A series 52 years and a coin flip in the making all comes to a head Tuesday evening. The Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks collide in the 2021 NBA Finals with both teams back in the championship spotlight after several years.
Both teams only played each other twice in the regular season and it was hotly contested both times. Despite the small sample size, there’s still the possibility this series will produce barnburners worthy of postseason lore.
Looking at the previous regular season meetings, the Suns certainly have gone through a lot of revising since. But it always helps to see what Phoenix’s final opponent did to have a guess at what could come.
2-10-21 Bucks @ Suns
These two teams first collided in the desert, and it was on from the get-go.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was aggressive towards the basket and Chris Paul was hitting his signature midrange jumper from the right elbow.
Khris Middleton shot the ball enough that night, finishing with 18 points on seven of seventeen attempts.
But stopping the Greek Freak was a real task due to his ability to break down Phoenix’s defensive barriers. At times, he didn’t even need to push inside the paint; Antetokounmpo was just as comfortable shooting the stepback jumper while the Suns could only look on.
Additionally, there is somewhat of a parallel between that game and Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals in that Milwaukee shot the three when it counted.
Early on the Bucks shot from deep well, as they did in the second half against Atlanta in Game 6. But the distinction here is that Atlanta was not playing healthy, and the Suns have been a defensive menace all season.
Even so, the Bucks were on fire and Antetokounmpo in particular. He blew past three Suns unchallenged at one point in the second quarter, something that can not be allowed if he does return at any point in the Finals.
The more the Bucks padded their lead, the more Khris Middleton was in his groove. That will be key in Game 1 as the Suns know Middleton is more than capable of taking charge in Antetokounmpo’s absence. Especially with his stats this season, his 47.6% field goal percentage is the second-best of his career. He’s also rebounding and assisting better than before with a career-high 6 RPG and 5.4 APG.
On a side note, the irony of Torrey Craig sinking a three while still in a Bucks jersey is not lost here.
As a unit, the three’s were falling well for Milwaukee going into the end of the third quarter. Credit should be given to Bobby Portis too as he and Antetokounmpo combined for 20 rebounds. Those boards were a vital part of why Milwaukee held out for as long as it did.
As the fourth quarter progressed, the Suns found their rhythm from the three-point line; without that, Antetokounmpo would likely have single-handedly put things away.
The Freak was untameable in the fourth, the ball fed to him for near-seamless scores against E’Twaun Moore and Cam Johnson. The extension of Antetokounmpo’s reach cannot be overstated; he took in lobs like they were simple tosses.
By the time it was all said and done, Antetokounmpo left 47 points on the floor; he didn’t miss… until he did as the clock expired.
And it wasn’t even a bad shot, the jumper simply had too much heat. Not to mention it was right after Devin Booker put too much into his own shots seconds before.
Speaking of Booker, his effort was not as intense as Antetokounmpo’s, but 30 points on the night was another quality outing alongside Chris Paul’s 28 points.
It’s also worth noting Frank Kaminsky III started this game and was two rebounds AND assists away from a triple-double.
The main takeaway is that coach Monty Williams‘ Suns had to fight fire with fire as Antetokounmpo was torching Phoenix all game long. The Bucks continued to be a high-scoring squad throughout the playoffs and despite the teams being very different since those outings, the Bucks don’t need the Freak to stay hot.
4-19-21 Suns @ Bucks
Fast forward two months later, the rematch in Milwaukee delivered just as well as the Phoenix game.
By this point, Torrey Craig is now with Phoenix and Jrue Holiday is playing for Milwaukee after missing the last matchup due to health and safety protocols.
Holiday got going early as noted by an Antetokounmpo screen that allowed Holiday to sneak a finger roller by Deandre Ayton late in the first quarter.
Holiday’s time with Bucks has seen him slide comfortably into a role as part of the Bucks’ ‘Big Three’ with Antetokounmpo and Middleton. This season alone, Holiday shot the three with career-high success, 39.2%.
Compared to the first meeting where the Greek got his Freak on, this was a comparatively more balanced attack by said ‘Big Three.’ Holiday took charge of setting up the buckets with eight assists while scoring 25.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton thrived on defensive rebounding here, a glaring indication Phoenix must maximize second-chance attacks in the Finals. Otherwise, the Suns will be allowing the Bucks to stay in the contest.
Still, the Suns were able to get some measure of defensive stability in the fourth quarter against Antetokounmpo. Deandre Ayton was matched up against the Greek Freak in this game and the last, so expect that trend to continue when Antetokounmpo returns.
The last few minutes are a blur and both teams trade baskets. But the Suns noticeably are quick in their attacks and do a good job passing the ball around before taking the shot.
Yet, despite both teams’ efforts, overtime is required. Barely a minute in, the Bucks lose Antetokounmpo to cramps, very inopportune considering he’d been a reliable rebounder all game.
Not that one would know it as play continued because Middleton, Holiday and P.J. Tucker took charge of the situation admirably.
Middleton in particular made strong shots from the right elbow as well as a three, but this rally would be eventually rendered futile. Booker managed to draw a shooting foul on Tucker with less than a second to go. One free throw later, the Suns eke out a second straight one-point win over the Bucks.
But the continued consistency of Middleton along with a full-go Holiday is still a formidable weapon for Milwaukee. The takeaway here the Bucks are still capable of giving the Suns a run for their money without Antetokounmpo. Essentially, the Bucks proved their endurance in defeat. It’s significant as Phoenix arguably has better depth going into the Finals.
Case in point, the Suns are in for a fight. But Phoenix has proven multiple times it can weather the storm. So, what’re a few more close finishes? Considering the Suns’ journey back to the Finals, it seems appropriate.
Featured Image courtesy of Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images
You can “Like” The Game Haus on Facebook and “Follow” us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from other great TGH writers along with Jose!
“From Our Haus to Yours“