Getty Kevin Durant argues a call during Brooklyn's loss to the Lakers.
To say that Game 3 between The Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets was action-packed would be an understatement. The Bucks officially made it a series on Thursday, after defeating the Brooklyn Nets in Fiserv Forum 86-83. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton had a combined 68 points, a whopping 79% of their team’s points combined. This is the highest percentage of points by any duo in NBA playoff history, as they rallied to take Game 3 of the series.
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Kevin Durant Interacts With Bucks Fans During Shootaround
Kevin Durant’s near skirmish with Bucks’ forward PJ Tucker was a hot-button topic of discussion after Game 3. Not only because of the heated face-to-face interaction with each other but also because it was later discovered that the security guard that separated the two forwards was not just a security guard but Durant’s personal bodyguard who was hired by the Nets. That person has been suspended for the remainder of the series as a result.
Durant who had 30 points in the losing effort seems to have had a short memory about the storylines of the Game 3 loss and is moving on to Game 4 which is perhaps one of the most pivotal of the series. During the pre-game shootaround, the former NBA Most Valuable Player showed love to some Bucks fans in the crowd of Fiserv Forum as he got loose for the game.
Kevin Durant shows love to Nets fans in Milwaukee before Game 4 vs. Bucks
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Giannis Reacts to Game 3 Win
After a hard earned victory in Game 3, Giannis sat down with Lisa Salters of ESPN and was asked about the momentum of the win and how it affects the play for the next matchup.
“We gotta keep playing good basketball”, he said. “We gotta trust one another, we gotta stay aggressive, keep getting stops, keep making it as tough as possible for them. And hopefully, we get ourselves in a position to get a win. And if you do that, we’re gonna be good.”
Hopefully, for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, they keep that same mentality as they face off against Brooklyn in Game 4 on Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee.
Kevin Durant Reacts to the Nets Near Comeback
As for the Nets, the loss seems to just be a minor setback. A focal point coming out of the game seemed to be the missed shots, as the team was 36% from the field and just 25% from beyond the arc as a whole. KD was asked in a postgame interview whether the fatigue of trying to come back from a 21-point deficit had any bearing on the outcome of the last stretch in the game.
Steve Nash Provides Update on Jeff Green & James Harden
While the current Nets squad is capable of performing at the level required to push through the rest of the series and possibly even the Eastern Conference Finals, the absence of Jeff Green and especially James Harden was felt. Green, who was available in Game 4 had been out with a plantar fascia sprain in his left foot since Game 2 of their series against the Boston Celtics, while Harden went down with a right hamstring injury after playing just 46 seconds in the first game of this series against Milwaukee. Nets head coach Steve Nash made it clear that Harden would not be making a return in Game 4 but commented on his rehab saying he is “progressing well.”
James Harden remains out for Game 4 between the Nets and Bucks (Sunday on ABC), Steve Nash says. Harden is “progressing” Nash says.
Jeff Green has been upgraded to questionable for Game 4, Nash says.
Game 4 will drastically change the complexion of this series for one team. For the Nets they can find themselves tied 2-2 with the Bucks after many thought this would be a walk in the park for them after Game 2. For Milwaukee, they can easily find themselves in a 3-1 hole as the series shifts back to the Barclays Center. It will be interesting to see who wants it more.
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