UNDATED (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks were held to 86 points for the second straight game. This time, that was just enough to win.
Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo each had impressive double-doubles as the Bucks beat the Nets, 86-83 to pull within two games to one in the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals. Middleton finished with 35 points and 15 rebounds, while Antetokounmpo delivered 33 points and 14 boards.
Just four other Bucks scored on Thursday, and none had more than Jrue Holiday’s nine points. However, Holiday made a go-ahead driving layup with 11.4 seconds left after Milwaukee coughed up a 21-point lead.
Milwaukee grabbed a 30-9 lead in the first 10 ½ minutes and then got outscored 22-3 during a stretch that lasted nearly 9 ½ minutes as the Nets clawed their way back into the game.
Brooklyn led 83-82 when Bruce Brown missed a jumper with just over 20 seconds left, allowing Holiday to take the winning shot.
Kevin Durant had the Nets’ last nine points and finished with 30, but his potential game-tying 3-point attempt bounced off the rim as the horn sounded.
Kyrie Irving had 22 points for the Nets, who stay in Milwaukee for Game 4 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Jazz are halfway toward closing out their Western Conference semifinal series, taking a 2-0 lead with a 117-111 win over the Clippers.
Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points and Utah forced nine straight misses down the stretch to outlast Los Angeles. The Jazz took control with a 14-2 run after trailing midway through the final period.
Mitchell clinched the game with a driving shot with 43 seconds remaining but then appeared to hurt his leg slightly on a foul by Paul George with 10 seconds to play. He made one of two free throws after hobbling to the line.
The guard is the first Jazz player with at least 35 points in back-to-back playoff games since Karl Malone in 1988.
Jordan Clarkson scored 24, including six 3-pointers.
Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 29 points and George had 27.
The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday.
