Do Nets have sufficient left within the tank? Can Bucks win on the street?

[ad_1]

Brooklyn’s James Harden got here away with a steal and didn’t have a Milwaukee defender between him and the basket. In regular occasions, Harden would’ve darted to the rim for a layup whereas making an attempt to attract a foul.

However Harden pulled up, figuring out his dangerous hamstring didn’t have sufficient energy to get him to the rim earlier than a Bucks defender caught up with him.

“James was higher tonight so far as what he was capable of do, however it’s robust,” Nets coach Steve Nash mentioned. “He’s actually restricted. He can’t do a whole lot of issues he’s accustomed to doing. … Powerful, robust place for James to be on the market making an attempt his finest, making an attempt to assist this crew and never having the ability to transfer the best way he usually would.”

Harden isn’t 100%, Kyrie Irving missed his second consecutive recreation with a sprained ankle, each Nets starter performed at the least half-hour in Recreation 6 and now the Nets head again dwelling for Recreation 7 with an exhausted, short-handed group.

Milwaukee defeated Brooklyn 104-89 in Recreation 6 on Thursday, tying the Jap Convention semifinals sequence at 3-3.

Recreation 7 is Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT), and two main questions loom:

Do the Nets have sufficient left to get yet another victory?

Can the Bucks change into the primary crew to get a street win this sequence?

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant speaks with Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton after a hard foul on Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo during the fourth quarter of Game 6.

Brooklyn Nets ahead Kevin Durant speaks with Milwaukee Bucks ahead Khris Middleton after a tough foul on Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo through the fourth quarter of Recreation 6.

Harden mentioned he felt a bit higher, and the expectation is that he’s a bit more healthy by the beginning of Saturday’s recreation. However he gained’t be 100% as he performs via the harm. After lacking mainly 4 video games, Harden logged almost 46 minutes in Recreation 5, and Durant performed all 48 minutes. The minutes are piling up.

“We didn’t seem like we had a ton of power all night time. I feel we needed it. We simply couldn’t discover it,” Nash mentioned following Recreation 6. “General, I didn’t like the best way we performed offensively. We simply appeared a bit gradual, a bit stagnant and obtained away from what we do finest. However that’s typically the way it rolls within the playoffs.”

The Bucks additionally outscored the Nets 26-4 in fast-break factors.

“We had some issues getting again in transition,” Nash mentioned.

The Nets appeared a step gradual, and perhaps that’s simply taking part in on the street towards a determined crew that wanted a win to proceed its season.

Or it might be deeper than that. The Nets is likely to be drained bodily and mentally, making an attempt to beat accidents all season lengthy.

The Nets wanted a giant comeback and a historic recreation from Durant to win Recreation 5 at dwelling. Durant’s improbable, however you’ll be able to’t depend on him going for 49 factors, 17 rebounds and 10 assists once more. Jeff Inexperienced had 27 factors in Recreation 5, and whereas he’s able to that, it’s not real looking to suppose he’ll do it once more.

It is going to require a way more all-around crew effort for the Nets to advance to the convention finals.

Main change: Longtime Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle steps down after 13 seasons

‘Suns in 4!’: Struggle fan to obtain tickets, autographed jersey from Devin Booker

Milwaukee didn’t have an amazing offensive recreation as a crew in Recreation 6. But it surely discovered some issues that labored, liberating up Khris Middleton for some open photographs and getting Giannis Antetokounmpo to deal with what he does finest – attacking the rim.

Antetokounmpo made 11 of his 12 photographs within the paint, and he didn’t take one 3-point shot – the primary time this sequence he didn’t try one from behind the road. That’s an amazing signal for Milwaukee.

However the Bucks additionally need to win on the street. They wilted within the second half of Recreation 1, have been blown out in Recreation 2 and had no reply for Durant and sputtered down the stretch of Recreation 5 after constructing a 16-point lead within the third quarter.

So, it’s all the way down to Recreation 7.

One crew is spent.

The opposite hasn’t gained on the street within the sequence.

Who finds a approach?

This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks Recreation 7: Key questions for each groups

[ad_2]

supply

Leave a Reply