RD2: #3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. #2 Brooklyn Nets

[Real Deal]

[Real Deal]

First game tonight...should be fun to watch. The Bucks have an elite defense centered around Giannis, but Jrue Holiday could be the most important player on the floor, as the Bucks' best perimeter defender. Brooklyn will come out attacking, looking to get Giannis into foul trouble, and there's no doubt KD, Harden and Kyrie will rack up at least 60 points together.

Milwaukee is a great rebounding team, and they can run up the point total as much as the Nets can. Brooklyn is the most efficient team in the NBA, with the Bucks not far behind. The Bucks are top 10 on both sides of the ball, but the Nets have a lot to work on defensively.

I know I said the Nets would win the championship, but I was basing it off paper at the start of the season, before I watched them and before they decided to play just 8 regular season games together. Teams that struggle to rebound and defend usually end up on vacation when the Finals roll around. The Nets may have the offense to overcome it, but for me, the Bucks look like the better overall team.

I'll take Bucks in six. If they have to go seven games, it'll end up in Brooklyn's lap on their home floor, and I don't see that going well for the Bucks.

[Cobb]

What an interesting turn of events with Harden departing within a minute of tipoff. I thought as others likely did the Bucks would cruise but I'd be awfully concerned if I was a Bucks fan. The bench was horrendous followed by Middleton no-showing. They'll certainly shoot it better and I'm certain Middleton will turn it around, but what's the deal with Bud and his minutes for Giannis? Nash played Durant 40 and Kyrie 45 and seemed to just understand as a former player how it was necessary. Sure, some of lack of minutes was due to the game being out of hand, but 29 minutes through three quarters seemed low. 

Props to Blake Griffin for looking like the 3rd or 4th best player on the court. Really unimaginable up until recently.

I'm leaning Nets and was prior to the series starting but am very interested in seeing how Game 2 goes.

Edited June 7, 2021 by Cobb

[Real Deal]

The Bucks are getting their asses handed to them.  It's 65-41 at the half.  Wow.

[Cobb]

Bucks just can't do any of the things they do well. They were down 49 points (123 to 74) at one point in this game and would've lost by 40+ if not for a late 12-2 run.

Giannis is so deep into his own head at the foul line it's getting painful to watch.

Looks to be a 4-0 sweep barring a miraculous turn of events in Game 3 (Thursday) and Game 4 (Sunday).

[Real Deal]

Middleton FINALLY stepped his game up.  He and Giannis had 68 points and 29 boards together, which is basically everything that the Bucks had.  It wasn't much of a game if you love offense.  They shot a combined 14/63 from downtown, lol.  Just an ugly game.

We'll see how the Nets will respond in Game 4.  Tucker was all over KD, probably for trash talking because of a foul, so I'm sure Durant is seeking revenge.