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SPORTS Friday 10 May 2019
Not just Giannis: Deep

Bucks roar into East finals

By CHARLES F. GARDNER
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis
Antetokounmpo has car-
ried the Milwaukee Bucks
to the Eastern Conference
finals for the first time since
2001.
The Bucks have reason to
believe they can go even Houston Rockets' James Harden, left, and Golden State Warriors'
further, thanks to a deep Kevin Durant (35) react to a referee's call during the second half
roster that received a boost of Game 5 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series
Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Oakland, Calif.
with the return of guard Associated Press
Malcolm Brogdon for the
clinching game of their KEVIN DURANT straight back to the locker
semifinal series win over the Continued from Page 18 room. During the timeout,
Boston Celtics. "It's a tough injury," team- we all looked at each oth-
Brogdon missed the Bucks' mate Klay Thompson said. er. There were a couple
first eight playoff games "We'll have to collectively smiles in terms of what that
and final 13 regular-season Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo is fouled by Boston make up for what he does. meant for us as a team,
games with a plantar fas- Celtics' Jayson Tatum during the first half of Game 5 of a second We've done it before. It's the guys that were going
round NBA basketball playoff series Wednesday, May 8, 2019,
cia injury in his right foot. He in Milwaukee. going to be incredibly diffi- to need to step up in those
was able to shake off some Associated Press cult. It's the playoffs. I know moments. Again, next-
of the rust as he scored 10 they're not going to feel man-up mentality. Dray-
points and played 17 min- 'No let up, no let up.' We re- was about good energy, sorry for us, the media, the mond said that at some
utes in Milwaukee's 116- ally feel we have no drop- playing good defense. ... fans. It will be a gut check point during that timeout.
91 victory over Boston in off, regardless of who we Just play simple. With guys time. We go down there "It's hard to remove yourself
Game 5 on Wednesday. have on the floor." who share the ball this way, and give it our best effort. from thinking about your
"It was like he never left," The 33-year-old Hill, who it's easy to play." That's all we can do. If we teammate and your broth-
Bucks center Brook Lopez has played in 111 career Brogdon became just do that, I have confidence er as he's back in the locker
said of Brogdon's long- postseason games and the eighth NBA player in every man on this team room getting checked out.
awaited return. "He just reached the NBA Finals league history to finish a will step up in his absence. But we were able to lock
picked everyone up. Our with Cleveland last year, season with 50-40-90 mark, We wish him a speedy re- back in and just find a way
crowd felt it; our team felt said there is something spe- meaning he shot better covery because we're not to win the game. Now we
it." cial at work with this Bucks than 50% from the field, the same team without can regroup and under-
Now the Bucks will turn their team. 40% from 3-point range him."Durant limped to the stand whatever the situa-
attention to a conference "We all enjoy playing to- and 90% from the free locker room after landing tion is going forward."
final matchup against ei- gether," Hill said. "It's hard throw line. He worked dili- awkwardly on his right foot Kevon Looney will cer-
ther Toronto or Philadel- to come by a team when gently with the training staff following a baseline jump- tainly play more minutes
phia. Either way, they will no one hates each other, to be able to return at such er with 2:11 left in the third as he did Wednesday. The
host the first two games no one has animosity and a critical time. Coach Mike quarter Wednesday. big man grabbed nine re-
next week — and the re- no one cares who scores Budenholzer was encour- The Warriors initially feared bounds, five on the offen-
serves are heating up. the most or who gets the aged with what he saw. the two-time reigning NBA sive glass, to provide a big
Bench play was critical most shots. This team has "He actually played more Finals MVP might have in- boost off the bench.
in the team's four straight one thing in common: We than we anticipated," jured his Achilles, a far more "We're still really positive,"
victories against Boston af- all want to be competitive Budenholzer said. "I think serious issue. Looney said. "Our team's
ter the Celtics handily won and we all want to win. it was right at six weeks to Durant, who leads all post- been battle-tested, we've
Game 1. Veteran point When you have a team like come in and play in a play- season scorers at 34.2 had to play without key
guard George Hill aver- that, it makes it easy when off game. To contribute in points per game, finished guys before so whatever
aged 14.2 points in the se- you're out there." a positive way speaks to his with 22 points, five re- happens, happens. We're
ries while shooting 59.6% In Brogdon's absence, Ster- work ethic, his professional- bounds and four assists. ready and we're confident
from the field (28 of 47) ling Brown moved into the ism, his toughness." Golden State has been that we have enough to
and 47.4% from three-point starting lineup and played The Bucks will continue to without injured stars like win."q
range (9 of 19). well during the final stretch rely on the sensational play Durant, Stephen Curry,
Pat Connaughton and Er- of the regular season. Af- of Antetokounmpo, who is Draymond Green or Klay
san Ilyasova also played ter the Bucks' poor effort in averaging 27.4 points and Thompson in big games be-
key roles off the bench, the opener against Boston, 11.3 rebounds through nine fore. The Warriors coaching
and the pair combined for Nikola Mirotic was inserted playoff games. staff planned to use the
17 points and 17 rebounds as a starter at small forward The league MVP candidate flight to reconfigure rota-
in the series clincher. Con- and Brown went to the is excited for the challenge tions for Game 6 without
naughton soared for re- bench. Mirotic contributed waiting in the next round Durant.
bounds and made key 10 points and 11 rebounds and a chance to reach "Any time you see some-
3-pointers during the series, in 28 minutes on Wednes- the NBA Finals, a place the thing like that, it's scary,"
while Ilyasova played with day. Bucks have not been since Curry said after the game.
grit and added timely bas- "It's a big confidence 1974. That was the last time "You could see the look on
kets. (booster) when they put they won a conference his face. He didn't really
"We take pride in our depth trust in you and also your crown, too, and it came understand what was hap-
so much," Lopez said. "We teammates," Mirotic said. three years after the fran- pening in that moment,
always say in the game, "It was not about shots. It chise's only NBA title.q trying to figure it out, went