Nets 83 vs 86 Bucks: scores, summary, stats, highlights | NBA Playoff
The Milwaukee Bucks survived a tight Game 3 against the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Khris Middleton paved the way for the home side as the Bucks outlasted the Nets to stay alive in the second round series.
Middleton announces his presence in the the series
Giannis Antetokounmpo had to have felt a bit solo after not receiving much support from his supporting cast in the first two games in Brooklyn. Tonight Khris Middleton stepped up to the mic and delivered the masterful performance Milwaukee needed to narrow the Nets series lead.
Two of the best offensive teams in the league locked horns in one of the most defensive battles we have seen for a long time in the NBA postseason. Milwaukee had struggled from the field on the offensive end, and coming into Game 3 they knew they would have to limit Kevin Durant and company to keep this series alive.
Harden missed Game 3 with right hamstring tightness
Despite James Harden’s only playing 48 seconds since the opening game the Nets were averaging 120 points in the opening couple games in the Barclays Center. Harden’s hamstring kept him out of Game 3 and for the first time Brooklyn looked like they missed their midseason acquisition.
The Nets scored just 11 points in the first quarter, as the Bucks piled up a 20 point lead early in the game. Brooklyn bounced back in the second, but trailed for almost the entire 48 minutes.
Giannis and Middleton took charge in must win Game 3
Giannis and Kris Middleton scored 68 of Milwaukee’s 86 points in Game 3. Middleton who has struggled all series long finally caught fire and led the way with 35 points and 15 rebounds. Antetokounmpo dropped 33 and 14 in a night when the scoring pressure was finally lifted from his shoulders.
Kevin Durant had just 7 points after the first half, but responded in the final two quarters and finished with 30 points. Kyrie Irving had 22, but the Nets fell short in the final quarter.
The Bucks have a chance to even the series this weekend. Game 4 is set for Sunday afternoon at 3 pm ET from the Fiserv Forum.
The Bucks are back in this series. Middleton was huge tonight, He and Giannis combined for 68 of Milwaukee's 86 points.
KD misses the contested three and the Bucks take Game 3!
Last chance for the next to push this game to OT.
MIddleton to the line, makes two of two. He has 35 points tonight.
The Nets with a sloppy possesion out of the timeout. Brown got a decent look but couldn't get the floater to drop. 2.3 to go in the fourth.
Timeout Brooklyn, with a chance to win it late.
Holiday to the rack with 11.4 to go in the fourth to give the Bucks the lead.
MIddleton to the bucket doesn't drop the shot, but gets a goaltending call against Griffin.
Timeout in Milwaukee, with 1:23 to go in the fourth
Durant from downtown from the top of the key
KD answers back with another jumper from outside the lane.
Middleton drops the floater
KD answers back with a pull up
MIddleton on the jumper from a step inside the three point line.
3:10 to go in the final quarter.
Nets want a timeout after the scoring has come to a halt in Wisconsin.
Two minutes with out a point from Milwaukee
Under 5 to go in the fourth quarter
Under 6 minutes to go in the fourth
Pull up for KD and we are tied up.
Giannis with the bucket down low out of the timeout. He's got 33 points tonight
Brown in transition of the steal and score. Timeout Milwaukee with 7:20 to go.
KD on the turnaround from the baseline
Under 8 to go in the fourth quarter.
Under 9:30 to go in the fourth quarter
Giannis steps in to a three off the dribble and the Bucks lead by 4.
Giannis at the line, hits two of two, which is big news in the playoffs for the Greek Freak.
Iriving this time from outside the paint. The Net lead for the second time tonight.
Irving from deeeeepppppp!!!!
Connaughton gets a mid range jumper to go out of the quarter change
The third quarter comes to an end. The Bucks have 12 minutes to hang on to their lead and keep hope alive in the in series.
Middleton at the line hits all three and the Bucks lead again.
Middleton fouled on the three pointer, will go to the line to shoot three.
Brown in the lane off the feed from KD. He's got 14, and the Nets have their first lead of the night with under a minute to go in the third.
Durant to the line, hit's two of two.
Under 2 to go.
Timeout in Milwaukee. The Bucks are hanging on to a slim lead with under 3:30 to go in the third.
Holday on the pull up jumper
Irving gets to the rack and hits the lay up
Middleton his the mid range jumper.
Griffin with the scoop and score
PJ Tucker and KD both having some words after the whistle.
Lopez answers back with a thre ball
Durant from the top of the key. He's got 17 and the game is tied.
Giannis with a foot inside the line.
Under 6 to go in the third quarter.
Durant off the dribble hits the jumper from the far side.
Giannis just bullying his way to the basket.
Irving on the step back and drains a three with a hand in his face. Under 8 minutes to go in the third.
Giannis stretching to the rim gets the easy dunk.
KD with the floater in the lane.
Giannis using that long stride to get to the iron.
Irving at the linr hits two of two.
Giannis with the mid range jumper
Durant on the screen gets the pull up to go. He's got 9
MIddleton on drive and finish the paint to start the 3rd quarter.
We are at the halftime break from Fiserv Forum. The Bucks had a great first quarter, but let is slip in the second.
Middleton goes to the line and hits one of two.
