After averaging 120 factors as a workforce within the first two video games of the collection, the Nets’ offense took a step backwards in Thursday’s 86-83 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in Recreation 3.

As a workforce, the Nets shot simply 36.2 p.c from the ground and simply 25 p.c from past the arc.

“Each groups performed unimaginable defensively,” stated Kevin Durant, who scored 30 factors on 11 of 28 capturing. “Each groups performed extraordinarily exhausting, low turnover sport. They’d eight blocks, we had eight steals, so it was certainly one of them grind out video games. They only made a pair extra factors late. They hit a pair extra photographs than we did.”

After dropping the primary two video games, the Bucks got here out of the gates with a fireplace below them in Recreation 3, scoring the primary 9 factors, together with a few thunderous dunks from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Nets fought again and had loads of probabilities to return away with the win, however that quick begin by Milwaukee set the tone early.

“They did what they have been presupposed to do, got here out aggressive, backs towards the wall … we needed to climate that storm,” stated Kyrie Irving. “Undoubtedly form of put us on our heels for the remainder of the sport and simply form of taking part in catch-up, taking part in their model of basketball, after which they made some massive, well timed photographs, which carried them ahead. However we had our probabilities down the stretch, it was a possession-by-possession sport, each groups battling.

“So, that’s a very good old school playoff sport proper there.”

The Bucks did their finest to restrict Durant and Irving, which frequently led to Bruce Brown getting some attractiveness. Brown scored 16 factors on the evening, however he additionally ended up lacking some essential photographs late, together with a missed bounce shot with 20.3 seconds left and the Nets up 83-82.

After a Jrue Vacation layup put the Bucks again up, it was Brown who missed a driving layup with below seven seconds to go.

“Everyone knows that we wish Kevin and Kai to shoot the ball, but when they don’t get free, they’ve obtained to make the fitting play,” head coach Steve Nash stated. “So, they made the fitting play. You give some credit score to the Bucks. Nonetheless, we obtained some makeable seems to be. We are able to get higher at executing, we will get higher at dealing with these moments, and it was a terrific check for us tonight and I believe it was quite a bit for us to study from.”

“I believe we have been getting them the place we wished, we simply weren’t making photographs tonight,” added Brown.

“We didn’t make photographs, and so they made photographs. They made yet one more shot than we did, so we’ll be prepared for Sunday.”