Giannis Antetokounmpo has been here before. Still alive in the postseason through two rounds and close enough to the NBA Finals it no longer feels silly to dream about them.

He's trying not to look that far ahead, anyway. In fact, he had to reel in his emotions following a 115-111 Game 7 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on the road. It's the first time the Bucks have reached the conference finals since 2019, when they lost the series 4-2 to the Toronto Raptors. The Greek Freak isn't taking the return to this stage lightly.

Antetokounmpo poured in 40 points on 24 shots with 13 rebounds and five assists over 50 minutes in the win.

Yet Antetokounmpo had to give himself a little room to enjoy the moment. Especially after Durant sent a Game 7 record for the most points scored with 48. That included an epic buzzer-beater with a second left to send the game to overtime tied at 109. 

By that point both teams were completely and obviously gassed. Only eight points total were scored in overtime and the Bucks accounted for six of them. 

Maybe that made it easier for Milwaukee to stay even-keeled after the win. After seven back-and-forth games filled with injuries, drama and epic performances, the Bucks had survived. Their reward is another best-of-seven series against the winner of Sunday's Game 7 between the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks. 

"The job is not done," Antetokounmpo kept repeating. "The job is not done."

It is halfway complete, though, and that means something in Milwaukee. 

After going 18 years between appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks are back for the second time in three years. They don't intend for that run to stop anytime soon, nor are they ready for this series to be their last of the 2021 playoffs. 

This is only the midpoint, and while each win is worth celebrating this time of year, those moments can't overshadow the larger task.

The job is still not done for Milwaukee. Not even close.