Harris drains a three for the first time tonight.
Durant knocks down two of two from the line. Under a minute to go in the first half.
Middleton back down the lane, drops the lay up and he's having a fantasic first half.
Holiday drains the three ball from the top of the key
Claxton on the alley oop jam
Portis with the slam down the lane.
Irving pulls up on the mid range jumper.
Portis driving to the lane and gets the lay up
Iriving pulls up from 17 feet with under 4 to go.
Middleton on the step back, stops the scoreless spell for the Bucks.
KD to the line, hits two of two. Under 4:30 to go. He hits one of two.
Under 5 to go in the first half.
Brown on the floater in the paint. He has 12 points already.
Under 7 to go in the 2nd quarter.
James on the floater in the lane.
Giannis to the line, hits one but gets called on a 10 second violation.
Brown connects down low after the feed from James.
Brown with a couple quick buckets, one from mid range and another falling away in the lane
Brown driving and finishes in traffic
Holiday with his first bucket of the game
9:30 in the second. Holiday on the spin from the block hits the jumper outside the lane.
Shamet with a three ball and the Bucks need a quick timeout after the 7-0 run from the Nets.
Runner in the lane from Irving. He's got a quick four points out of the quarter break.
Irving on the pull up drops the mid range jumper.
Giannis and Middleton both have 15 and 7 rebounds after 12 minutes.
The first quarter comes to an end. The Nets started that first quarter 5-25 from the field.
Durant turns and scores on the baseline.
Giannis gets back to the rack and gets the lay up to go.
Middleton again! 3 for 3 from three point range
Middleton from the top of the key. He's got 12 points
3:30 to go in the first, time out from the Forum.
Giannis on the rebound and put back, he's 6-9 from the field.
Irving on the jumper gets the roll from 14 feet.
Giannis spins, stops and slams in the lane
MIddleton to the line, hits two of two
Griffin drops a three
Middleton on the far side for three. He's got 7 early points.
Giannis to the basket attacking with the euro step
Giannis to the line, misses both. He air balled the second.
Durant pulls up off the dribble and hits the mid range jumper
Middleton from the elbow, gets the jumper to go
Finally the Nets are on the board, after a Brown floater
Giannis down the lane with a big jam to send the Nets to a timeout four minutes into the first quarter.
Giannis on the floater in the lane
Giannis going to the line after the foul on the drive. Hits one of two.
Giannis going coast to coast and stretching to the rim for the jam
Middleton hits the opening shot of the game. Big bucket for the Bucks
Game 3 is underway from Milwaukee. Over 16,000 fans are in the Forum
The starting rosters are being announced at Fiserv Forum
Middleton is averaging 15 ppg and shooting 30% in the first two games.
Khris Middleton will be the the key to tonight's game. He struggled in the first two games.
When is Jrue Holiday going to show up in this series? Giannis needs some help and Jrue has a chance to prove his worth after signing a big money contract with Milwaukee in April.
We are 30 minutes from tip off in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semis from Fiserv Forum
The Big Three and Brooklyn's offense has been all that was talked about this season, but the Nets have been doing it with defense.
The Bucks have had a dreadful first two games from the field. They shot just 6-30 from three point range in Game 1 and scored just 86 points in Game 2.
Bet365.com has the Bucks as 3.5 point favorites tonight, with the Over/Under set at 234.
KD is averaging 31.5 points per game over the last two games against the Bucks.
The last time the Bucks lost two in a row before the postseason was in April.
The Bucks have made just 14 of their 57 (24.6 percent) 3-point attempts.
James Harden will not play tonight after leaving Game 1. He has been diagnosed with right hamstring tightness, and will miss tonight's game
No team in NBA history has every comeback from a 3-0 deficit. The last team to take it to a Game 7 after being down 3-0 was the the Dallas Mavs who eventually lost to Portland in Game 7
The Bucks need a win tonight to avoid a 3-0 deficit.
Hello everyone and welcome to the Fiserv Forum. A pleasure to have you here as we are just over an hour away from tip off in this pivotal Game 3 between the Nets and the Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks head home searching for their first win of the series. The Nets won the opening two games of the in Brooklyn and can put the series essentially out of reach with a win in Wisconsin.
Bucks trying to avoid a 3-0 hole
In the history of the NBA there has never been a team that went down 3-0 and came back to win the series. That’s the situation the Bucks will be trying to avoid on Thursday night.
Both teams are coming off of relatively comfortable first round series. The Bucks swept the Miami Heat in four games, and perhaps the couple days of extra rest has thrown them out of rhythm. They have struggled from the field in the first two games. After going 6-30 from downtown in Game 1, Milwaukee scored just 86 points in on Monday.
Harden’s hamstring will sideline him for Game 3
James Harden limped off the court just a minute into the series opener. He was diagnosed with right hamstring tightness, and missed Game 2, and has been ruled out for Game 3.
The Nets haven’t seemed to miss the most recent addition to the Big Three. They are averaging 120 point over the last two games, and have beat the Bucks by comfortable cushions.
Game 3 is a must win for the Bucks. Tip off from the Fiserv Forum is set for 7:30 PM ET/ 4:30 PT.