There’s been plenty of activity around the NBA the last couple of weeks. A flurry of coaching changes, some front office moves, finger-pointing regarding injuries and star players opting in or out of the Tokyo Olympics. We even saw a major trade – Kemba Walker and another first-round pick headed to Oklahoma City, Al Horford returning to Boston – on Friday.
All this has somewhat overshadowed the ultimatum aim – winning a championship. Other than the Suns’ sweep of the Jamal Murray-less Nuggets, the conference semifinals have been entertaining, with several wild comebacks tossed in.
The Sixers and Jazz are fighting for their playoff lives on Friday and the Bucks–Nets matchup has already reached a Game 7.
The Milwaukee-Brooklyn series figured to be hotly contested, though it didn’t look that way after the first two games. The Nets blew out the Bucks to take a 2-0 lead but injury issues to James Harden and Kyrie Irving helped the Bucks storm back in the series.
Milwaukee squandered a chance to win on the Nets’ home floor in Game 5, but big offensive games from Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 6 forced Saturday’s do-or-die showdown at Barclays Center. Harden toughed it out through 40 minutes, but only took nine shots and scored 16 points.
Brooklyn clearly needs another monster game from Kevin Durant (33.3 PPG in the series) to advance, especially with Irving remaining sidelined. Antetokounmpo has won two MVP awards, but star players are judged by playoff success. Carrying his team to a Game 7 road victory would be a defining moment in his career.
That leads us to our question of the day: Who will win Game 7 between the Bucks and Nets and what will make the difference?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
I’m sticking to my proclamation made 4 weeks ago. Brooklyn is coming out of the East. It’s the biggest no-brainer in the history of mankind. Injuries? Every team has them so nothing changes.
the reality is team composition has a lot to do with how injuries affect a team. a team with 5 guys if the same production only lose 1/5 of the production with an injury. the reality is, Brooklyn is too top heavy to say that losing any random x number of players out of their top y will have the same effect as the same for any other team.
The reality is I’m not using injuries as an excuse. I’m a Warriors fan and losing Klay Thompson hurt. But get over it and move on, next man up or make a trade.
What you’re saying is true. But whatever. Whether it’s your first man or your third man going down seems like every team has suffered injury issues this playoff season.
Yeah Gary, don’t even dignify this nonsense with a response/justification.
You do your best to mitigate risk, but the truth is if you’re building a team where losing one of your starting 5 doesn’t make a big difference, they probably aren’t that good.
way to miss the point. what im saying is an injury to one player isnt equal to an injury to another player. i consider Brooklyn to be significantly top heavy. for example, if they suddenly just didn’t have Durant available for Game 7, would that be as impactful as losing, say, Blake Griffin. im not saying Milwaukee is a perfectly balanced team as far as production, just that Brooklyn relies on its big three, and Durant’s the only one of the three 100%.
Way to miss the point. Gary is saying every team has injury issues, plural.
Is a hobbled Donovan Mitchell better than no Kawhi? Probably, but Conley was out for 5 games. So which is worse?
The point is it all comes out in the wash. Every team has injuries. It’s not an excuse.
Gary says: “Brooklyn is coming out of the East. It’s the biggest no-brainer in the history of mankind.”
Bwahaha. Yeah no brainer alright.
You sound like a Milwaukee Bucks fan. Congratulations to your team they’re looking real good.
Took the Bucks overtime and one last shot air ball by KD to pull it out in seven games. That one single shot goes in and Milwaukee is done. In fact KD one more inch behind the line in the game-tying shot and Milwaukee goes home.
But pretty gritty play by Milwaukee. I tip my cap to them in respect. Good defense, good resolution, fantastic Series win.
Been a fan of the Bucks for 50 years. If there’s one thing those 50 years have taught me, there’s no sure victories in sports.
Believe it or not I have a history with the Bucks from around 1981 through 87. The Don Nelson years. My favorite team. I remember the one year we swept the Celtics only to lose to the Sixers. Other years we’d beat the Sixers only to lose to the Celtics.
My favorite teams were the Marques Johnson Sidney Moncrief Junior Bridgeman Mickey Johnson Bob Lanier Quinn Buckner Paul Pressey teams. Then they stole Terry Cummings from the clippers for an aging Marcus Johnson but that couldn’t get them over the hump either.
Also I remember at my buddies house one day his dad told me the Bucks made a major blockbuster trade !! I’m like, what happened? Traded Alton Lister and two first-round picks for Jack sikma. Don Nelson trying to get over the hump but that didn’t work either.
Good times.. always made the playoffs, always had good teams but couldn’t get over the hump. Then I moved to the San Francisco area and coincidentally Don Nelson took over the Warriors. Probably not the right thing to do but I became a Warriors fan because I loved Nelson so much. The rest is history. So I’m with you in spirit because of the old days.
