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A second-quarter burst for the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 3 helped them avoid going 0-3 down in the 2021 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns. The Bucks outscored the Suns 35-17 in that period, setting the tone for a crucial win by a 120-100 margin.
The Milwaukee Bucks had the aggression needed in Game 2 but couldn't execute their plans to perfection. However, that wasn't the case during Sunday night's matchup. They dominated the paint, scoring 54 points in that area, and also had 17 points off the Phoenix Suns' turnovers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (41 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists) received much-needed support from his fellow teammates as Jrue Holiday (21 points, 9 assists, 5 3s) and Khris Middleton (18 points) both rediscovered their rhythm.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns, after ending the first quarter of the match with a 3-point lead, failed to maximize their opportunities as they struggled immensely on the defensive end against the aggressive approach of the Milwaukee Bucks. It also hampered their offense as they couldn't shoot the ball as well as they would have liked.
After knocking down a franchise-record 20 threes in Game 2, they could only make nine shots from deep in Game 3. The likes of Devin Booker and Cameron Payne did not have the best of games, shooting a combined 6-of-24 from the field.
Deandre Ayton (18 points, 8-of-11 FG) had a solid start to the game but had four fouls early on in the third quarter, which allowed the Milwaukee Bucks to stay ahead of the Phoenix Suns, despite them cutting the Bucks' 15-point lead to just four.
Chris Paul was the Phoenix Suns' highest scorer on the night, tallying 19 points to go with nine assists, while Jae Crowder had 18 points on 6-of-7 three-point shooting.
#1 Hit: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Heading into the 2021 NBA Finals, there were huge concerns regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo's fitness after the knee injury he suffered in the series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Nonetheless, the Milwaukee Bucks talisman has shown tremendous grit and determination to make sure his team has a healthy chance of landing the Larry O'Brien trophy this year.
It was his second consecutive 40-point double-double of the series and was the driving force for the Milwaukee Bucks in this blowout win on their home court. Giannis tallied 41 points, 13 rebounds and six assists on the night.
He shot a 61% clip from the floor and did not disappoint with his free-throw shooting either, making 13-of-17 attempts from the charity stripe, shooting eight straight at one stage.
Giannis had four offensive rebounds on the night and punished the Phoenix Suns after Deandre Ayton was forced to sit out the majority of the third quarter.
#2 Flop: Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Devin Booker had a rare off game as he tallied just 10 points for the Phoenix Suns. Unlike Game 2, Booker could not shrug off a slow start as his only shot 1-of-7 from the field in the opening quarter of the match.
As the Phoenix Suns' top scorer, Booker was expected to be lethal for the team in a game away from home against a side like the Milwaukee Bucks, who are lethal when playing with homecourt advantage.
However, that wasn't the case. Monty Williams ended up giving his star player just 29 minutes in the game as a result, which proved to be a wise decision as the Milwaukee Bucks looked unstoppable during the match.
Booker played well over 40 minutes in almost every game before this contest in the playoffs and the Phoenix Suns will be hoping he is at his best when the two sides meet for Game 4 on Wednesday.
#3 Hit: Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks)
Giannis Antetenkounmpo wanted Jrue Holiday to stay aggressive despite his struggles in the opening two games, and Jrue Holiday answered his team leader in style. Holiday's huge game offensively proved to be one of the key reasons behind the Milwaukee Bucks' win in Sunday night's matchup.
Holiday scored 21 points to go with nine assists, offering huge relief to Giannis, who was waging a lone war in the previous match on the offensive end. Jrue orchestrated the plays brilliantly for the Milwaukee Bucks, making shot opportunities for his teammates and himself as well.
He shot 8-of-14 from the field, out of which 10 of his attempts were from beyond the arc as he managed to convert five shots from the three-point line.
Jrue also made crucial threes when the Phoenix Suns cut the Milwaukee Bucks' lead to just four points during the third quarter. That's exactly what the Bucks needed, as it could have been a turning point in the game had they not scored in that period.
#4 Flop: Cameron Payne (Phoenix Suns)
Cameron Payne had a great opportunity to find his form during the game, especially after Devin Booker struggled to get going, but he squandered that opportunity. Payne had the worst +/- on the team (-18) and could only make 3-of-10 shots from the field.
He ended the night with only seven points and couldn't offer much with his playmaking either, tallying only four assists. The Suns desperately needed some effort from their bench and especially from Payne, who has done a fabulous job so far playing in the backcourt rotation.
#5 Hit: Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
Khris Middleton looked really good for the Milwaukee Bucks after a dismal Game 2 performance. He was key in limiting Devin Booker early on and made sure he played the perfect role in ensuring the Bucks did not slip up and end up losing a game.
Middleton had 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists on the night. He shot 6-of-14 from the field, including three crucial 3-pointers, and also made all three of his free-throw attempts. After seeing the likes of Giannis, Holiday and Bobby Portis get going, Middleton smartly reduced his role to an extent and focused on making the right plays.
It was key for the side as he did not end up making poor decisions that could have helped give the Phoenix Suns the slightest of chances to come back in the game.
Guess the Bulls players in this quiz and it's not going to be easy!
