Nets 73, Bucks 96: How to lose a third quarter
A 43-41 halftime deficit was as close as the Nets would get to the Bucks in the second half as Milwaukee clinched the sixth seed by outscoring Brooklyn 53-32 after halftime. The Nets shot just 32.5 percent from the field for the game as the lengthy defense from Milwaukee forced 21 turnovers and tallied seven blocks.
Jason Kidd is the first head coach to take two different teams to the playoffs in his first two seasons according to STATS. Despite trading his starting point guard and losing a rookie of the year candidate, the Bucks have clinched a higher seed than the first team Kidd coached even though they’ve spent over $30 million less in total salary this season.
So how does a veteran team lose a second half so badly against a team led by a guy nicknamed the Greek Freak? Let’s find out.
How to lose a third quarter 30-18, by the Brooklyn Nets
The third quarter was so promising, mainly because of the effort of Deron Williams to drive and kick to open shooters. But the rest of the Nets didn’t hold up to their end of the bargain in the second half, hitting only five shots in the quarter.
Bogdanovic missed this 3-pointer, along with two others in the game to finish 1-for-4 from beyond the arc.
Shortly after the miss from Bogdanovic, Johnson had a similar chance set up by Williams. The result was the same, while the Bucks hit 13 of their 18 attempts in the same quarter.
The missed shots early shook up the Brooklyn offense while the Bucks padded their lead.
A team that’s comprised of so many veterans doesn’t simply lose to a young team by missing a few shots. This third quarter was all about the Nets struggling against the length of Milwaukee. Oh, and plays like this. (Cue Benny Hill Theme Song)
We take a break from the regularly scheduled Milwaukee energy with a new development on the case of the missing jumpshots. Williams doesn’t seem to know where the 3-pointers have gone, because he was confident enough to walk away as his backcourt mate attempted this wide open shot.
Finally, the success of Milwaukee was guided by Giannis Antetokounmpo in the third quarter. He finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, a block and a steal for the game. However, The stat sheet doesn’t show this jumpshot that led to a mean mug for the ages.
The Nets will attempt to hold pace for a playoff spot against the Bulls on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
