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This Is What We Play For


Who: Milwaukee Bucks @ Phoenix Suns

When: Saturday, July 17 @ 6:00pm (9:00ET) ABC

Where: Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ









Milwaukee Bucks starting lineup:


C- Lopez

F- Giannis

F- Middleton

G- Tucker

G- Holiday



Reserves: Connaughton/Portis/Forbes/Teague





Phoenix Suns starting lineup:


C- Ayton

F- Crowder

F- Bridges

G- Booker

G- CP3




Reserves: Payne/Cam/Craig/Kaminsky

After last game I can only hope the Bucks are bigger chokers than the Suns.

I have seen Jrue and Middleton being called Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I hope this is the case rest of the series.

There is just no excuse in having the Point God and turning the ball over 12 more times than the other team.

Most important Suns game ever.

We are at home and we have two **** legends on our roster in CP3 and Book ready to bring the first championship to this franchise. I expect great games from both. We can do this.

I would love to see Bridges being more aggressive on both sides. He has not had any foul's problems, he needs to get closer to Middleton and avoid better those screens...easier said than done, but these are the Finals.

It is gonna be FUN.

This is why its the finals.

Best players have been inconsistant and so to win the finals need your best players playing well.

Paul, Booker, Ayton play well at home we win.

CP3 the choke artist. I’ll never see a Suns championship unless I live to be 300

It really is the most important Suns game in history. Glad I get to see it.

Hope the fans keep the energy high no matter what. You don't turn on your players after bad performances.

God forbid, but if Suns lose this game I would try something different like putting Cam J in the starting lineup for Mikal. Wonder if his better 3 pt shooting in the playoffs will open things on offense for others, and better height improve the rebounding(he was good in the bubble, though statistically same as Mikal in these playoffs). He looks a more confident player in general, which will be important being down. Mikal is a glue guy though, didn't look good coming off the bench last season playing with reserves and his confidence may take a hit. In a playoff game he'll still share most time with the starters, so maybe worth throwing at Bucks something different depending on the circumstances.

Devin Booker is going to win finals MVP. Suns in 6.

kwsqd wrote:Devin Booker is going to win finals MVP. Suns in 6.

Players just need to wipe the slate clean. Media will be all over them and they will face scrutiny and criticism like they've never faced before.

In some sense, most of it will be on CP3, rather than the young guys on the roster, which will be for the young guys benefit IMO.

The Bucks fans keep pointing to Jrue being due for a breakout game, but hes not going to have one because hes expending so much energy beating the crap out of CP3 (and hes being allowed to be that physical).

I do think the Suns figured out some little things that limit how effective Giannis can be. They won't stop him, but last night really is the formula for defending him successfully. You can't take away everything.

I don't think Booker will go for 42 again on Saturday, but he adjusted to how the Bucks were defending him with Holiday and Tucker. It was a lot of subtle changes in angles and spots where they got him the ball in the mid-range areas that he likes.

Look, I don't think CP3 will play that badly again in this series. I just don't. If he has another game like that, the Suns aren't winning, but I just don't see that happening.

Suns in 6

darealjuice wrote:Suns in 6

I think we close out and win on the road in Milwaukee but worst case scenario we clinch the title back home in Game 7.

Need to bounce back! Really is the most important Suns game ever, and we can't lose 3 in the row, in a game 5, home court.

Calvin Klein wrote:It really is the most important Suns game in history. Glad I get to see it.

Hope the fans keep the energy high no matter what. You don't turn on your players after bad performances.

I don't think I'd put it ahead of game 5 or 6 in 76 or 93. Or game 3 or 4 in 93. In 93 we were down 0-2 and won game 3 in like double OT...down 2-1 so game 4 was big and we lost. So game 5 in 93 huge down 3-1 and we pulled it out. Back on home court in game 6 down 3-2...chance to tie it up with game 7 at home. 4 pt lead with a minute left. Watch Jordan drive full court to cut to 2. Miss on other end. Paxson 3.

CP3 turns it over last game already down by 2...we maybe at best had a 50% chance of scoring...and then if it's tied up with maybe 25 seconds left and Bucks have possession their chances of winning are still likely like 750%.

In game 6 of 93 finals with 4 pt lead and a minute left, we probably had a 90% chance of winning or so. We've had some bigger games and bigger choke jobs.

To win next game we have to have heart. Miles and miles of heart. Only time will tell with this team.

pj0tr wrote:

kwsqd wrote:Devin Booker is going to win finals MVP. Suns in 6.

Players just need to wipe the slate clean. Media will be all over them and they will face scrutiny and criticism like they've never faced before.

