On January 8, Beijing time, the defending champion Bucks challenged the Nets away, although Irving could not play in the home game, but the Bucks were absent because of the trigger health and safety agreement. Unexpectedly, in such a context, the Bucks still blew up the Nets.
In the first half of the competition, although Durant routinely cut 19 points, 8 boards and 3 assists, Harden's offensive state was not good, 2 of 10 only 6 points scored, especially in the first quarter of the single quarter scored zero. In addition, the support given by the Nets role players is also very limited. In contrast, although Middleton also scored 5 points on 2-of-9 shooting, Portis became a 20-pointer and 9-board to help the Bucks take an 11-point lead at halftime.
Entering the third quarter, Harden's state picked up, and the three-point breakthrough scored consecutive points, but Middleton also completely regained his touch, hitting 4 three-pointers in succession from the outside, and slashing 15 points in just half a quarter! Coupled with the letter brother basket to create a kill, the Bucks gradually opened up the point difference, the end of the third quarter, the Nets have fallen behind by 18 points.
In the final quarter, the Nets had a 6-0 mini-climax, but the Voladie Horns scored three points to stop the bucks from bleeding. Hood and Portis then hit back-to-back three-pointers, and the Bucks again led by 20 points, and Nash switched to the main force seven minutes early.
The Nets had a 23-point loss in this season's opener against the Bucks, and this second game was an early loss of suspense. Obviously, the Nets without Irving really have a hard time creating trouble for the defending champions. Durant scored 29 points, 9 boards and 7 assists on 10-of-19 shooting, harden's 16 points, 9 boards and 7 assists are not too bad, and the gap between the two team role players is also one of the main reasons for the Nets' fiasco today.