Rapid Recap: Bucks 108, Nets 114

The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t capitalize on a 17-point first half lead, falling to the Brooklyn Nets 108-114 behind Kevin Durant’s 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. They’ll need to muster every ounce of their energy for Game Six to make up for this utterly disappointing missed opportunity.

Milwaukee opened its first period looking significantly more fluid offensively and raced out to a 29-15 advantage holding the Nets to just 4-19 shooting. The Bucks managed to hold serve in the second and build very lightly on their lead, heading into halftime up 59-43. Brooklyn finally whittled into Milwaukee’s lead in the third, as the Bucks offense bogged down and the Nets pulled within 87-81 heading into the final period. Kevin Durant carried the night by pouring in the points down the stretch, and the Bucks just couldn’t match their firepower falling behind in the series 3-2. They’ll head back to Milwaukee with hopes to extend the series to seven.

Stat That Stood Out

While Milwaukee was hitting their threes at the best clip of the series so far 13-32 (40.6%), so I can’t blame them too much for utilizing behind the arc, they took an even smaller percentage than Brooklyn in terms of shots at the rim. Only 24% of their shots were at the rim (27% for Brooklyn), but they hit 18-19 of them; so I would’ve liked to see them continue to capitalize on their size rather than settle for some shorter midrange shots.

On a side note, Kevin Durant played the full 48 minutes tonight and James Harden played 46. Foul trouble partially kept Giannis Antetokounmpo to 42 and Jrue Holiday to just 34.