While the Brooklyn Nets were glad to escape with a win over the Detroit Pistons amid defensive struggles, the Milwaukee Bucks enjoyed their defensive display in the final minutes of a road win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Coming off those drastically different showings, the Nets and Bucks get together Thursday night in New York.
The Nets (40-36) are moving towards clinching a play-in berth in the East. They entered Wednesday’s action one game ahead of the Charlotte Hornets for eighth place.
Brooklyn is 8-3 since March 8 following a 3-17 skid that dropped them into the play-in race. While the Nets have scored at least 120 in five of those eight wins, they also have allowed at least 120 points four times in the 11-game stretch.
One of those instances occurred Tuesday when the Nets rallied for a 130-123 win over the Pistons. They needed 41 points from Kevin Durant to compensate in a game where they faced a 12-point deficit and did not get the lead for good until late in the fourth…