1:03 AM ET

After a lot of this series has actually been controlled by chatter about his stubborn jump shot, Antetokounmpo made sure Milwaukee would make it through and require a Game 7 on Saturday night in Brooklyn by non-stop forcing his method to the rim.

” Giannis coming into the game was in a good location,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer stated. “Just get him where hes creating and assaulting for his teammates, producing for himself. He was available in today in a great location, and weve got to stay there going into Game 7.”

Tim BontempsESPN

Antetokounmpos state of mind was a sign of the method the Bucks collectively brought to this removal video game. Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton (38 points, 10 rebounds, five helps, 5 takes) and Jrue Holiday (21 points, 8 rebounds, 5 helps, 4 takes) integrated to equal Brooklyns 89 points by themselves.

With his teams season on the line, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo entered Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals with a clear goal in mind: to assault every possibility he could.

Include all of it up, and the Bucks had the ability to continue the trend of both groups winning their home games in this series, guaranteeing it would have a winner-take-all face-off at Barclays Center 48 hours later.

” But what I understand is that I delight in the game when Im aggressive, and I can get downhill and I can get my teammates involved, and when I play to my strengths. Thats when I take pleasure in the video game the most, whichs what I attempt to do.”

” That was just how it went,” Antetokounmpo said. “I didnt shoot a 3 tonight, however Im just trying to be aggressive. Get downhill, make the best play, I think there was maybe a couple of plays I was open at the 3-point line and possibly could have shot it.

Giannis Antetokounmpo went 12-of-20 from the field, including 11 made basket in the paint and 10 in the limited location. Gary Dineen/NBAE through Getty Images
Its definitely what he carried out in Game 6– and, for the Bucks, with fantastic results. Of Antetokounmpos 12 field objectives Thursday night, 11 was available in the paint, and 10 were in the limited location, according to information from ESPN Stats & & Information. His average basket distance of 5.6 feet was his lowest of this postseason.

The result? Milwaukee travelled to a 104-89 victory, while Antetokounmpo ended up with 30 points, 17 rebounds and three helps in 41 minutes– all while not taking a single 3-point shot.

1 Related

” As Ive said all year long, were built for this moment. Basic as that. Nobody stated it was going to be easy. It might be tough. We are capable of doing it. So everybody had a great mindset, pertained to play, came to contend, and hopefully we can do that in Game 7.”

While a number of Bucks took their turns attempting to slow the all-world forward down, it was P.J. Tucker who once again drew the main assignment. And while he finished with just 3 points on 1-for-6 shooting, Tucker was a game-high plus-30, doing both an exceptional job providing Durant all he could manage while likewise making a number of crucial hustle plays to extend belongings.

” Listen, Kevin Durant is maybe the best scorer of our generation,” Tucker stated. Everyone understands that. I do not know why people act like thats a surprise.

” It was simply not our finest game. We didnt play well. … Its now about how we react.”

” But what you can do is try to make him work.”

Beyond Durants heroics, the other story from Game 5 was James Hardens unexpected return from the hamstring injury he suffered at the start of Game 1. And while he still didnt look like the gamer he usually is, he was more included and effective in Game 6, scoring 16 points, including 14 in the first half, to go along with 5 rebounds, 7 helps and 4 steals in 40 minutes.

“I was just attempting to go out there and play each ownership. I understand I cant win a basketball video game by myself, so I simply try to play the ideal method, take the shots that are there. A few of them I felt like I hurried simply attempting to get us back into the flow and change the momentum a little bit, but for the many part I thought I was put and aggressive pressure on the defense.

The Bucks set the tone for how the video game would go right from the opening idea. Antetokounmpo opened the video game with a layup to provide Milwaukee a lead it would never ever give up in claiming a wire-to-wire triumph. He continued assaulting, scoring 7 points as part of an 18-5 run that provided Milwaukee an instant cushion and helped clean away some of the rough memories from Brooklyns resurgence from a 16-point deficit to claim Game 5.

Now that the Bucks have actually made it that far, he said, theyll be prepared to take benefit of the opportunity.

” The last video game, Game 5, was the first day that I did any movement like that considering that I got harmed, so tonight was no different, you know?

” Its not even about rust,” Harden stated. “Its about having the ability to move, and I believe as I go day by day, [I] continue to improve.

Milwaukees goal getting in Thursday night was to simply ensure that Game 7 occurred. And, after the disappointment the Bucks felt after letting Game 5 escape, Antetokounmpo made certain he set the tone and led his team into Saturdays face-off in Brooklyn.

Antetokounmpos state of mind was a sign of the method the Bucks jointly brought to this removal game. I know I cant win a basketball video game by myself, so I just try to play the right way, take the shots that are there. Simply attempting to let the game circulation and tonight wasnt our night.”

He came in today in an excellent place, and weve got to remain there going into Game 7.”

” We knew what type of video game this was, and there was just one option: Win the game,” Antetokounmpo stated. “We knew if we didnt win the video game, our season would be over, and weve talked about it numerous times in the locker room among the men that its not going to be simple.

But while Durant still led Brooklyn with 32 points Thursday night, it took him 30 shots to do it, a far cry from the scintillating 49 points on 16-for-23 shooting he put up for the Nets in their spectacular Game 5 victory.

” Ive got ta keep the ball in my hands a bit more, but being aggressive is always favorable for us, specifically when Im going downhill. I try not to replicate substantial nights like that. Just attempting to let the game flow and tonight wasnt our night.”

Brooklyn periodically made pushes to get back into the video game, and only in those last minutes when both benches cleared did the video game feel really over, specifically given the Nets had Kevin Durant at their disposal.

” The last video game, Game 5, was the first day that I did any movement like that because I got harmed, so tonight was no various, you know? Im out there to do whatever it requires to win. Ive got to be much better on both ends of the ball, which I will be in Game 7.”

” We didnt look like we had a lot of energy all night,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. And when you cant find that rhythm, it makes it even harder, and so its kind of chicken-and-the-egg.