Brooklyn's blockbuster brought James Harden to play with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, creating a team with potential to shoot its way out of any situation.
Milwaukee's move gave Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton a top two-way guard in Jrue Holiday, who could run his team and slow down the other.
Both teams hoped their big trade was the one that would lead to a championship.
Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant yells during the second half of Game 6 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Thursday, June 17, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP PhotoJeffrey Phelps)
One of them won't even get halfway there.
The Nets and Bucks play Game 7 of their second-round series Saturday in Brooklyn, with the winner moving on to play for the Eastern Conference title and the loser falling well short of expectations.
“With everything we’ve built and been through, we got the second seed for this particular reason and we’ve just got to go out there and hoop,” Harden said. “At home. One game.”
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, top, guards against Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant during the second half of Game 6 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series Thursday, June 17, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP PhotoJeffrey Phelps)
In a series where the home team has won every game, the Nets hope their strong ending to the regular season pays off now. They won their final five games to finish two games ahead of the Bucks for the No. 2 seed, giving them home-court advantage in this round.
Brooklyn is 6-0 at home in the playoffs and 24-3 against East teams at Barclays Center this season.
“We haven’t won on the road yet and that’s the only way we knew we were going to win this series, if we got a win on the road, and it’s coming down to the last game,” Middleton said.
With Irving sidelined by a sprained ankle and Harden limited in his return from right hamstring tightness, the Nets are a shell of the team that led the league in shooting percentage and was second in scoring this season.
The Nets have been held below 100 points in three of the last four games and might not have gotten there without Durant's 49 points in their 114-108 victory in Game 5.
“Since Game 3 to Game 6, we’ve played four great games and we’ve just got to keep trusting one another, keep trusting our habits, keep making it tough for them,” Antetokounmpo said.
Durant scored 32 more in Game 6 and Harden had 16, but Blake Griffin was the only other Nets player in double figures with 12. Jeff Green managed only five after his 27 points in Game 5 and Brooklyn got only nine points from its bench as Steve Nash largely stuck with his starters.
Meanwhile, Middleton comes off his best performance, with 38 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals in Game 5 after struggling early in the series. Antetokounmpo had 30 points and 17 rebounds, his fourth straight 30-10 game.
BUCKS AT NETS
Game 7, 8:30 p.m. EDT, TNT
— NEED TO KNOW: The Nets are trying to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since making their only two NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003. The Bucks are trying to avoid a second straight second-round exit, but are 0-7 all-time in Game 7s on the road.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Middleton. With 29.3 points per game over the last four, the All-Star looks nothing like the player who opened the series by missing 25 of his first 31 shots. He was 11 for 16 in Game 6 and the Nets have to find some way to slow him down Saturday.
— INJURY WATCH: Harden said he hoped to continue improving heading into Game 7, after missing all but 43 seconds of the first four games. He appeared to be moving better Thursday, but still not enough to play with much pace.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Durant. The series might already be over if not for his historic performance in Game 5. Now it's the season that might be over after Saturday if he can't find some way to dazzle again with the lack of help the Nets appear capable of giving him right now.
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Trae Young is the unquestioned leader of the Atlanta Hawks.
Those three guys coming off the bench aren't too shabby, either.
Young hit the winning shot in Game 3 as Atlanta rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat top-seeded Miami 110-110, slicing the Heat's lead in the Eastern Conference series to 2-1.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) shoots over Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Friday, April 22, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP PhotoBrett Davis)
He got a big assist from Bogdan Bogdanovic, Delon Wright and Onyeka Okongwu, who all played the entire fourth quarter and were a huge part of the comeback.
The trio combined to score 21 of Atlanta's 34 points in the final period, taking some of the heat off Young and giving the Hawks a chance to even the series Sunday night in Game 4.
“When you've got multiple guys who can dribble and make plays,” Young said, “it makes it a lot easier for me.”
Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen (7) drives to the basket past Chicago Bulls guard Coby White during the second half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)
In other games Sunday, the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks look to build a commanding 3-1 lead over the Bulls after a Game 3 rout in Chicago, the West top-seeded Phoenix Suns go for a 3-1 lead over the New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warriors try to complete a sweep of the Denver Nuggets.
The hot-and-cold Bogdanovic seems to warming up at just the right time for the Hawks. He had 29 points in Game 2 and followed up with an 18-point effort in Game 3 that included four 3-pointers.
“When Bogey gets hot like that, he's one of the best shooters in this league,” Young said. “He really sparked our offense.”
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, is congratulated by Andrew Wiggins, left, and Draymond Green after Curry drew a foul on Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Denver. (AP PhotoDavid Zalubowski)
Sunday's games:
BUCKS AT BULLS
Milwaukee leads 2-1. Game 4, 1 p.m. EDT, ABC
— NEED TO KNOW: The Bucks bounced back from a loss in Game 2 to dominate the Bulls 111-81 without injured Khris Middleton. It was the most lopsided home playoff defeat ever for Chicago.
The Phoenix Suns bench reacts to a 3-pointer against the New Orleans Pelicans late in the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in New Orleans, Friday, April 22, 2022. The Suns won 114-111. (AP PhotoMichael DeMocker)
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Bucks F Bobby Portis had 18 points and 16 rebounds in a starting role with Middleton sidelined because of a sprained left knee. Portis did it despite pain in his right eye stemming from a hit to the face Wednesday by Chicago’s Tristan Thompson as they went for a rebound. It left him with an abrasion, forcing him to miss most of that game, and Portis wore goggles on Friday. “Just doing all the proper things I needed to do, taking all the proper medicines, hopefully it goes down,” he said after the game. ”Obviously, it hurts. You can see it’s still red.”
