Suns-2, Bucks-0
While the NBA finals are far from over, the Phoenix Suns are looking great! With a fairly competitive game, despite an almost constant lead, the Suns bested the Milwaukee Bucks 118-108 to take home their second victory of the two finals games.
The Suns are led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker, both seemingly the top contenders for finals MVP thus far. Booker dropped 31 points on the Bucks last night, living up to Kobe Bryant’s advice to him to “be legendary.” The 24-year-old was nearly unguardable last night, draining difficult triples and weaving through the Bucks with ease.
CP3 pulled off 23 points, bringing his finals to a total of 55. No matter how much pressure the defensive star, Jrue Holiday, applied, Paul nailed some clutch assists and buckets of his own.
Fear the Dear or Dear in fear?
While they certainly didn’t get crushed, the Bucks trail the Suns nearly the full duration of both games. Missing crucial defensive boards and running some poorly drawn and rushed plays, the Bucks have what it takes, they just need more focus at certain moments. This is best exemplified in Jrue Holiday. He’s one of the star players and for good reason. While he brought in 17 points last night and had some airtight defence, he missed a couple of major baskets due to overly quick thinking.
Khris Middleton, one of the clutch Bucks, had a weak 11 point game. His ability to heat up in the second half remained cold in yesterday’s game, something he’ll likely make up for on Sunday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, previously assumed to be out with an injury, proved the opposite. With an outstanding 42 points, Giannis pulled the Bucks’ weight throughout the night. His 20-point third quarter is the first 20+ point finals quarter a player has had since MJ in 1993. However, Giannis inability to make necessary free throws and overzealous three-point shots heavily contributed to their 10-point loss.
The finals are absolutely far from over, especially with the next two games being held in Milwaukee. While the Suns are blazing hot, the Bucks can easily come back. We can’t wait to see it!
Jason Heilbronner | Twitter: @JasonHeilbronn1Â