Get downhill, make the right play, I think there was maybe one or two plays I was open at the 3-point line and maybe could have shot it.
Of Antetokounmpo’s 12 field goals Thursday night, 11 came in the paint, and 10 were in the restricted area, according to data from ESPN Stats & Information.
“Giannis coming into the game was in a good place,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
Budenholzer leaned heavily on his stars, essentially playing a six-man rotation until both teams emptied their benches for the final few minutes.
“We didn’t look like we had a ton of energy all night,” Nets coach Steve Nash said.
He kept on attacking, scoring seven points as part of an 18-5 run that gave Milwaukee an immediate cushion and helped wipe away some of the rough memories from Brooklyn’s comeback from a 16-point deficit to claim Game 5.
A few of them I felt like I rushed just trying to get us back into the flow and switch the momentum a little bit but for the most part I thought I was aggressive and put pressure on the defense.
“I’ve gotta keep the ball in my hands a little bit more, but being aggressive is always positive for us, especially when I’m going downhill.
And while he finished with only 3 points on 1-for-6 shooting, Tucker was a game-high plus-30, doing both an excellent job giving Durant all he could handle while also making several crucial hustle plays to extend possessions.
“Listen, Kevin Durant is maybe the best scorer of our generation,” Tucker said.
Beyond Durant’s heroics, the other story from Game 5 was James Harden’s surprising return from the hamstring injury he suffered at the start of Game 1.
“It’s not even about rust,” Harden said.
Milwaukee’s goal entering Thursday night was to simply make sure that Game 7 took place.
“We knew what kind of game this was, and there was only one option: win the game,” Antetokounmpo said.
“As I’ve said all year long, we’re built for this moment.