3 takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ thrilling OT win versus Brooklyn Nets
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks showed off their persistence against the Brooklyn Nets with yet another late-game surge
After a Jrue Holiday turnover led to a Kevin Durant basket to put the Nets up 108-99 with a tick under four minutes to play, things appeared gloomy for the Bucks. Still, despite their deficit, the Bucks kept their composure and made the crucial plays down the stretch to fight their way back into this one.
From that point on, the Bucks closed the fourth on an 11-2 run, and it was a complete team effort. Wesley Matthews jumpstarted the team’s late surge by scoring a tip-in off a missed free throw by Antetokounmpo. Moments later, Antetokounmpo went to the line and nailed two free throws, and Bobby Portis chipped in by making a clutch floater soon after. Holiday stepped to the line and sunk two free throws to pull the Bucks within three points, and what happened next was jaw-dropping. With the clock winding down, Antetokounmpo knocked down a step-back triple to tie up the game and ultimately send the game to overtime.
In the extra period, Holiday, Matthews, and Portis all made a field goal each, while Antetokounmpo hit a pair of free throws. Holiday’s bucket was an acrobatic tip-in after Matthews missed a jumper from the outside, which put the Bucks on the board first to open the period. After Kevin Durant hit a 3-pointer to put the Nets up by one, Matthews came down the floor and hit a three of his own to give the Bucks the lead, and Portis buried a jumper on Milwaukee’s next possession to extend it.
Yet, the Nets battled back and took the lead after a foolish foul on Matthews that sent Durant to the stripe for three free throws. With the Bucks down one in the closing seconds, Antetokounmpo plowed his way to the line and was fouled, which resulted in him fearlessly stepping to the line to sink both game-winning free throws. After missing two free throws earlier in the overtime, it was telling of Antetokounmpo to see him not shy away from taking the contact down low and put the game on the line at the charity stripe.
Not only did the Bucks secure yet another clutch victory, but they did it as a team. Everyone got in on the action in the fourth and in the overtime, and this teamwork propelled the Milwaukee Bucks to one of their biggest wins of the season, if not the biggest. Not to mention that they had to do it without Khris Middleton, who oftentimes has the basketball in his hands late in games.