MANILA – Milwaukee Bucks survived Brooklyn Nets’ late rally and escaped with an 86-83 triumph in Game 3 of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday night (Friday in the Philippines) at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Khris Middleton tallied a double-double of 35 points and 15 rebounds, while Giannis Antetokounmpo donated a double-double of 33 points and 14 rebounds as the Bucks trimmed the best-of-seven series deficit to 1-2.
The Bucks surged to a 30-11 start behind 15 first-quarter points each from Antetokounmpo and Middleton. The Nets, however, rallied back behind Bruce Brown to come to within 42-45 at the half.
It was a tight game for both teams in the second half, with the score knotted for the last time at 80-all late in the game behind an exchange of baskets by Middleton and Nets’ Kevin Durant.
Durant powered Nets to cruise to 83-80, but baskets from Middleton and Jrue Holiday gave the Bucks an 84-83 lead. Middleton then added two more free throws for the final score.
Durant finished the game with a double-double of 30 points and 11 rebounds, while Kyrie Irving dropped 22 points. Brown posted a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets.
Meanwhile, Utah Jazz endured a late uprising by the Los Angeles Clippers to score a 117-111 Game 2 victory and take a 2-0 advantage in the NBA Western Conference semifinals series.
After seeing the 21-point lead turned to a 101-99 deficit, the Jazz leaned on the three-point baskets by Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale, and Joe Ingles for a 113-103 gap.
The Clippers made their last push at 108-113 on a three-point play by Paul George. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert sealed the win for the Jazz via layup and split free throws.
Mitchell top-scored with 37 points, including six three-point conversions, while Jordan Clarkson, Ingles, and Bogdanovic gave 24, 19, and 16, respectively, for the Jazz.
BOX SCORE:
MILWAUKEE 86 – Middleton 35, G. Antetokounmpo 33, Holiday 9, Portis 4, Lopez 3, Connaughton 2, Tucker 0, T. Antetokounmpo 0, Forbes 0.
BROOKLYN 83 – Durant 30, Irving 22, Brown 16, Griffin 5, Harris 3, Shamet 3, James 2, Claxton 2.
QUARTERSCORES:
30-11, 45-42, 67-65, 86-83./PN
