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Gassed and out-glassed, Nets find a way to beat the Bucks in triple overtime, 129-127

By Tom Lorenzo

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Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Old friend Jason Kidd was back in town on Friday night, as his Milwaukee Bucks, losers of 9-of-11 entering the night, were in town to take on your Brooklyn Nets, who are looking to work their way into the playoffs. Kidd and the Bucks had won the first two matchups of the season, so the Nets were looking to finally figure out how to finish off the young Bucks.

It was tied with 20 seconds remaining, with the Bucks holding the ball, as Milwaukee turned to Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed a fade-away jumper, sending the game into overtime. A familiar scene for these two teams in Brooklyn, as in November 19 of this year they played a triple-overtime game at Barclays.

Naturally, This one went into three overtimes, because of course it should-- yes, another triple overtime game between the Bucks and Nets in Brooklyn. Nets, who were terrible off the glass in this one -- outrebounded 81-52, with the Bucks pulling down 38 offensive rebounds -- turned to Brook Lopez in the third overtime who along with Joe Johnson took over. He scored five straight quick points early in the third overtime, giving the Nets the lead and some momentum. They ended up winning this one, 129-127, in the third overtime, with Lopez scoring 32 points and pulling down 18 rebounds.

Lopez got off to a hot start, scoring eight points and pulling down five rebounds. Thaddeus Young scored 10 in the first and Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in for eight of his own. Those three combined to score 26 of the Nets' 31 first quarter points. After one, the Nets led the Bucks, 31-30.

The Bucks started off the second quarter on a 9-0 run, as the Nets missed their first four shots from the floor. Miles Plumlee put in some strong minutes early, making his brother Mason Plumlee work hard on both ends. It was all about dominating the paint for the Bucks early on.

Milwaukee killed the Nets off the glass in the first half, on both sides of the ball. They pulled down 30 rebounds, 12 on the offensive glass, to the Nets' 19 rebounds. Zaza Pachulia went for 18 points and nine rebounds in the first half. Four Bucks scored in double figures. Lopez had 18 points and 10 boards for the Nets.

At halftime, the Nets trailed the Bucks 68-58. How bad is that score?

It was much of the same for the Nets in the third, even though they did work their way to within five points at the end of the third, 84-79. The Bucks offense, however, worked it inside-outside, as the Nets couldn't really find much of a consistent rhythm. As they tried to inch closer than five, having two possessions at the end of the third to get within three, they failed to execute on two open looks. Things just didn't seem to be able to break their way, even as the Bucks let them back in the game.

Brooklyn hung early on in the fourth quarter, thanks to some sloppy play by the Bucks. A one-on-two fastbreak by Mason Plumlee midway through the fourth pulled the Nets to within one point, followed by a Jarrett Jack floater, on a 7-0 run, that gave the Nets a one-point lead, 95-94.

Things started to unravel for the Bucks, but, as has become customary for these Brooklyn Nets, their fourth quarter lead didn't last long. The Bucks battled their way back into this one, with Zaza Pachulia having a career game.

Lionel Hollins went small and athletic, opting to sit Lopez and Williams for much of the fourth. It seemed like a curious decision, seeing how well Lopez had played in the first 18 minutes of the game. Yes, the Nets climbed back into this one, but they ran out of gas and probably could have used the bodies as the Bucks kept coming and dominating the boards.

Hollins put Lopez in at around the 2-minute mark with the Nets down three, but there was nothing he could do. It was too late, as the Nets were able to tie the score but couldn't keep it from going into overtime.

In OT, the two teams went back and forth, as we had a one-point game -- Bucks lead -- with a minute to go in the extra period. A put-back by Brook Lopez gave the Nets a lead, followed by a Khris Middleton jumper to give it back to the Bucks.

Bojan Bogdanovic, however, with 20 seconds to go and the Nets down by one, hit a huge corner three-pointer, giving them a two-point lead. Of course, Antetokounmpo hit a game-tying two. Joe Johnson missed a leaner and the game went into double-overtime.

Deron Williams retuned to the game in the second overtime, not having played since the third. The Nets, though, couldn't do anything off the glass, watching as Pachulia and the Bucks dominated the boards. It was a terrible job by Brooklyn, who couldn't execute in the second overtime... until Joe Johnson hit a huge three to send the game into triple overtime.

Yes, another triple overtime between the Nets and Bucks in Brooklyn. This time, though, the Nets were able to pull this one off, with Lopez and Joe Johnson doing just enough in the third overtime.

Final score: Nets 129, Bucks 127 (3OT).

Next up for the Nets is Saturday night against the Pacers

For more on the Bucks, see: Brew Hoop

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