Giannis Antetokounmpo had 40 points and 13 rebounds, and Khris Middleton made the tie-breaking shot with 40 seconds left in the NBA's first overtime Game 7 in 15 years in New York on Saturday night.

The Bucks held on from there when Durant missed two jumpers, the last an airball with 0.3 seconds remaining.

Middleton added 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, who reached the East finals for the second time in three years. They will play either Philadelphia or Atlanta in a series that starts on Wednesday night.

"We kept our composure. We were down 2-0 (in the series). A lot of people didn't believe we could make it," said Antetokounmpo.

Durant played all 53 minutes and forced OT with a turnaround jumper that was just inches from being a 3-pointer that would have won it with a second left.

He added nine rebounds and six assists, but didn't have enough help with injured Kyrie Irving watching from the baseline and fellow superstar James Harden unable to locate his shot after missing most of the first four games with right hamstring tightness.

"We got good looks there in overtime. We just didn't knock them down," Durant said.

"Respect to the Milwaukee Bucks in how they prepare, how they challenged us all series and made adjustments all series. We've got nothing but respect for that ballclub."

Harden had 22 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, but was 5 for 17 from the field.

"I was just going out there and trying to give everything I can and it's just frustrating," Harden said.

In a series where the teams often didn't produce the quality of play that was anticipated between the league's two highest-scoring teams, Game 7 was a thriller.

It was the first do-or-die Game 7 to need extra time since Dallas beat San Antonio in the 2006 Western Conference semi-finals.

Brook Lopez had 19 points for the Bucks, who were knocked out in this round last year after finishing with the NBA's best record.

Jrue Holiday shook off a poor shooting night to finish with 13 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

"Those guys, they're great competitors. I love the way they just kept coming, keep playing, find a way to win an overtime game on the road, Game 7," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "They all made big plays down the stretch, and we needed every one of them."

Blake Griffin had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who thought they had a title contender after acquiring Harden but had their three superstars on the floor together for just 43 seconds in this series.

They lost at home for the first time in the postseason.

Australian Associated Press