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Eric WoodyardESPN
Under normal circumstances, a boy and his family would have left the Barclays Center on Martin Luther King Jr.’s day with a story forever.
For starters, there was no school for the holiday, as three former MVPs – Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden and Kevin Durant – went head-to-head in a high-profile showdown, with the Brooklyn Nets overcoming the Milwaukee Bucks 125-123.
Even in an environment without fans forced by the pandemic, the final five minutes of regulation between these two powers of the Eastern Conference left those watching at home thinking about a possible playoff confrontation.
After Brook Lopez, from Milwaukee, hit a 3-point basket with 5:01 to tie the game in 110, there were eight changes in leadership and 10 field goals. Those 10 field goals drew the most in the last five minutes of a game that ended in regulation for the past 25 years, including playoffs, according to the ESPN Stats & Information poll.
Antetokounmpo almost doubled 34 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists and two steals.
Here is a more detailed look at what the finish line was like:
4:07 to play: Pat Connaughton hits 3 points, Bucks leads 113-112
3:37 to play: Harden hits the shot, Nets leads 114-113
Harden and Durant added 64 points on Monday, becoming the first teammates to score 30 or more points in each of the first two games along with a franchise, according to data from the Elias Sports Bureau.
3:17 to play: Jrue Holiday layup, Bucks leads 115-114
1:55 to play: Harden makes floating jumper, Nets drive 118-117
In the first half, Harden scored easily, but also had six twists, which was his biggest goal this season. He cleared everything in the second half, however, with zero turnovers and some crucial plays towards the end, including this floater while driving on the track over the long arms of Lopez, a second All-Defensive center. In two games with the Nets, Harden scored or helped 129 points, which is the maximum in the first two games of a player with a team in NBA history.
1:44 to play: Khris Middleton makes direction layup, Bucks leads 119-118
1:17 to play: Antetokounmpo tip-in closes tie 119-119, Bucks leads 121-119
Emotions were on display at the beginning between Durant and Antetokounmpo, with Durant running to Giannis after a bucket of Nets in the opening room, then pushing him to the floor while running on another move. So it was just right for the Greek Freak to attack the basket aggressively with a two-handed hitting after a tray lost by Holiday.
1:05 to play: Joe Harris scores 3 points, Nets leads 122-121
55.4 to play: Middleton makes a 14-foot pull-up jump, Bucks leads 123-122
36.8 to play: Durant hits 3 points, Nets leads 125-123
One of the biggest concerns about the organization of the Nets after they acquired Harden was how the three stars would come together during the time of crisis, although Kyrie Irving lost his seventh consecutive game on Monday. Durant calmed down that noise with a clutch, go ahead with 3 points to take the victory. Durant’s hoop ring, one of his trademark kicks, came with the assistance of Harden, who recovered from his own mistake.
“We are still trying to find our way and we still have room to improve, but it is a solid start,” said Durant.
1.1 to play: Middleton loses 23 feet from 3 points, Nets wins 125-123
Middleton ended the night with 25 points, but saw his step back, a 3-point attempt to roll in and out after receiving a pass inside the touchline. Although several options have been set, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer had no problems with the attempt, even though Antetokounmpo was the team’s star.
“Khris is very talented. He shot. I thought it looked like he was going to come in, so if you can just pass the ball to Khris,” said Budenholzer. “Your footwork, your height, but there are a lot of things we’re looking at. Khris is one of those who look so good at reading, good decision by Jrue, good shot by Khris. We’ll get that.”