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The Milwaukee Bucks will take on one of the top contenders for the 2021 title when they face the Brooklyn Nets in the semi-final of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. The Bucks swept their first-round opponent, Miami Heat, 4-0 in a series that was surprisingly lopsided.
Come Saturday, they will take on an offensive juggernaut, the Nets, who boast three elite scorers in Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant. The Milwaukee Bucks’ vaunted defense will be tested to the hilt. That's because, against the Boston Celtics, the Nets trio averaged the highest points-per-game by three players (85.2) in any playoff series in league history.
Nevertheless, the Milwaukee Bucks seem to have the wherewithal to beat the Brooklyn Nets. But it will take a collective effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and co to make that happen.
This Eastern Conference semi-final matchup will pit the unstoppable force (Brooklyn Nets) against the immovable object (Milwaukee Bucks) in a series that could determine the winner of this year’s NBA championship.
On that note, let's have a look at three reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks could beat the Brooklyn Nets.
#1 Milwaukee Bucks have had the best defense in the playoffs
The LA Lakers may have had the best defense in the regular season, but that has not been the case in the playoffs.
The Milwaukee Bucks own the stingiest and most suffocating defense in the ongoing playoffs, evidenced by their 95.4 defensive rating. That's nearly six points better than that of the next best team (Phoenix Suns).
The Milwaukee Bucks are unlikely to match the offensive power of the Nets (No. 1 in offensive rating in the playoffs). The Brooklyn Nets are coming off a win against the defensively challenged Boston Celtics, who had a middle-of-the-pack (13th) defensive rating at 111.8 in the regular season. That may not augur well for their hopes of beating the Bucks.
The Milwaukee Bucks also added versatile defensive whiz Jrue Holiday at the point in the off-season and defensive demon PJ Tucker last March. Holiday will be tasked to guard either Harden or Irving while Tucker takes on Durant. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokunmpo will likely also be given the assignment of stopping Durant to begin the game.
#2 Brooklyn Nets are a poor defensive team
The Milwaukee Bucks were fifth in offensive rating in the regular season (116.5). But that was way better than that of the Nets, who were 22nd during the regular season in defensive rating (113.1). In the postseason, they are ninth among the 16 teams at 115.9, which is worse than how they fared during the regular season.
Rather than improve in the postseason, coach Steve Nash’s boys have regressed defensively. That's because Kemba Walker and Robert Williams III missed a few games in the series, and Jaylen Brown was out for all five games.
While they were able to outscore their opponents in the regular season (and to an extent in the playoffs) to win on most nights, Durant and company can’t win an NBA championship with offense alone. Though the Nets are a well-oiled machine in offense, they may not be able to stop the Milwaukee Bucks from outscoring them.
#3 Brooklyn Nets don't have an answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a handful inside the paint for any team, but probably more so against the Nets, who couldn’t stop him in the regular season.
The Greek Freak averaged 28.1 points per game this campaign, but in three meetings against the Nets (which the Bucks won 2-1), Antetokounmpo averaged 39.7 points a night while shooting 45 of 92 from the field.
The Milwaukee Bucks forward scored a season-best 49 points to trump Durant’s 42 in the 117-114 win early last month. Clearly, the two-time MVP got his way against the Nets in the regular season, something that could continue in the playoffs too.
Durant, the only Nets player who can guard Antetokounmpo one-on-one, will have to work doubly hard at both ends of the floor. But the extra effort defensively could affect his shooting. Simply put, the Nets seemingly have no answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that could be their undoing in a best-of-seven series.
Also Read: 5 Miami Heat players who are unlikely to return with the team next season.
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