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#3 The Phoenix Suns’ 3-point shooting abandoned them in Game 6
The Phoenix Suns were seventh in the league in 3-point shooting percentage at 37.8 during the regular season. They were even better in the NBA Finals, making 60 of their 147 attempts (40.8%) from beyond the arc.
But after losing the last three games of the NBA Finals and facing the prospect of not winning a championship, the Phoenix Suns came out firing blanks from 3-point range in Game 6. They made just 6-of-25 from outside the arc for a frigid 24.0 percent 3-point shooting. If they had cashed in on just four of their attempts, they could have extended the series to a seventh game.
The Milwaukee Bucks actually had plenty of defensive miscues that allowed the Phoenix Suns to have several open looks at the basket. But the Suns also clanked a ton of the open threes handed to them and have no one to blame but themselves for not taking advantage of their opportunities.
#4 No one could guard Giannis Antetokounmpo
If there was one player that the Phoenix Suns could point to that dictated the series, that player would be Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak was unstoppable in the NBA Finals, scoring 40 or more points three times, including the 50-point performance in the Game 6 clincher.
In the NBA Finals, he averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.
Antetokounmpo is the unlikeliest player to score so many points in the Finals given his limited range and poor free-throw shooting in the 2021 NBA Playoffs (58.7%). Nonetheless, these limitations didn’t keep the two-time MVP from attacking the basket and putting pressure on the Suns’ defense.
Deandre Ayton tried his hand at bothering Antetokounmpo with his length and size. But the 2021 NBA Finals MVP ran rings around him and all the other Phoenix Suns players who dared to get in his way. Ayton was in foul trouble in two of the six games and the Suns sent Antetokounmpo to the line 85 times in the six-game series. That’s a whopping 14.2 free-throw attempts per game by the Bucks big man.
#5 Too many turnovers especially during clutch moments
The Phoenix Suns are one of the most sure-handed teams in the NBA. During the 2020-21 regular season, they were fourth in the league with only 12.0 turnovers a game. In the playoffs, they tightened their handles and committed just 11.0 turnovers a game in the first three rounds.
But in the NBA Finals, the Phoenix Suns uncharacteristically gave up the ball 12.3 times per game in the six games. It was even worse in the four losses, as they committed 53 turnovers for an average of 13.3 an outing.
Moreover, Paul and Booker were guilty of surrendering the ball to their opponent during the most crucial moments. In Game 4, Paul had two costly turnovers in the final four minutes. In Game 5, it was Booker’s turn to give up the ball with 16.7 seconds remaining. Finally, in Game 6, Booker had the ball stolen from him by P.J. Tucker with 4:12 remaining, and then fouled the Bucks forward out of frustration at the other end.
Perhaps it’s the glare of the Finals spotlight or the fact that this was their first time in the playoffs, but the Phoenix Suns’ poor execution, especially in crunch time, doomed them in the NBA Finals.
Guess the Lakers players!
