Milwaukee Bucks survive instant classic to make Eastern Conference finals

…Kevin Durant's unbelievable shot fell through the net with one second left in regulation Saturday night, tying an unforgettable Game 7 between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals…

…Milwaukee managed to outlast Brooklyn at Barclays Center and won 115-111 in overtime in an instant classic that saw both teams play to the brink of exhaustion.

"That was, like, the longest game ever," Bucks forward P.J. Tucker said. "It seemed like we were playing for hours. Just like a boxing match [that] just wasn't going to end."

They overcame Durant's incredible shot -- the ultimate gut punch -- to survive a marathon contest that saw multiple players on both teams hit 50 minutes played, including Durant and James Harden playing all 53 minutes for the Nets.

…

"We worked extremely hard our whole life for this moment," said Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo… "That's why we are here. No matter the pressure, no matter what's going on, we are built for this…”

…  those stars playing virtually every minute of the game. The result was a performance that felt more like an endurance contest than a basketball game for all involved.

That was especially true for the game's biggest stars. Durant and Harden never left the game, with Durant setting an NBA record for points in a Game 7 with 48 and Harden finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds and nine assists while playing on what he said afterward was a Grade 2 hamstring strain…

As the night wore on, the weary legs were evident on both sides, with plenty of hands on knees and hips as the game stretched into the fourth quarter. Every player who hit the floor needed a moment to collect himself before slowly climbing to his feet.

…

…with six seconds to go and while trailing by two, Durant isolated against his close friend Tucker -- who hounded him all series long -- spun and buried a seemingly impossible shot over near-perfect defense.

Had Durant's foot been a quarter step farther back, it likely would've marked the end of Milwaukee's season. But it wasn't…

"That shot was incredible," Tucker said. "I laughed -- I actually laughed -- when he made it, because it was incredible."

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That series, and that game warranted a writer worthy of the old Sports Illustrated writers. ESPN's Tim Bontemps provided it.