Bucks edge Nets in OT
Durant’s Nba-record 48 points in a Game 7 not enough for Brooklyn
The Milwaukee Bucks withstood Kevin Durant’s Nbarecord 48 points in a Game 7, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals by beating the Brooklyn Nets 115-111 in overtime Saturday night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 40 points and 13 rebounds, and Khris Middleton made the tiebreaking shot with 40 seconds left in the first overtime Game 7 in 15 years.
The Bucks held on from there when Durant missed two jumpers, the last an airball with 0.3 seconds remaining.
Middleton added 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, who reached the East finals for the second time in three years. They will play either Philadelphia or Atlanta in a series that starts Wednesday night.
Durant played all 53 minutes and forced OT with a turnaround jumper that was just inches from being a 3-pointer that would have won it with a second left.
He added nine rebounds and six assists, but didn’t have enough help with injured Kyrie Irving watching from the baseline and James Harden unable to locate his shot after missing most of the first four games with right hamstring tightness.
Harden had 22 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, but was 5 for 17 from the field.
Note: The Atlanta Hawks may be without their top 3-point shooter with their season on the line. Bogdan Bogdanovic’s status is uncertain for Sunday night’s Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series at Philadelphia due to a knee injury. Bogdanovic left Friday night’s 104-99 home loss to the 76ers in the fourth quarter with right knee soreness and did not return. Coach Nate Mcmillan said Saturday the soreness is not related to the fracture in the same knee which forced Bogdanovic to miss 25 games early in the season. Asked if he is optimistic Bogdanovic can return for the decisive game of the series, Mcmillan said, “I really don’t know or have an answer to that question. … We’ll see how he feels later today and tomorrow.” Bogdanovic struggled before leaving Friday night’s game. He made only 3 of 11 shots and scored only seven points. After scoring 22 points in Game 4, he managed only six points in Wednesday night’s Game 5 win. “Basically this came about in the last game or so,” Mcmillan said of Bogdanovic’s sore knee. “It’s nothing related to the injury earlier in the season.” Perhaps the most telling sign the knee was affecting the guard’s performance on Friday night came when Bogdanovic missed each of two freethrow attempts early in the fourth quarter. If Bogdanovic can’t play, it would be another blow to the Hawks’ perimeter depth. The team already has lost former starter De’andre Hunter, who had surgery to repair a small tear of the lateral meniscus in his right knee and is out for the postseason. Kevin Huerter, who would be an option to fill in for Bogdanovic at shooting guard, already has moved into Hunter’s small forward spot. Bogdanovic had been Atlanta’s second-leading scorer in the postseason, averaging 15.4 points before Friday night. He averaged 16.4 points in the regular season and was a key to Atlanta’s strong finish to the regular season. Since April 1, he led the Eastern Conference with 128 3-pointers. Trae Young, who scored 34 points on Friday night, would have to carry an even bigger scoring load if Bogdanovic can’t play.