— INJURY WATCH: Middleton is expected to miss the remainder of this series after spraining his left MCL in Game 2. He is eyeing a return in the conference semis, assuming the Bucks get past the Bulls. G George Hill (abdominal strain) has missed the past four games.
— PRESSURE IS ON: DeMar DeRozan. The Bulls star went from setting a career playoff high with 41 points in Game 2 to scoring just 11 on nine shots with the Bucks crowding him. “DeMar didn’t get 41 in Game 2 on wide open jump shots with nobody near him,” coach Billy Donovan said. “There were guys hanging all over him when he made those shots. I think when DeMar doesn’t feel like he’s got to his spot or a good rhythm, he’s going to probably more often than not get off of it and pass it when he sees a crowd.”
Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (13) and Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, right, vie for possession of the ball during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Friday, April 22, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP PhotoBrett Davis)
WARRIORS AT NUGGETS
Golden State leads 3-0. Game 4, 3:30 p.m. ABC
— NEED TO KNOW: With its Game 3 win in Denver, Golden State has now won at least one road game in each of its last 24 playoff series. The string began with a road victory in the Mile High City during the 2013 playoffs. No surprise, the streak mirrors the careers of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. “We were so young at the time,” Thompson said of that win in ’13. “That was a huge series for us back there, just for our confidence. ... That was a very nostalgic feeling — life comes full circle being back here. I’m just so happy to have those memories.”
Atlanta Hawks' Bogdan Bogdanovic, left, and Delon Wright, right, celebrate the team's win in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP PhotoBrett Davis)
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Warriors G Jordan Poole. He has erupted for 30, 29 and 27 points, making him the 16th player in league history to score 25 or more points in their first three career playoff games, according to research by Elias. He’s also the second Warriors player to accomplish the feat, joining Wilt Chamberlain (1960). Poole, 22, is playing almost like a seasoned veteran. “I’m not going to give him all that much credit,” Thompson cracked. “It’s incredible what Jordan is doing. We need him to go where we want to go. We need him to keep doing what he’s doing.”
— INJURY WATCH: Green rolled his left ankle in Game 3 but stayed on the floor. Poole landed awkwardly on his left arm and used a heating pad on the bench. He returned, too. “Jordan’s doing fine,” coach Steve Kerr said after the game.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Nikola Jokic. How can it be anyone else? The reigning NBA MVP is in danger of being swept in a second straight playoff series. His message to his teammates was simple: “It isn’t over,” Jokic said. “As long as we put in effort like we did (Thursday), we’re going to be fine.”
Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) drives to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)
HEAT AT HAWKS
Miami leads 2-1. Game 4, 7 p.m. EDT, TNT
— NEED TO KNOW: The Hawks have become one of the league's best teams at home, a far cry from the days when the visiting team's fans often outnumbered the home team's. Atlanta has won 21 of its last 24 games at State Farm Arena, including six in a row.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, falls as he drives between Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, center, and forward Draymond Green (23) as Nuggets center Nikola Jokic watches during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Denver. (AP PhotoDavid Zalubowski)
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Miami G Jimmy Butler. Coming off a career playoff-best 45 points in Game 2, he had a couple of chances to win Game 3 for the Heat. Butler missed them both, giving the Hawks a burst of hope in the series.
— INJURY REPORT: Heat PG Kyle Lowry went down in the third quarter of Game 3 with a left hamstring injury. “We love that guy as our point guard," Butler said. “If he’s with us, yippee-ki-yay. If he’s not, somebody has got to step in and do his job.” Miami will get no sympathy from the Hawks, who have been without C Clint Capela (knee) the entire series. John Collins has been filling in at the post, even though he's limited by a finger injury.
— PRESSURE IS ON: The Heat. After squandering a 21-0 run in Game 3, they missed a prime chance to go up 3-0 in the series. The Hawks are now in position to even things up if they can win again at home. Miami does not want this to turn into a best-of-three series against an underdog with nothing to lose.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) and guard CJ McCollum (3) talk, next to Phoenix Suns' Cameron Johnson late in the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in New Orleans, Friday, April 22, 2022. The Suns won 114-111. (AP PhotoMichael DeMocker)
SUNS AT PELICANS
Phoenix leads 2-1. Game 4, 9:30 p.m. EDT, TNT
— NEED TO KNOW: Things got chippy in Game 3, with Pelicans F Jaxson Hayes being ejected for slamming into Suns F Jae Crowder from behind in the second quarter. But the Suns say the shot inspired them. "I didn’t see the play, but the coaches told me it was one of those hits that you just don’t want to see in basketball,” Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. “We want to win the game, but not the fight.”
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Suns C Deandre Ayton. After scoring just 10 points in Game 2, Ayton tied his career playoff high with 28 points and added 17 boards. Williams said he “kicked himself” after Game 2 for not trying to get Ayton the ball more often in the paint. With Devin Booker out, expect Ayton to continue to be more involved in the Suns' offense.
— LATE NIGHTS IN NOLA: Even though New Orleans is known as a party town, the Pelicans don’t particularly appreciate leaving the arena after midnight. Sunday’s game starts a little earlier and veteran G CJ McCollum says that can’t be the Pelicans’ focus. “You’ve got to turn the page, learn from your mistakes, figure out where you can play better, but also look at all the things we’ve done well up to this point. Down 1-2, with a game to play at home, I’ll take that. Obviously, we’d have liked to win, but we’ve got a chance to even up the series in front of our fans."
— PRESSURE IS ON: The Pelicans. New Orleans doesn’t want to go down 3-1. The Suns regained home-court advantage despite the absence of Booker and shooting 4 of 26 from the 3-point line.
Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963
AP Sports Writers Andrew Seligman in Chicago and Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report.
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