Exhaustion draped Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo early within the sport, on the finish of the sport and all factors between.

He regarded for a breather every time attainable — timeouts, free throws, lifeless balls, between quarters.

Bucks guards Khris Middleton and Jrue Vacation struggled offensively. However Antetokounmpo had simply sufficient vitality, and Middleton and Vacation discovered offense when the Bucks wanted it most.

Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Vacation and Brook Lopez helped drag the Milwaukee Bucks to a 115-111 Sport 7 additional time victory towards the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday and into the Japanese Convention finals.

Antetokounmpo had 40 factors, 13 rebounds and 5 assists in 50 minutes, delivering a efficiency befitting a two-time MVP in a sequence finale.

“I virtually received slightly emotional on the market,” Antetokounmpo stated, “as a result of the group actually, actually tried their finest. We stored our composure. We have been down 2-0 (within the sequence). Lots of people didn’t imagine that we might win again dwelling. We shield homecourt with our unbelievable followers. Simply to return to New York the place we have been 0-5 in our final 5 video games. Everyone’s anxious, everyone’s nervous.

“To have the ability to execute, to imagine in each other, to belief each other, it was massive time. Actually pleased for this group. I’m actually pleased for what we received achieved. However the job shouldn’t be.”

It was Antetokounmpo’s first Sport 7 victory in two tries.

“There’s a lot accountability he takes on each evening,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer stated. “The protection, what he’s having to do, guard all types of various guys, be in several coverages. Offensively, the ball’s in his arms a ton, whether or not it’s coming in transition virtually like a degree guard, enjoying out of the put up, he simply does a lot and to have the ability to do it for 50 minutes, simply tremendous impressed. He’s very particular.”

Though they have been a mixed 14-for-49 from the sector, together with 4-for-16 on 3-pointers, Middleton completed with 23 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists and Vacation ended up with 13 factors, eight assists and 7 rebounds.

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“These guys, they’re nice opponents,” Budenholzer stated. “I really like the way in which they maintain coming, maintain enjoying. Discover a strategy to win an additional time sport on the highway, a Sport 7. All of them made massive performs down the stretch. We would have liked each certainly one of them.”

Milwaukee superior to the convention finals for the primary time since 2019 however simply the second time up to now 21 seasons. The Bucks will play the winner of Sunday’s Atlanta-Philadelphia Sport 7 within the convention finals beginning Wednesday.

“This group’s going to need extra,” Budenholzer stated. “We’ll take a second to simply type of breathe tonight. When applicable, when the time is correct, it’ll be time to prepare for the following spherical and the following aggressive second that’s going to be coming in Sport 1.”

At occasions, together with late within the fourth quarter and far of additional time, it regarded like short-handed Brooklyn, led by Kevin Durant’s offensive masterpiece, was headed for the victory.

The Nets led 101-96 with 4 minutes remaining in regulation. “They made a few performs the place you assume they have been going to win the sport,” Middleton stated. “However we simply stayed with it. We have been down a majority of the sport and late within the fourth quarter. However we stayed resilient. We made performs down the stretch.”

The massive performs for Milwaukee have been quite a few.

A Middleton 3 adopted by a Antetokounmpo layup adopted by a Vacation 3 gave the Bucks a 104-101 lead. Free throws by Middleton and Vacation pushed Milwaukee’s result in 109-105.

Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Vacation have been the one Bucks to attain within the fourth quarter, and Lopez, who scored 19 factors, had three of his 4 blocked photographs within the fourth quarter and additional time.

Durant had a say in how this sport completed. His lengthy 2-pointer — his foot was on the 3-point line — with one second left within the fourth quarter compelled additional time. He completed with a Sport 7 NBA-record 48 factors. It was his second 40-point sport of the sequence and the second time within the sequence he performed your complete sport.

The Nets led 111-109, and the Bucks went scoreless for the primary 3:48 of additional time. Antetokounmpo’s brief hook shot within the paint tied the rating at 111-111, and Middleton’s jumper put the Bucks up 113-111 with 40.7 seconds left.

“I don’t care what number of photographs I make so long as I take nice photographs,” Middleton stated. “That’s all I’m anxious about it.”

Durant didn’t have any last-second heroics left. He missed a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left, and he was 0-for-6 in additional time.

The Nets have been hampered by accidents and nonetheless virtually gained. Kyrie Irving missed the ultimate three video games of the sequence with a sprained ankle, and James Harden missed all however 43 seconds of the primary 4 video games of the sequence with a sore hamstring.

Harden had 22 factors, 9 rebounds and 9 assists in Sport 7. Each Nets starter scored in double figures and performed a minimum of 40 minutes. Harden additionally performed all 53 minutes, and Bruce Brown performed 52. The brief Nets bench didn’t rating a degree.

Observe Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.

This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Bucks outlast Nets in Sport 7 additional time thriller to achieve East finals