Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from 114-108 Game 5 loss to Brooklyn Nets

Milwaukee Bucks endure through Kevin Durant’s masterpiece in Game 5 loss to Nets

Make no mistake, as much as our collective focus will be on what went wrong for Milwaukee, it shouldn’t overshadow the fact that Nets superstar Kevin Durant put forth all throughout Game 5.

Durant finished with 49 points on 16-for-23 shooting (4-for-9 from three, 13-for-16 from the free throw line), 17 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks in 48 minutes of action (yes, you read that right).

The 2013-14 MVP was at the center of the Nets’ play and their eventual destruction of the Bucks during Game 5 well before the Nets’ second half comeback was set in motion. But there’s no question that’s where Durant was writing the best of his all-time performance.

Of course, the Bucks had a hand in helping Durant get plenty comfortable pulling up wherever he pleased all over the floor after having amassed what looked to be a safe lead early in the third quarter. Durant’s work started from there as he tore through the Bucks’ drop coverage and dropped in shots over the likes of Pat Connaughton, Brook Lopez, P.J. Tucker all throughout the half and night overall.

31 of Durant’s 49 points came over the course of the second half and he did all of that on 10-of-13 shooting (3-for-5 from downtown, 10-for-13 from the free throw line). Furthermore, Durant was an astounding 11-for-17 on jump shots throughout Game 5 (64.7 percent).

Given the zone he was in, it’s safe to say that Durant broke out of the mini-slump that had followed him in Games 3 and 4 in Milwaukee. However, the Bucks offered the path of least resistance when it came to guarding Durant and their sense of urgency kicked well after it was too late.

Game 6 of the Bucks’ series with the Nets is set to go down Thursday night at Fiserv Forum and it will tip off at 7:30 P.M. CST. You can catch the action on ESPN where it will be nationally televised.