Yankees won! Win today and that’s two series in a row! The Mets split, and the world’s fan ever, ‘Frank the Tank’ Fleming was still a negative Nicholas, even though the Mets won, he’s still negative!!!! He’s the type of fan I despise. Miserable. Unhappy when they lose, and somehow, unhappier when the win! Here’s a tip Frank, I know you work at Barstool as a Contributor, I commend you, but, the shtick is old, go join your buddy Skip Bayless, (a fellow Nets fan) and sit in a room together and just whine.

Which brings me to Game 7 of the Bucks and Nets. It had everything. Most sports fans hear ‘Game 7’, the two greatest words in sports and we get hyped! My wife asked me ‘is this a game of interest?’ And I said ‘yes, game 7, with a smirk’, like she was inheritenly supposed to know this was a big deal.

Anyways, back to Game 7. Did I mention it had everything? It did. The Nets played well, Kevin Durant is the best player on the world and showed why, literally all game. For the Bucks, Giannis was, well Giannis, he and Khris Middleton and the scrapy Bucks team were in it at halftime, only down 6, 53-47.

During the half, Nets social media was, I’ll say, guarded Happy to be winning but as Nets Super Fan, Evan Roberts of WFAN New York put it, [The Nets], ‘should be up by more than 6’. Evan, is the type of sports fan I like, even though we don’t root for the same teams, he’s a Met fan, I’m a Yanks fan, he’s a Jets fan, I’m a Giant fan, he’s a Nets fan, I’m a Celtics fan, but the one common ground he and I have is, at the core of it, we’re both fans. we both ride and die with our teams, because we care, perhaps way too much. So, that small tweet, I read that and thought ‘this Dude gets it’. Nets fan were, cautiously optimistic, but sensing something negative brewing.

The second half started and Milwaukee reeled off 7 quick points and took a one pont lead, 54-53, with 10:16 left in the 3rd quarter. The remainder of the second half was just simply, compelling basketball. Guys were making shot after seemingly bigger shot. Both teams showed no fear and no quit as neither team led or trailed by more than 5 points, after the Bucks took their aforementioned lead.

There were two plays in the second half, where, as a fan, rooting for the Bucks, because I hate Brooklyn, (see previous posts on why), I thought ‘well, shit, they’re gonna win, 🤬🖕🏻!!!

With 5:39 left in the 4th Quarter, there was a loose ball sequence, the Nets had the ball in their end, the Bucks made a steal, they lost the ball to James Harden, who flipped a beautiful touch pass to Kevin Durant, who threw down a thunderous dunk and mouthed a bit and mugged for the crowd, as Brooklyn, and the Barclays Center became unglued. Watching it, you thought ok, they’re winning, the spirtual journey will continue. But, once again, the Bucks came back, making it 98-96 Nets after a driving layup by Giannis.

The second time the Nets threw the Knockout Punch, with 4:00 left, James Harden called bank, making a ridiculous three pointer, banking it in off the backboard. Again, you thought, ‘okay, that’s the dagger‘.

Incredibly, from the 4 minute mark of the 4th quarter until 1:05 left in a regulation, the Bucks would again rally, tying the score at 101 after another layup by Giannis, then they would take the lead 109-105 after some free throws.

Then it happened. Kevin Durant, as he had done all series put the Nets on his back. 42 seconda left, 2 point jumper, lead down to two, 109-107. The basket was followed by the teams trading clumsy possessions and the Nets had a chance to tie or win.

Sidelines out of bounds, 6 seconda left. Pass to KD, holding the ball, PJ Tucker draped all over him, KD back to the basket 5 seconds, 4, 3, as I’m watching, I’m thinking, ‘this game has been too good, he gonna make this, it’ll be a three’ 2 seconds like ‘PJ!!!! Force him left, make him drive, a two extends the game, a 3 ends your year!’

Kevin Durant, the best player on the planet, proceeds to swish a turnaround jumpshot…..

Now, it’s Father’s Day weekend. I lost my Dad during the summer of 1989, very unexpectedly. We’ve missed watching a ton of games together, but I swear, he was watching that shot with me last night at that moment. Durant, of course swished it. In the Moment, I heard nothing, not Marv Albert’s great call, not the crowd erupting, nothing. That shot went in and I howled.

Holy shittttt!!!!! No way! Unbelievable!!!! And I, just instinctively, like I was having an out of body experience, from my recliner, looked to my couch on my left, and I started to say, ‘Did you see that?!?’, like my Dad was with on the couch watching this all unfold, waiting to respond.

I shook off the moment and my thoughts went back to the game. TNT is showing a replay, was that….oh no! Durant’s feet were on the line, the Nets didn’t win. The game was tied, meaning overtime!!!

Overtime started and Brooklyn took the lead. My shock at the KD tying basket went to frustration, ‘the Nets are gonna win, Kyrie play in the Conference Finals and kill it. Goddamnit!!!’

But then, just like that, it was over. Milwaukee somehow scored some points in OT, KD was gassed, including a desperate three that fell flat.

Gas out of Brooklyn. Milwaukee moves on. Nets go home. Cue the excuses and bullshit from the Net fans.

Back tomorrow.