LOS ANGELES – Kevin Durant finished with 49 points while playing every minute of the game as the Brooklyn Nets rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 114-108 in Game 5 of their NBA playoff series on Tuesday.
Durant also had 17 rebounds and 10 assists as the Nets seized a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.
He took over in the second half for the Nets, who were behind by double digits for most of the game and by 17 with seven minutes to go in the third.
The Nets then went on a 17-5 run and Durant sealed it with a clutch three-pointer and four key free throws in the final two minutes.
Durant played all 48 minutes, shot 16-of-23 from the floor and finished just shy of his playoff career high of 50 points.
“I wasn’t planning on playing every minute but I told my coach that I felt good and let me ride it out,” Durant said.
Nets coach Steve Nash said this will go down as one of Durant’s “signature” games.
“He played the entire game and he barely missed,” said Nash. “It is ridiculous what he is able to do. To do it on a night like this when we are down bodies and we are wounded.
“This is what makes him one of the all-time greats. This is a signature performance.”
Brooklyn now has a chance of closing the series out on Thursday in Milwaukee where the Bucks are on a lengthy streak. Game 7, if necessary, would be Saturday in Brooklyn.
Durant set a franchise record for points in a playoff game, breaking the mark of 43 set by Vince Carter 15 years ago.