Milwaukee Bucks 123-125 Brooklyn Nets: 5 hits and flops as Kevin Durant scores clutch basket to secure thrilling win

It was a tight battle that came down to the wire but the Brooklyn Nets managed to eke out a 125-123 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.

The game marked James Harden’s second game for the Brooklyn Nets, and he delivered another strong performance against the top team in the East.

It was an exciting match-up, with four All-Stars showing off in what could be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals. The game featured three players from each team with at least 20 points, as the Bucks and Nets superstars received ample support from their teammates.

We now take a look at the 5 hits and flops from the Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets contest:

Hit: James Harden (Brooklyn Nets)

James Harden #13 of the Brooklyn Nets drives against Jrue Holiday #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks during their game at Barclays Center. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

After committing six turnovers by halftime, James Harden took care of the ball in the second half (0 TOs) while dishing the rock to his teammates. He also scored when needed, dropping 34 points for the night, his second 30-point performance in as many games for the Brooklyn Nets.

Harden orchestrated the offense as if he has been with the Nets from the start of the season. The former MVP shot 13-of-25 from the floor and added 12 assists and six rebounds to his ledger.

Flop: Donte DiVincenzo (Milwaukee Bucks)

The Milwaukee Bucks needed Donte DiVincenzo to nail the three when the opportunities were presented to him. However, the 6-foot-4 guard missed wide-open three-pointers in the second half that made the game close.

DiVincenzo didn’t have the stroke going tonight, and it kept the Bucks from winning the game against the Brooklyn Nets.

Hit: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)

Kevin Durant had his shots going in early, giving his team the confidence to take control of the game even when the Milwaukee Bucks had several runs to take the lead.

Durant was unstoppable as his mid-range jumpers found the bottom of the net time and time again.

KEVIN. DURANT. COLD-BLOODED. ❄️ pic.twitter.com/CLfy6blOBX

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 19, 2021

However, it was his go-ahead three from the top of the key with 36.3 seconds remaining that gave the Brooklyn Nets the cushion they needed to win the game in the end.

Durant finished with 30 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks.

Flop: Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)

Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks goes up for a layup against Avery Bradley #11 and Andre Iguodala #28 of the Miami Heat (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Khris Middleton played a very good game, so we’re nitpicking here. He had 25 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field, which is normally a typical game for the 9-year veteran.

However, Middleton failed to cash in on his 3-point attempts on Monday, missing all five of them. His last missed attempt from three is the hardest for the Milwaukee Bucks to swallow as it cost them the game.

To compound matters, he didn’t see a cutting Giannis Antetokounmpo with a wide-open lane to the basket. Had Middleton passed to Antetokounmpo for the dunk instead of taking the three himself, the Bucks would have tied the game and would have had a chance to win it in overtime against the Brooklyn Nets.

Hit: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)

Giannis Antetokounmpo was determined to prove that he was the top dog in the Eastern Conference even with the exodus of All-Stars from the West, and he delivered big time.

Nets left Giannis wide open from 3... 😬 pic.twitter.com/mZ6LATmkJp

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 19, 2021

Antetokounmpo had 34 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and two steals to lead the Milwaukee Bucks, who arrived in Brooklyn winning four consecutive games.

The back-to-back MVP, a 57.5 percent free-throw shooter this season, knocked in six of his eight attempts from the line. Unfortunately, his efforts weren’t enough.

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