- Abstract
In a difficult year filled with hardship, illness, and uncertainty, the NBA Finals gave people a glimpse of life pre-pandemic. Leaders arose and supporting players followed suit to make this championship series between the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks one for the record books.
- Game 1 Highlights
Game 1 versus the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucs attracted more than 8 million viewers, which was up 13% from Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals. The July 6 Suns-Bucks contest peaked at 9.9 million viewers, and set 20-year ratings records in the Phoenix and Milwaukee markets. The broadcast drew a 23.9 rating in the Milwaukee market, the best since 2001, and a 23.7 rating in the Phoenix market, the best since 2000.
Moreover, it has taken Chris Paul 16 seasons to reach the Finals and he did not disappoint in his debut on the game’s brightest stage. Paul delivered 32 points and nine assists to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 118-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals.
Chris Paul scored 21 of his game-high 32 points in the second half as the Suns built a 20-point lead and answered every Bucks attempt to mount a comeback. Paul had 11 points (4-for-8 shooting), four assists and two turnovers at the half as the Suns led 57-49. But he absolutely took things over in the third quarter, scoring 16 points (6-for-7 FG, 3-for-3 3-pointers, 1-for-1 free throws) and dishing out two more assists.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to return for Game 1 after missing the final two games of the Eastern Conference finals due to suffering a hyperextended knee in Game 4. He finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds in 35 minutes. He attempted only 11 field goals, which was his lowest mark of the playoffs other than the game he left early due to injury (7-10 FG in 24 minutes).
- Game 2 Highlights
The Suns came out strong again and won Game 2, 118 to 108. With the attention on Phoenix’s stars, this allowed the Suns’ shooters to get going. Mikal Bridges scored a playoff-career high 27 points, while the Suns as a team drilled a franchise playoff record 20 3-pointers. Paul and Booker helped close out the win and combined for 54 points, part of a team effort that was enough to counter Antetokounmpo’s mammoth 42-point, 12-rebound performance.
Antetokounmpo finished with 42 points on 15-of-22 shooting, getting into the paint, and having the kind of Finals performance expected from a top-five (maybe top-three) player in the league; however, it was not enough to secure a win.
- Game 3 Highlights
Behind a dominant performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo (41 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists), the Bucks earned a 120-100 win over the Suns in Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Finals to pull within 2-1 in the series.
Through the first two games of the series, the Bucks’ backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton was outscored by the Suns’ backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, 113-67. Middleton and Holiday combined to shoot 36.4% FG and 28.0% 3P, compared to 49.4% FG and 46.9% 3P for Paul and Booker. In Game 3, the tables turned as Holiday and Middleton combined for 39 points on 50% FG, 47.1% 3P while Paul and Booker combined for 29 points on 39.3% FG, 18.2% 3P.
- Game 4 Highlights
The Milwaukee Bucks’ 109-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the 2021 Finals was captivating. Khris Middleton and Devin Booker shined as the series returns to Phoenix tied 2-2.
Middleton scored 40 points in Game 4, getting 24 after halftime and 14 in the final 12 minutes. And what he did as the game went on mirrored what he has done this postseason as each series has gone on.
Phoenix’s turnover totals so far in this series, starting with Game 1 have been nine, 12, 14 and 17, with five of that Game 4 total attributed to Paul. The veteran point guard, on the short list of the NBA’s best-ever at that position has a dreadful 17 turnovers in the Finals to go with his 33 assists.
That might not be bad for mere mortal playmakers, but for Paul, it’s atrocious, an assists-to-turnovers ratio of 1.94 to 1. His career ratio over 16 seasons is 3.92 to 1. And his lifetime playoff rate up until Game 4 was 3.22 to 1.
Paul had two turnovers early, one in the third quarter, and two late, contributing to the 24 points Milwaukee scored off those miscues. They cost the Suns possessions, too, limiting them to 78 shots to the Bucks 97 (Milwaukee had 17-5 edge in offensive rebounds that mirror the 17-5 disparity in turnovers).