Bucks, in case anyone was unsure. I will let the more unbiased observers of this series justify it.
Ultimatum aim = ultimate aim, ultimate goal, prime directive
Nets win and I think home court is the difference maker. People say they’re 2nd to Knicks which is true, but it’s still New York City. Think it helps self conscious guys like KD and Harden play at a higher level.
this was always going to be what would end Brooklyn – their big three getting in injury danger. if Harden is productive, they may win easy. if he’s not, they will probably get blown out. Durant cant do it all every night.
How about a real prediction. If this or that happens “they may win easy or probably get blown out.” You’ve got both ends covered so you’ve said nothing.
im not required to make any prediction at all, but okay then.
The only team that has been blown out in this series is the Bucks when they lost game 2 by 39 points. If Brooklyn loses game 7, it won’t be a blowout.
i dont think that matters. like.i said, if Durant’s forced to do what he did in game 5 again, i wouldnt be so sure its enough, and for all we know he might not be able to withstand the strain of all the minutes he’s had to play.
I’m hoping KD playing 40+ minutes every game will wear on him in game 7. Put Giannis on him and make Harden win the game for the Nets.
Buckman you’re probably right. That wear and grind will have effect especially in a game 7. Im hoping it’s a close game and Milwaukee doesn’t run over the Nets because they’re a little deeper and not as beat up with top-heavy guys out.
Bucks shouldn’t regret missing on Brickdan Brickdanovic! Good thing Nate took his ass out of the game tonight!
As a Sixers fan, I hoping and praying for the Bucks. Nets would absolutely kill us out there.
Maxey sure looked good tonight. Now you can trade Simmons to the Warriors !!
Philly has PGs… at least 2 with Maxey & Milton. Time to move on to other needs.
Terrance Mann looking good too… as I & DXC kept harping at draft time. (Kabengele also of Fla.St looked good on the Cavs except for 3s.)
Not a chance I would send him there. I was completely against the Simmons trade idea but I’ve come around abit.
But it would take a top offer, would let him walk if it wasn’t 100% worth it.
I’m talking like Simmons and bits for Dame. Or Simmons for Beal, Simmons and bits for Dlo and Ant, Simmons for Fox
Idk it would have to be huge
Set him free cruel world. Like Love.
The Clippers finally got to the WCF.
That’s what happens when Doc Rivers isn’t around.
They went to game 7 against a 1 man Dallas, then game 7 against the Jazz…
Yes they have done better this season than last but last year it was Pandemic Ps fault.
Doc in his 1 year in Philly got us top of the east, Embiid 2nd in MVP voting, Simmons got DPOY stolen off him and both made all defensive first team. We are going to game 7 with Atlanta and with some luck should be going to ECF. I rate Doc
You’re totally overrating Simmons.
nets-sixers should be a good ecf finals match!
Bucks finally get over the hump. Giannis and Kris are locked in,laser focused. Also, the Bucks should go right at Harden. Make him defend the ball and put bodies on him. PJ is doing a credible job defending KD, but Durant is going to get his points. In the end, KD can’t do it all alone. Fear the deer.
earmbrister, I know you said I don’t follow NBA basketball, but I’m going to give you a few opinions anyways. Khris Middleton is not a big game player. I like his game and I think he stepped up this season and improved and is right there as an All-Star, but I don’t believe he will step up today in this game seven. He’s not that guy.
PJ Tucker is a fantastic defensive player but guarding Kevin Durant will cause him foul trouble every single time. The NBA protects its stars to a certain degree and though Tucker is pretty darn good, he won’t be on the floor enough to hinder Durant’s overall productivity.
Giannis will go 6-16 from the foul line and maybe those 5 or six potential points from the stripe will be the difference in the end?
I’m counting on Mike Budenholzer to screw up the game plan and foul trouble to handcuff the defenders. Nets by 5.
Well, Middleton DID score 38 in a close-out game on 89% TS%…
This is the big stage. Khris Middleton tonight in 52 minutes.. 9-26 fg, 2-7 3pt, plus 3 on the night.
As I said he’s a great player and Fringe All-Star which is saying a lot about the man. He can play. I thought he might cave a little tonight, but he had a good game.
Bottom line is they won. What an amazing fight out there.., fighting for loose balls and everybody left it on the floor. Exciting game to watch. That’s all we can ask for. Great job by Milwaukee. I tip my cap to them.
Harden has a big game Middleton continues his road woes and Nets win.
Not nearly big enough, not like KD’s game.
Congrats to the Bucks. Glad to see PJ Tucker in the ECF.
Harden got three-happy after a season of making the players around him better. Bucks played great, Harden should have played smarter like he had all season but the physical limitations also were a factor.