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A third-quarter scoring burst allowed the Phoenix Suns to overcome the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals. Mike Budenholzer's men showed some mettle late during the matchup and will now be looking to fire back in Game 2 on Thursday night.
Match Details
Fixture: Milwaukee Bucks vs Phoenix Suns | 2021 NBA Finals Game 2
Date & Time: Thursday, July 8th, 9 PM ET (Friday, 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: Phoenix Suns Arena, Phoenix, AZ
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks were buoyed by the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the early portions of Game 1. Giannis' movement seemed fine and he was able to command the paint. The main reason the Bucks ended up losing, though, was their inability to defend the Phoenix Suns' mid-range game.
Brook Lopez had a hard time dealing with the likes of Chris Paul and Devin Booker on switches, and he wasn't too impactful in drop coverage either. Jrue Holiday also found it tough to go under screens and had limited impact defensively. Holiday managed nine assists and seven rebounds, but his scoring was limited to a paltry 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
Khris Middleton was also slow to start Game 1 against the Phoenix Suns, but he bounced back in the third quarter, scoring 11 points and kickstarting the Milwaukee Bucks' rally in the process. He led the Bucks in scoring with 29 points on 12-of-26 shooting.
Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo
The fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo played 35 minutes in a game he wasn't expected to be available for speaks volumes about his fitness. He managed to contribute with 20 points and 17 rebounds as well. When Giannis played as the center, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to stop bleeding points as well. The Greek Freak's only going to get fitter from here on and we can expect an even better showing from him in Game 2 against the Phoenix Suns.
Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup
G Jrue Holiday, G Khris Middleton, F PJ Tucker, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, C Brook Lopez
Phoenix Suns Preview
Besides Jae Crowder drawing a blank from the field, everything went according to plan for the Phoenix Suns in Game 1. They went into the matchup hoping to torch the Milwaukee Bucks from mid-range and did exactly that. First, it was Devin Booker who got to his spot with ease and then Chris Paul joined the party.
Booker went just 1-of-8 from downtown and will need to improve on that end, but he still managed 27 points, six assists and three steals. Mikal Bridges struggled from the field, scoring 14 points on just 5-of-13 shooting, but he did the task of containing Khris Middleton fairly well for a good chunk of the game.
Deandre Ayton was among the standout performers for the Phoenix Suns, though. He played with physicality and gave the Milwaukee Bucks all sorts of trouble inside the paint, without getting into foul trouble. Ayton marked his NBA Finals debut with 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, along with 19 rebounds.
Key Player - Chris Paul
Chris Paul took roughly 16 minutes to get on the scoresheet on his NBA Finals debut, but he didn't look back after that. He made multiple jumpers from the elbow and even dropped a few three-pointers to eventually finish with 32 points. Paul's playmaking was on point, as he connected with Deandre Ayton on several pick-and-rolls to record nine assists. CP3's ability to outwit the Milwaukee Bucks' defense will have a huge impact on the Phoenix Suns' performance in Game 2.
Phoenix Suns Predicted Lineup
G Chris Paul, G Devin Booker, F Mikal Bridges, F Jae Crowder, C Deandre Ayton
Bucks vs Suns Match Prediction
The Milwaukee Bucks gave up several mid-range shots for the majority of Game 1 and paid the price for it. But they made the needed adjustments late on in the fourth quarter with Giannis Antetokounmpo playing at center. Expect Mike Budenholzer's men to retaliate in a similar manner on Thursday.
The Phoenix Suns struggled from beyond the arc in Game 1 and if the Bucks are able to take away their mid-range scoring, Monty Williams' men could be in trouble. Game 2 promises to be another exhilarating affair, but the Bucks should prevail this time to level the 2021 NBA Finals.
Where to watch Bucks vs Suns?
The game will be broadcasted nationwide in the US on ABC. Fans in India can catch this matchup on Star Sports Select. You can also live stream the same on the NBA League Pass.
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