After losing two games in Brooklyn, the Milwaukee Bucks put in a much better effort Thursday night in Game 3 of their best-of-seven series against the Nets. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton both put in huge performances for Milwaukee and the duo combined for 68 points overall. Thanks in large part to their exit, the Bucks were able to secure a crucial 86-83 victory over the Nets in Game 3. With the win, the Bucks avoided falling into a deep 3-0 as the series sits now at a more manageable level. 2-1.
After jumping all over the net early on, the Bucks were able to sustain a solid effort for the full 48 minutes of the game – and that’s exactly what it took, as the game ended in final possession. . Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving totaled 55 points for the Nets but, in the end, their production wasn’t enough to do the job, especially since they didn’t get too much help from the rest of the roster. , other than Bruce. Brown, who had a good game.
The win was solid for the Bucks, and it was a tough loss for the Nets. But neither team can dwell on it for too long as both teams will be back in action on Sunday for Game 4. Before we move on to this game, here are three takeaways from Milwaukee’s victory in Game 3.
1. The Bucks avoid a historically insurmountable deficit
The odds are against the Bucks in this series. They lost the first two games to the Nets, and teams that are 2-0 behind in a best-of-seven series will lose that series more than 97% of the time. But while coming back after being down 2-0 is an unlikely feat, it’s not impossible, as it has been done multiple times in most cases. Earlier in these playoffs, the Clippers beat the Mavericks in seven games after losing the first two games. Being down 3-0, however, is another story. No team in NBA history has ever returned after losing 3-0 in a series. So that’s what the Bucks were up against ahead of Game 3. Luckily for them, they were finally able to score a win and avoid that historically insurmountable 3-0 hole. A 2-1 streak is much more manageable, especially since two of the next three games will be in Milwaukee.
2. Milwaukee Stars Outperform Brooklyn Stars
The NBA is a star-run league, and that’s especially true in the playoffs where teams tend to go as far as their top players propel them. In Game 3, the Milwaukee all-star duo of Middleton and Antetokounmpo had a more productive performance than Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for Brooklyn. Together, Antetokounmpo and Middleton totaled 68 points and 29 rebounds. Those 68 points represented 79% of Milwaukee’s total points production – no duo in NBA playoff history has ever scored a higher percentage of their team’s total points.
On the other hand, Durant and Irving had 52 points and 16 rebounds, which isn’t great, but it’s paltry compared to the Milwaukee duo. Going forward, the Bucks will need more performances like Antetokounmpo and Middleton, they are going to turn the series upside down.
3. A forgettable game for Joe Harris
Joe Harris is one of the best shooters in the whole NBA, but you wouldn’t know that from watching Game 2. Harris had opportunity after opportunity to give Brooklyn a boost with his shot, but he couldn’t do it over and over again. Harris played 37 minutes in the game and he only managed one shot despite an 11 attempt. That’s a nine shot percentage. The Nets depend on Harris to provide auxiliary scoring support for their stars, and he was unable to deliver for Brooklyn in Game 3. The good news for the Nets is that they did lose the game. that by three despite Harris’ struggles, and it is unlikely that he will. shoot bad again.
