The Brooklyn Nets came through with a 113-110 upset win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The game was considered an upset as the Bucks were a 13.5 point favourite heading into the contest.
The Bucks had an opportunity to tie the game at 113. However, Milwaukee point guard Damian Lillard missed a 35 foot three-point jump shot that would have forced overtime. It was one of two three-point shots Lillard missed in the dying moments. He also did not make a 27 foot three-point shot attempt with four seconds left that also would have tied the game.
The Nets were led by power forward Cameron Johnson of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, who had 26 points. Four more Nets players reached double digits in scoring. Shooting guard Cam Thomas of Yokosuka, Japan had 24 points, center Nic Claxton of Greenville, South Carolina had 16 points, power forward Jalen Wilson of Arlington, Texas had 13 points and the newly re-acquired point guard D’Angelo Russell of Louisville, Kentucky had 11 points. Claxton and Russell each had double doubles. Claxton had 11 rebounds, and Russell had 12 assists.
Brooklyn won the game because of their excellent first half on the road. They outscored the Bucks 66-54.
With the win, the Nets improved to a record of 13 wins and 21 losses. They are 12th in the Eastern Conference and two games back of the Chicago Bulls for a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Meanwhile, this has been a year of mediocrity for the Bucks. They did win the NBA Cup, but are only two games above .500 at 17 wins and 15 losses. That is good enough for fifth in the East.