“It was me,” Paul said. “It was bad decision making. That time we were down two and I tried to cross over right there, slipped, turned it over. I had some bad passes in the first half. They got a significant amount more shots than us, so for me I got to take care of the ball.”
- Game 5 Highlights
The Milwaukee Bucks’ 123-119 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the 2021 Finals Saturday in Phoenix was critical.
The Bucks weren’t about to let an early 16-point hole get them down, as they scorched the nets for 43 points in the 2nd quarter to take a 64-61 halftime lead. Milwaukee maintained that momentum and held off the Suns’ late push in the 4th quarter for a 123-119 Game 5 victory. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday combined for 88 points, with Holiday’s steal and alley-oop to Antetokounmpo for a massive dunk all but sealed the game and put the Bucks just 1 win from their first NBA title since 1971.
Needless to say, the Bucks wouldn’t trade places with the Suns at this point, but they might feel a little pressure to flex home court and not let this opportunity slip away. It’s not like they haven’t stumbled at Fiserv Forum this postseason – they dropped Game 1 of the East finals against Atlanta, watching Trae Young score 48 while Milwaukee’s preferred closer Khris Middleton shot 6-for-23.
OK, so Milwaukee has won its other nine home games so far in these playoffs. Meanwhile, the 123-119 Game 5 victory snapped Phoenix’s 12-0 streak in games decided by five points or less.
If nothing else, the Suns can be on a mission now to make sure their previously anonymous arena didn’t get its jaunty new name – the Footprint Center – for just one game.
- 2021 NBA Finals Champions
Antetokounmpo ended one of the greatest NBA Finals ever with 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots as the Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns 105-98 on Tuesday night to win an entertaining series 4-2 and cap off a joyous return to a fan-filled postseason after last year’s NBA bubble.
It was the third game this series with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds for Antetokounmpo, a dominant debut finals performance that takes its place among some of the game’s greatest. Antetokounmpo finished with 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 61.8%, the first player in finals history to reach those numbers.
He shot 16 for 25 from the field and made an unbelievable 17-of-19 free throws – a spectacular showing for any shooter, let alone one who was hitting just 55.6% in the postseason and was ridiculed for it at times.
”People told me I can’t make free throws and I made them tonight. And I’m a freaking champion,” Antetokounmpo said.
Undoubtedly, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the 2021 NBA Finals MVP too.
- Sources
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Aschburner, Steve. “5 Things We Learned from Game 5 of the 2021 Finals.” NBA.com, 2021, www.nba.com/news/5-things-we-learned-from-game-5-of-the-2021-finals.
Helin, Kurt. “Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Brilliant but Gets No Help, Suns Took Command of Game, Series with Win.” ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports, 9 July 2021, nba.nbcsports.com/2021/07/09/giannis-antetokounmpo-is-brilliant-but-gets-no-help-suns-took-command-of-game-series-with-win/.
Martin, Brian. “Inside the Box Score, 2021 NBA Finals, Game 3.” NBA.com, 12 July 2021, www.nba.com/news/inside-the-box-score-2021-nba-finals-game-3.
Martin, Brian. “Inside The Box Score: 2021 NBA Finals, Game 1.” NBA.com, 2021, www.nba.com/news/inside-the-box-score-2021-nba-finals-game-1.
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Staff. “Suns @ Bucks.” Phoenix Suns vs Milwaukee Bucks Jul 20, 2021 Game Summary | NBA.com, 2021, www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-mil-0042000406.
Staff. “The Wrap: Full Coverage from Game 5 of the 2021 NBA Finals.” NBA.com, NBA.com, 18 July 2021, www.nba.com/news/2021-finals-game-5-the-wrap.
Young, Jabari. “NBA Finals Game 1 Featuring Suns-Bucks Attracts 8.5 million Viewers, up 13% from Last Year.” CNBC, CNBC, 8 July 2021, www.cnbc.com/2021/07/08/nba-finals-game-1-featuring-suns-bucks-attracts-8point5-million-viewers.html.