Late Bucks Run Dooms Nets, Spoils Schröder's 34-Point Performance

In an admirable effort to replicate their Oct. 27 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Brooklyn Nets fell 118-113 in the rematch at the Barclays Center despite a season-high 34 points from Dennis Schröder.

In a tightly contested and often sloppy first half, Sunday afternoon quickly evolved into a one-on-one duel between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Schröder in Brooklyn.

Only the Nets had recorded a made field goal through four minutes of action, but the "Greek Freak" quickly erupted. Through the back-and-forth, the two-time MVP flirted with a double-double in the opening frame en route to an 11-point, six-rebound first quarter.

Once Brooklyn finally took the lid off the basket, a balanced offensive attack consisting of Schröder, Shake Milton and Nic Claxton cut Milwaukee's lead to just two.

Nets fans hadn't witnessed a Schröder takeover since the four-game road trip that saw wins over the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns, but were quickly treated to shades of those performances in the second stanza.

Dec 8, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) posts up against Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

Building on his seven points in the early going, Schröder rattled in circus and-one mid-range jumpers and deep three-pointers to add another 11 to the scoreboard.

Claxton remained a viable offensive threat himself, dominating former Net Brook Lopez to the tune of 10 points and four rebounds himself. Thanks to Brooklyn's point guard-center duo, it boasted a one-point advantage at the halftime buzzer.

Midway through the third quarter, Schröder and Cam Johnson put an end to the back-and-forth.

A 13-3 run, complete with triples from Johnson and Schröder, contributed to a 12-point Nets' lead, their largest of the game.

But Antetokounmpo just wouldn't go away.

Milwaukee pieced together a 15-3 run of its own to re-knot the score while the Bucks' role players finally began assisting the "Greek Freak." Gary Trent Jr. and Bobby Portis Jr. would finish with 43 combined points, all of which came down the stretch.

The contest ultimately came down to the final five minutes of action, where the Bucks' championship experience proved too much for the younger Brooklyn.

A 13-3 run, largely built by Portis alone, in the game's waning moments all but secured a win for the visitors.

Oct 27, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (9) celebrates after scoring in the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

In his return from a four-game absence, Dorian Finney-Smith did provide some dramatics by hitting a corner three to cut Milwaukee's lead to two with under 20 seconds to play, but Damian Lillard put the game away at the free throw line.

Having been unable to repeat their early-season triumph over Antetokounmpo and company, the Nets now shift focus to a road matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday at 8 p.m. EST.

To access the final box score from the Brooklyn Nets' loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, click here.

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