The first three games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets have been unpredictable action.
After being blown off the floor in the first two games in Brooklyn, the latter being by an embarrassing 39-point final margin, this team had some soul searching to do. But, heading back to Milwaukee with their backs against the wall, the Bucks fought until the bitter end and secured a hard-earned 86-83 victory in Game 3 Thursday night.
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It was far from ideal, but the Bucks kept their postseason hopes intact as they now trail by just a single game in this series. Both teams are certainly looking to rebound after such a grueling showing of basketball in Game 3, but the pressure will be on Milwaukee to see if they can even things up before heading back to Brooklyn.
With that being said, here is a preview for everything in store ahead of today’s anticipated Game 4 between the Bucks and Nets.
Players to watch in Game 4 between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets
Throughout these first three games, the primary topic of discussion has been the star players for each team, both good and bad.
For reference, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton had received a bombardment of criticism for his efforts in Games 1 and 2. He was downright awful, struggling to find any momentum whatsoever as his team dropped both contests with little resistance. But, understanding that he needed to be better for this team to stand a chance, he came out rejuvenated in Game 3.
Setting the tone from the opening tip with a 15-point first quarter, Middleton sent a message that he was back to form. Playing 44 minutes in total, Middleton finished with a game-high 35 points on 12-of-25 shooting, including 3-of-6 from deep and 15 rebounds. He was nothing short of fantastic as he propelled this team to victory, and all eyes will be fixated on him to see if he can keep it consistent and bring that same energy early on.
The same goes for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also had a strong outing in Game 3 by finishing with 33 points and 14 rebounds. However, despite the victory and his solid play, the big story of his night was the treacherous shooting from deep as Antetokounmpo shot just 1-of-8 from 3-point range. It is no secret that long-distance shooting is not well-equipped in his arsenal offensively, and it will be interesting to see if Antetokounmpo continues showing that confidence that he is willing to take that shot when the Nets leave him open.
While Milwaukee’s top tandem will be under surveillance, many will be keeping an eye on Brooklyn’s lethal duo after they were subpar in Game 3. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving combined for 52 points on 20-of-50 shooting from the floor. As two of the most gifted scorers in the NBA today, another tough shooting night from these two is unlikely to stick. Instead, expect them to come out looking to prove a point after dropping Game 3.