Posted on June 16, 2021 at 7:57 a.m. – updated on June 16, 2021 at 8:30 a.m.
Aurélie SACCHELLI
Carried by a Kevin Durant author of a historic triple-double (49 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists), Brooklyn beat Milwaukee on the score of 114-108 and therefore now leads 3-2 in this semi-final of the Conference Is, before Game 6 Thursday in Wisconsin.
Kevin Durant had already played 148 play-off games before Match 5 against Milwaukee, has already been twice NBA champion by being elected MVP of the Finals. But he had never before delivered a performance like that of Tuesday night at the Barclays Center. “KD” simply became the first player in history to at least 45 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a play-off game, by scoring 49 points (16 of 23 on shots including 4/9 at 3pts, and 13/16 on free throws), taking 17 rebounds and delivering 10 assists (plus 3 interceptions and 2 blocks) to allow his team to s’ impose 114-108 and thus lead 3-2 in the series ! It must be said that the 32-year-old strong winger played from the first to the last minute of this game, without going on the bench once. While the Nets had announced that Kyrie Irving (ankle) and James Harden (thigh) would not play this Game 5, the “bearded” was finally on the floor. He played 46 minutes and was very clumsy (5 points to 1 in 10 shots including 0/8 to 3pts) but brought 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Without Irving and with a Harden on one leg, Kevin Durant had to take the game on his own, and he did it terribly well! And that was necessary to overthrow the Bucks who had a lead of up to 17 points at the start of the second quarter and in the middle of the third.
A 49-point triple-double. Just incredible.
???? @KDTrey5 ???? pic.twitter.com/nRNmDN2qaC
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) June 16, 2021
20 points in the last quarter for Durant
But in the final quarter, Durant scored 20 points and Brooklyn won that quarter 33-21 to win by six points. Led since the second minute, Brooklyn tied at 9’13 from the end thanks to… Durant, and the Bucks then never led again. The two teams were still tied (104-104) at 1’27 from the buzzer, but “KD” was still decisive by scoring the long distance basket which gave his team four points ahead of 50 seconds from the end. (109-105). If Durant was extraordinary, we will still note the good performances of Jeff Green (27pts to 7/8 to 3pts) and Blake Griffin (17pts), who prevented the Nets from sinking when Milwaukee was in front.. Because Giannis Antetokounmpo (34pts, 12rbds, 4pds) and Khris Middleton (25pts, 5pds) carried the Bucks for three quarters. But faced with this Kevin Durant in alien mode, they could not do anything. We will now have to recover from this grueling Match 5 before heading to Wisconsin for Game 6 on Thursday. The Bucks will not be allowed to make mistakes.
BASKET – NBA / PLAY-OFFS 2021
2nd round
Eastern Conference
BROOKLYN NETS (2) – MILWAUKEE BUCKS (3) : 3-2
Match 1 – Brooklyn Nets – Milwaukee Bucks : 115-107
Match 2 – Brooklyn Nets – Milwaukee Bucks : 125-86
Match 3 – Milwaukee Bucks – Brooklyn Nets : 86-83
Match 4 – Milwaukee Bucks – Brooklyn Nets : 107-96
Match 5 : Brooklyn Nets – Milwaukee Bucks : 114-108
>>> Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (BRO) and Axel Toupane (MIL) did not play
Match 6 : Milwaukee Bucks – Brooklyn Nets le 17 juin
Match 7 (if necessary): Brooklyn Nets – Milwaukee Bucks le 19 juin
