closer look at how the final piece played out:
4:07 to play: Pat Connaughton hits 3-pointer, Bucks lead 113-112
3:37 to play: Harden hits shot, Nets lead 114-113
Harden and Durant together scored 64 points on Monday, becoming the first teammates to each score 30 or more points in each of their first two games along with a franchise, according to data from Elias Sports Bureau.
3:17 to play: Jrue Holiday makes lay-up, Bucks leads 115-114
1:55 to play: Harden makes a floating jumper, Nets lead 118-117
In the first half, Harden scored with ease but also had six turnover, which was his highest point in the half of this season. He cleared that up in the second half, though, with zero turnovers and some pivotal plays towards the end, including this floater as he drove into the track over the long arms of Lopez, an All-Defensive second-team center. Through two games with the Nets, Harden has scored or assisted on 129 points, which is the most in any player’s first two games with a team in NBA history.
1:44 to play: Khris Middleton makes driving, Bucks leads 119-118
1:17 to play: Antetokounmpo tip-in snaps 119-119 draw, Bucks lead 121-119
Emotions were visible early on between Durant and Antetokounmpo, with Durant running into Giannis after a Nets bucket in the first quarter, then pushing him to the ground while running another piece. So it was only good for the Greek freak to aggressively attack the basket with a two-handed putback block after a missed lay-up from Holiday.
1:05 to play: Joe Harris makes 3-pointer, Nets leads 122-121
55.4 to play: Middleton makes 14-foot pull-up jumper, Bucks leads 123-122
36.8 to play: Durant hits 3 pointer, Nets leads 125-123
One of the biggest concerns with Nets’ organization when they took over Harden was how the three stars would interlock during crunch time, although Kyrie Irving missed his seventh consecutive game Monday. Durant suppressed that noise with a clutch, the through 3 pointer to get the win out. Durant’s catch-and-shoot hoop, one of his signature shots, came off an assist from Harden, who had rebounded his own miss.
“We’re still trying to find our way, and we still have room for improvement, but it’s a good start,” said Durant.
1.1 To play: Middleton misses 23 foot 3 pointer, Nets win 125-123
Middleton finished the evening with 25 points, but saw his step-back, three-point attempt roll in and out after catching an incoming pass from the touchline. While multiple options had been set up, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer had no issues with the attempt, even with Antetokounmpo as the team’s superstar.
“Khris is very gifted. He came from a shot. I thought it looked like it was going in so if you can just get the ball to Khris,” Budenholzer said. “His footwork, his height, but it’s multiple things we look at. Khris is one of those that looks so well read, a good decision from Jrue, a good photo from Khris.