Bucks vs. Nets score, takeaways: Giannis Antetokounmpo drops 49 points, Kevin Durant has 42 in losing effort

The two teams will meet again on Tuesday night

NBA fans were treated to an epic duel between two of the game's greats on Sunday afternoon as reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and former MVP Kevin Durant put on an absolute show. The showdown involving two East powerhouses -- the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks -- came down to the final seconds, but ultimately it was the Bucks that pulled out a tough 117-114 win.  Antetokounmpo finished with a season-high 49 points to go along with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal. Brooklyn just had no answer for Antetokounmpo, who seemed to get virtually every shot he wanted over the course of the contest. With the loss, the Nets dropped to second in the East behind the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Bucks gained a game on Brooklyn. Milwaukee now sits just 2.5 games behind both the Sixers and Nets with a couple of weeks remaining in the regular season.  While the Nets weren't able walk away with a win, it wasn't because of a lack of effort, especially on Durant's part. He went shot-for-shot with Antetokounmpo and also eclipsed the 40-point mark, finishing the game with 42 points along with 10 rebounds. Durant scored 42 points for the second straight game after doing the same against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. In the process, Durant became the first Nets player to score 40+ points in back-to-back games since Vince Carter in 2005.