Bucks 107, Nets 96: Kevin Durant Scores 28 But Milwaukee Evens Series

Third double-double in four games for Durant; Irving leaves game with ankle sprain

The Brooklyn Nets dropped Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals 107-96 on Sunday afternoon at Fiserv Forum and will return to Brooklyn for Game 5 with the series tied at two games apiece with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kevin Durant led Brooklyn with 28 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double in the series and Kyrie Irving had 11 points and five rebounds.

Irving left the game with 5:52 remaining in the first half after his right foot landed on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s foot as he landed after making a layup. At halftime, Irving was declared out for the game with a right ankle sprain.

The Nets trailed 53-48 at halftime.

Trailing 23-21 late in the first quarter, Landry Shamet’s 3-pointer started a 13-0 Brooklyn run that went on into the opening minutes of the second quarter. Irving closed the first quarter with a steal and layup and Jeff Green opened the second quarter with two free throws. Irving and Mike James made 3-pointers and the Nets were up 34-23.

But the Bucks followed with a 19-2 run to take a 44-38 lead. The Nets got back to within 44-43 on baskets from Irving and Blake Griffin followed by Griffin making 1-of-2 from the line before eventually trailing by five at halftime.

Milwaukee opened the second half with a 13-2 run as the Nets made just one of their first 11 shots and scored two points over the first 5:50 of the half. With the Nets trailing 68-52, Durant scored 16 of Brooklyn’s final 17 points of the quarter as the Nets went into the fourth quarter trailing 81-69.

The Nets were still within 11 points before the Bucks scored eight straight to extend their lead to 19, with Jrue Holiday’s 3-pointer making it 97-78 for Milwaukee with 7:01 remaining in the game.