NBA playoffs 2023 – By the tip of Kevin Durant’s shoe, the Milwaukee Bucks are finally halfway to their goal

The sport might’ve been a film, the motion on the sidelines a cleaning soap opera and the dialogue between Kevin Durant and his longtime good friend P.J. Tucker a stage play.

However for all of the drama that spilled on the ground Saturday evening in an epic additional time Sport 7 that noticed the Milwaukee Bucks outlast the Brooklyn Nets 115-111, all of the exhaustion that led to fatigue and respect-filled hugs afterward, this was the underside line: The Bucks’ stars are wholesome, they usually’re within the convention finals.

Regardless of the Bucks’ flaws — they usually exist — this might find yourself being their golden probability on the golden trophy. It might be the most effective place they’ve been in since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson have been taking part in there within the Seventies. Not even these Corridor of Famers gained a Sport 7 on the street for the Bucks.

A while might be spent discussing why it needed to be so onerous contemplating Brooklyn’s accidents, how Milwaukee let a number of video games slip by means of their fingers — and virtually the deciding Sport 7 itself. However that was all prologue, they survived the collection.

“We stored our composure all through the entire collection,” mentioned Giannis Antetokounmpo after scoring 40 factors with 13 rebounds in 50 minutes that, by the tip, had drained him of a lot of his regular powers.

“We have been down 2-0, we have been in a position to come again. We misplaced a recreation being up 15 [points in Game 5]. And towards all odds in Sport 7, we have been in a position to come right here, guard KD and get the win.”

Towards all odds, perhaps, however positively by the tip of Durant’s shoe, which scraped the 3-point line when he made his final sensible shot of his sensible collection that purchased the Bucks one more probability.

The best way the Bucks got here by means of on this collection was personified by veteran heart Brook Lopez. The Stanford-educated huge man (although he as soon as acquired suspended for skipping class) appeared to inexplicably neglect the shot clock was low late in regulation and absent-mindedly value the Bucks a significant possession, despite the fact that there had simply been a timeout to get organized.

However in additional time, as Durant broke free to get to the rim, Lopez stayed with the play, making a significant block that helped maintain Durant scoreless in additional time — finally the figuring out think about securing the win.

Durant had a stat line that shouldn’t be misplaced to historical past: 48 factors in 53 minutes, by no means leaving the ground. His efficiency within the collection was among the many most interesting for a dropping participant in league historical past. If there was an MVP awarded for the convention semifinals, Durant would’ve gained it. And for that cause, this victory will get no asterisk subsequent to the Bucks. They completely earned it and overcoming Durant’s efforts is what fuels their hope for the forthcoming rounds.

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P.J. Tucker referred to as for a tough foul on Kevin Durant and whereas KD is capturing free throws, he has some enjoyable with Durant’s mother sitting courtside.

One man who gained’t take it as a right is Tucker, who couldn’t get previous Durant’s Golden State Warriors groups when he was a member of the Houston Rockets. For a cut up second he thought he’d missed out once more when Durant made the lengthy, wild jumper over his arms that compelled additional time.

“It’s painful. I’m hurting. That was a battle each single evening,” mentioned Tucker, whose back-and-forth with Durant spilled over to Durant’s household and buddies courtside in a good-natured trend. “To have the ability to lastly recover from the hump is fairly good.”

The Bucks aren’t completely over the hump, in fact. Technically, they’re simply midway there.

They slayed the dragon of final yr, sending the Miami Warmth packing in a confidence-building sweep. Brooklyn opened as huge collection and championship favorites and, it have to be identified, was up on Milwaukee by 49 factors in Sport 2 even with James Harden on the sideline. Even Saturday, the sportsbooks put in the Nets because the slight favourite regardless of Kyrie Irving being out and Harden clearly nonetheless hampered.

The Bucks have been 0-5 in Brooklyn this yr and have been infamous for botching shut playoff video games. Jrue Vacation was 2-of-17 capturing late within the fourth quarter. Khris Middleton couldn’t purchase a shot. The referees allowed vicious, bodily play on this second-round finale — Blake Griffin was flat-out wrestling with Antetokounmpo at occasions, and the smaller Nets survived within the trenches, getting away with virtually all the things.

There’s a variety of big-time expertise and big-time groups at house or on trip. The Bucks are nonetheless right here.

“There have been a variety of ups and downs throughout the collection. There have been a variety of ups and downs on this recreation. Everyone fought extraordinarily onerous,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “I virtually acquired emotional on the market, we actually needed this.” You don’t at all times stride down the aisle to a championship coronation. Typically you beat the opposite man by the toe of their Nikes.