Milwaukee - The Phoenix Suns took control of the NBA Finals at home in the last five minutes of the first half of Games 1 and 2. On Sunday night, the Milwaukee Bucks began climbing back into the best-of-seven round by giving the Sons a taste of their medicine in Game 3.
Fueled by a pair of scorching runs to finish the second and third quarters - 16-3 in the last 4:52 of the second, and 24-6 in the last 5:03 of the third - the Bucks cruised to a 120 of -100 at home The win reduced their series deficit from Game 4 to 2-1 on Wednesday night.
"We just had to play better defense, that's all," said Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was completely dominant for the second game in a row, finishing with 41 points - including an individual 7-0 run in the second quarter that Put Milwaukee ahead for good -- with 13 rebounds and six assists in 38 minutes to go. "Play better defense and rebound the ball better and open and run. Build driving lanes.
"Make room for Jrue [Holiday] to operate, to go downhill, to go to the spot, to play face-to-face games, to play right."
Since going 2-0 down Thursday night in Phoenix, the Bucks had spent the last three days looking and sounding as comfortable as any group could have in their position. He went on to survive in the same position in the Eastern Conference semi-final against the Brooklyn Nets in a 2–0 draw. Antetokounmpo began his post-practice news conference on Saturday as Marshon Lynch.
Nevertheless, the Bucks found themselves trailing 36-30 at the start of the second quarter on Sunday when a jumper from Suns guard Cameron Payne forced Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer to call a timeout, leading to a crowd of more than 16,000. A nervous energy flooded through. Outside the Fisher Forum and an additional 25,000 people entered the Deer District outside the arena.
Things quickly turned back in Milwaukee's favor. The Bucks closed the first half on 30-9 to take the lead for good - a run that received dunks by Antetokounmpo, another -1 bucket and a layup in a 58-second period to push back Milwaukee it was done. Front in the middle of the second quarter.
It was one of several key parts of the competition from Antetokounmpo, who got back in action with 20 points and 17 rebounds in Game 1 in both Games 2 and 3 a week later – doing whatever he wanted in both Games 2 and 3. Had got it — left knee in an ugly fall in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Atlanta Hawks a week later.
"I think whoever nicknamed him the Greek Freak did a really great job," said Milwaukee center Bobby Portis, who had 11 points in 18 minutes off the bench on Sunday after barely playing in Game 2. "It's different how he's playing out there and doing all these different things and just being himself. I'm saying, it's rare."
Notably, Antetokounmpo was able to dominate from the inside, as all 14 of his field goals came within 5 feet of the basket - making him the only player in the past 25 years to score at least 30 points without a 5 outside shot. Has been made. According to ESPN Stats and Information Research Ft.
"I just read each asset one at a time," Antetokounmpo said. "Sometimes, I'm going to be on the offensive for two minutes straight. Sometimes, I'm not. Because the ball isn't in my hands because Khris [Middleton] or Jure is being aggressive at the time.
"Every right, every time of the game, it's different. I'm not planning what I do. I'm just trying to get out there, trying to take possession of it one at a time Trying to enjoy the game. Play right."
But what's remarkable about Milwaukee's push to finish the first half is that Antetokounmpo, after getting virtually no help in Game 2, mostly watched his teammates take the damage. Of the last 16 points Milwaukee had to close the first half, only two of them came from two-time MVPs.
"When [Giannis] rolls over sometimes, like it was these last two games, you just have to give him the ball and let him go to work," Middleton said.
"At the same time, we both know what we can do. He knows what we can do. He trusts us with the ball in our hands ... As long as we play together, we know We have the best chance."
With that second quarter bounce, the Bucks carried on the formula that had defined the opening two games of this series - only in reverse. In Game 1, the score was level five minutes, only for the Suns to end the first half with 12–4 runs and take a lead they would never give up. It was a similar story in Game 2, when Phoenix was tied 41 with 4:53 and went to the break in the second quarter to lead 56-45.
In both games in Phoenix, the Bucks never came to the fore, spending the entire second half making their way back to no avail. That's what Sun did in Game 3.
Like Milwaukee in Game 2, when Antetokounmpo came off the halftime break on a mission to pull his team back into action, the Suns went within 74-70 on Cameron Johnson 3-pointer with 5:22 to go on Sunday. fight back. third quarter. And, once again, when it looked like Milwaukee was on the ropes, the Bucks turned on the afterburner.
This time, it was a combination of both Antetokounmpo and Holiday, who either scored or assisted on 22 of Milwaukee's 24 points in the final 5:03 of third. The run was started by Holliday - who has been the center of much discussion after two pathetic offensive performances in Phoenix over the past 72 hours - when he hit what is arguably Game 3's biggest shots by doing back-to-back 3 drills. - pointer.
"I think taking what the defense has presented to us," said Holiday, who had 21 points and nine assists. "They went into that area, and sometimes in one area you got a lot of open- There are open 3s meets, and we took those opportunities or we took those shots and made them.
"But it was definitely a team effort believing in myself, as Khris said, making the right plays, easy opening passes, and being able to go out there and have fun and play our game."
And that run was capped by Antetokounmpo hitting Pat Connaughton for a 3-pointer to close the quarter, making the score 98–74 after three quarters, with the final 12 minutes of the game considered a formality and Milwaukee In the box as the function set up. Claimed his first final victory in 47 years.
The focus now turns to Wednesday, when the Bucks will be hoping for another win and turn the final into a best-of-three performance for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
"I think this group is about getting better, improving, learning," Budenholzer said. "This group finds a way to win and finds a way to be better."