BROOKLYN – On a night when Brook Lopez found his touch, Deron Williams battled Brandon Knight to a draw at point guard, Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Johnson made huge shots, and the Milwaukee Bucks missed a wide-open layup in the first overtime, the Brooklyn Nets still couldn’t secure the win they desperately needed.
The result was a heartbreaking 122-118 loss in triple overtime to the Milwaukee Bucks in Barclays Center . It was the first triple OT game of the season in the NBA.
It was the Nets' fifth straight loss, dropping them to 4-7 on the season. Johnson had a chance to tie it, but missed a baseline jumper with seven seconds left.
The Bucks are led by former Nets coach, Jason Kidd. Kidd and Nets Coach Lionel Hollins downplayed any coaching showdown.
By the time the horn sounded at 10:45 p.m., after the third OT, who was coaching was a non-story.
“It was a gritty game that we just didn’t win,’’ said Hollins.
KEY MATCHUP: For all the talk about Milwaukee’s young emerging stars, Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks leading scorer entering the game was point guard Brandon Knight, averaging 17 points per game.
Deron Williams held Knight to 18 points on 5-of-20 shooting. Knight had eight assists and three rebounds. Williams had 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, seven assists and five boards.
NETS' GAINS: Brook Lopez has been brutally hard on himself, taking several of the losses personally. He has acknowledged that he’s struggling with his touch and his foot speed.
Following a five-point, one-rebound performance in the loss to the Miami Heat, Lopez bounced back with a season-high 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting and seven rebounds. It could be a big step in the right direction for Lopez, who missed most of last season with a broken foot.
KEY MOMENT: Joe Johnson, who had scored five of his 18 points in the first OT, appeared headed to Goatsville. His crosscourt pass was intercepted by Brandon Knight, who went in for an uncontested layup. As the horn sounded, Knight’s layup attempt rolled off the rim. The Nets lived to see double OT.
KEY STATISTIC: How the Nets were able to win a game in which they got outscored 28-11 on second-chance points is remarkable. The Bucks grabbed 16 offensive rebounds. This has got to stop if the Nets intend on being a quality team.
TALK: The Barclays Center crowd booed Jason Kidd, but he downplayed it after the game.
“I have bad hearing anyway,’’ Kidd said. “I thought whatever the greeting was, it’s about the players. They don’t pay to come see the coach. They come to see the guys play, visiting team or home team.
“I think Brooklyn has a great opportunity with the Nets being here. The Nets have a great opportunity to be in Brooklyn. So I think it’s a great fit.’’