Nets vs. Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Milwaukee to double-digit win over Brooklyn

In preparation of their 127-104 win over Kevin Durant, James Harden, and the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks got their championship rings and raised a banner to the rafters of Fiserv Forum.

The Bucks were led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 32 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists to go along with 20 points and nine rebounds from Khris Middleton, while the Nets were led by Kevin Durant and James Harden, who combined for 52 points, 19 rebounds, and 12 assists.

The Nets have been battling with Kyrie Irving's lack of availability to this point, as the entire basketball world knows, and it appears to have been one of the main contributors in their loss to the defending champions, as Brooklyn battled to keep pace with Milwaukee for much of the night.

Kevin Durant had 32 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Nets. Patty Mills scored 21 points on 7-of-7 3-point shooting. James Harden chipped in with 20 points.

The Nets were without star player Kyrie Irving, who was unable to play due to his refusal to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Professional athletes on local teams must be vaccinated in order to practise or play in public venues, according to a New York law. Rather than employing Irving only in road games, the Nets decided that he would not play or practise with them until he was able to fully participate.

Giannis x KD pic.twitter.com/16OadDS8cm

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 20, 2021

The Bucks overcame the club who nearly eliminated them in the second round of the playoffs after collecting their rings and hoisting a banner to commemorate their first NBA title since 1971.

After Durant's foot just moved across the 3-point range in the waning seconds of regulation, turning a potential series-winning 3-pointer into a game-tying 2-point score, Milwaukee rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win Game 7 in overtime at Brooklyn.

In the first quarter, the Bucks went on a 21-4 run to stretch a 10-8 lead to 31-12. They extended their lead to 19 points in the second quarter and led 66-59 at halftime. For the rest of the game, the lead never fell below seven points.

Jordan Nwora, a 2020 second-round selection who wasn't in the Bucks' rotation as a rookie but could be poised for a greater role this season, led Milwaukee with 15 points. Grayson Allen scored 10 points in his first game with the Bucks.

The inscriptions "Fear The Deer" and "Bucks In 6" are engraved on Milwaukee's championship rings. Since former Bucks guard Brandon Jennings spoke those words while mistakenly forecasting the outcome of Milwaukee's 2013 first-round series with the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat, the latter term has acted as a rallying cry among fans.

Former Bucks guard Michael Redd and Jennings were both in the crowd.

The 360 diamonds on the top of the rings, fashioned by Jason of Beverly Hills, reflect the Bucks' total wins under current ownership. On each side, there are 16 emerald-shaped diamonds, representing the team's 16 playoff triumphs last season and 16 division titles in franchise history.