{"id":240688,"date":"2021-05-03T01:27:35","date_gmt":"2021-05-02T22:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/nets-nipped-by-bucks-in-riveting-potential-playoff-preview\/"},"modified":"2021-05-03T01:27:35","modified_gmt":"2021-05-02T22:27:35","slug":"nets-nipped-by-bucks-in-riveting-potential-playoff-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/nets-nipped-by-bucks-in-riveting-potential-playoff-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"#Nets nipped by Bucks in riveting potential playoff preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Nets nipped by Bucks in riveting potential playoff preview<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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If this was a playoff preview, the fans got their money\u2019s worth. And the Bucks got the win.<\/p>\n

Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo dueled back-and-forth, MVP against MVP. Until Milwaukee\u2019s Khris Middleton stepped up to tilt the scales, that is.<\/p>\n

The Nets led early in the fourth quarter, until Middleton sparked the decisive run to hand the Nets a 117-114 loss before a sellout crowd of 3,280 at Fiserv Forum.<\/p>\n

Durant had 42 points and 10 rebounds but missed a potential game<\/a>-tying 3-pointer that fell just short at the buzzer.<\/p>\n

Antetokounmpo poured in a season-high 49 points, and Middleton had six of his 26 during an 11-0 run that gave the Bucks the lead for good.<\/p>\n

The Nets (43-22) fell into a virtual tie atop the Eastern Conference, pending Philadelphia\u2019s game against San Antonio later Sunday night. They saw their lead over third-seeded Milwaukee (40-24) slashed to just 2 \u00b9\/\u2082 games.<\/p>\n

\"Nets\"
Kevin Durant drives against Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Nets\u2019 loss to the Bucks on Sunday.<\/figcaption>
Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If the Nets and Bucks finish second and third, they would be on a collision course to meet in the second round of the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great rehearsal,\u201d coach Steve Nash said. \u201cObviously, the game means a lot as far as seeding, but it\u2019s also great that we app<\/a>roach the business end here, and everyone\u2019s trying to find themselves and make sure they\u2019re prepared to play at as high a level as possible. In a sense, things feel a little heightened now, and that\u2019s great. It\u2019s exciting, and it\u2019s good for our team to face that type of realness, so to speak.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Nets ran into some playoff-level defense on Sunday, arguably the toughest they\u2019ve seen all season. Kyrie Irving, who has been putting defenders on skates, had to work for his 20 points and six assists against Jrue Holiday.<\/p>\n

The Nets went big against Milwaukee, starting DeAndre Jordan at center and essentially leaving him alone on Antetokounmpo. They dared the Greek Freak to hit jump shots, and the rest of the Bucks to beat them.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t work out.<\/p>\n