There are less than 7 minutes left to play at Fiserv Forum, and the Nets lead by 21 points against the Bucks. A few spectators begin to leave the room, and Cameron Johnson's partners head towards a success that is as surprising as it is easy in Milwaukee. And then, Giannis Antetokounmpo gets angry, and the Bucks go… 20-0!
And there, obviously, on the Brooklyn side, we think of the recent defeat by a small point in Orlando where these same Nets had wasted a 17-point lead already in the last seven minutes.
The craziest thing is that the Nets will no longer score a single basket in the last seven minutes… “I think Cam Thomas can make all his shots, same for Cam Johnson, and it’s just that they didn’t go in” reacts Jordi Fernandez. “In the end, we had to stay together and make one more stop. That was the most important thing. The commitment was there. Energy too. It takes a little bit of everything, but the will was there. »
Players come, go… but the identity remains
Even if management has increased the number of exchanges, the Nets retain this team identity that is difficult to maneuver with commitment and aggressiveness. This night, Nic Claxton's partners scored 28 points from the 14 turnovers caused. “It’s part of our identity”repeats Jordi Fernandez. “And I think when we're efficient, we can be good and we give ourselves a chance to win, and that's one of the reasons why we've won games so far. It's important to us. Obviously the team is different from the last game. But so far we have been able to be competitive and our pressure on the ball – not just in the half court but also on the full court – has been great. »
And then, it takes composure to resist the pressure from the Bucks and the public in the final seconds. Giannis Antetokounmpo had the match point, and the defenders hindered him without making a mistake on his layup. The ball rolls around the circle, and Ziaire Williams snatches the rebound. The Bucks have no choice but to foul him and send him to the line. And there, the former Grizzlies winger does not tremble. However, it was his return after 12 matches in a row in the infirmary, but he gave the Nets victory on two free throws.
Williams did not tremble
“I don’t even know how many free throws I’ve shot in my entire life…” he laughs. “You know, that’s why we give so much of ourselves… It’s not new, you know? You don't have to think too much, you just have to shoot, and frankly, I'm happy to have found myself in this situation. I feel good at the moment, and I missed being on the field.”
On arrival, the Nets can breathe, and they will avoid a big shout from their coach. They are even the beast of the Bucks with three victories in four matches this season.
“It was definitely entertaining” smiles Cam Thomas. “Obviously, we didn’t want it to happen like that, after such a lead. But it proves that we can fight, and that victories can come out of it. Personally, I missed a lot of open shots, but in the end, I'm just happy we won. »