In some sense, most of it will be on CP3, rather than the young guys on the roster, which will be for the young guys benefit IMO.

The Bucks fans keep pointing to Jrue being due for a breakout game, but hes not going to have one because hes expending so much energy beating the crap out of CP3 (and hes being allowed to be that physical).

I do think the Suns figured out some little things that limit how effective Giannis can be. They won't stop him, but last night really is the formula for defending him successfully. You can't take away everything.

I don't think Booker will go for 42 again on Saturday, but he adjusted to how the Bucks were defending him with Holiday and Tucker. It was a lot of subtle changes in angles and spots where they got him the ball in the mid-range areas that he likes.

Look, I don't think CP3 will play that badly again in this series. I just don't. If he has another game like that, the Suns aren't winning, but I just don't see that happening.

Look, our players are able to put bad games behind them.

Paul shot 57% in the first 3 games of the series including 60% from 3, averaging 25 ppg. He averaged more turnovers than usual but still a better than 2-1 ast/to ratio averaging 9 and 4.

Then he has a poor game 4

Booker shot 38% the first 3 games, despite a solid 2nd game shooting, and came out on fire last night...so hopefully that continues. If he can get the 3 ball going since he's only at 30% for the series, that would be big too. He could cut down the turnovers too, but he is only averaging 3, a little less than his season average..maybe could assist more, averaging 4, but last game showed he can bounce back (outside of the 4 turnovers to only 2 assists) but he shot very efficiently.

But after not playing well outside of the 2nd half in game 2, he came through big in game 4...needs to work on emotions a bit and not get in foul trouble, but I'm sure he will be talked with about that.

Ayton shot 65% the first 3 games..and is averaging 14 rpg...needs some help on the boards. I know some expect 30 rpg or whatever from him but he can't do it all himself. You can't really expect him to average more than 14...I mean that would lead the league and he is fighting multiple Bucks as they all crash the boards.

Bridges is shooting 57% the last 3 games and scored 27 in game 2 having a big game along with Book and Paul, but since then is only getting 4 shots a game, despite shooting 62.5% in them. He just needs more shots.

Hopefully Crowder keeps up his good shooting.

The thing is, Paul's game was uncharacteristic, and even though his turnovers are up, he was very hot shooting in the first 3 games, and simply had one bad shooting game and a very bad turnover at the end that had we not turned it over, maybe we score to tie it up, and possibly get a stop on the other end.

Booker finally came through. Bridges and Ayton are more than capable with a lot of touches as they've shown. Crowder shooting well overall.

We have what it takes.

We simply played a very bad game and still led most of the entire way and almost won. Our defense keeps us in it no matter what.

We need to have faith.

And regardless, many of us felt winning a series these playoffs would be huge for our young guys and anything after that would be gravy. I don't think anyone truly felt we would win the finals when the playoffs started. Now of course it would suck and be brutal if we lost, but this team has gone WAY further than anyone would have expected when we started the season, and also further than when we started the playoffs.

But we still have the better chance to win this series with HCA combined with how well we play after losses. Not sure if we lost 3 in a row this year...maybe once...but only even 2 in a row a couple times.

We have shown time and time again we can come out focused and on fire after a loss and I won't be even be surprised if we dominate from start to finish in this next one.

I expect nothing less than a championship from these guys and they can do it. Nobody said it was going to a smooth ride to get there though.

Too much one on one lately even with Bookers 42 game. He wont have many games like that duplicating similar performance. Time to get back to our roots and play TEAM basketball which is getting everyone involved and not doing too much with the ball. Gang rebound will be important and I expect Craig to show up more than any game so far in this postseason.

SunsRback4Good wrote:Too much one on one lately even with Bookers 42 game. He wont have many games like that duplicating similar performance. Time to get back to our roots and play TEAM basketball which is getting everyone involved and not doing too much with the ball. Gang rebound will be important and I expect Craig to show up more than any game so far in this postseason.

--better ball movement - - don't let the ball stick (so that means less dribbling Book and Paul)
--try to establish DA in the post
--Mikal and Cam J need to also get involved more offensively
and yes, have to do better on the boards.

Is it crazy to say I'm actually finding the result of these finals not as important as I thought.

Reflecting on the journey and the day to day enjoyment I've had has been the real reward.

I've been a championship or bust guy all my life but being on the cusp now I don't think it's the be all.

Maybe it's a just my defense mechanism if we lose, I'm not sure, but I'll enjoy chasing the next one just as much.

Mulhollanddrive wrote:Is it crazy to say I'm actually finding the result of these finals not as important as I thought.

Reflecting on the journey and the day to day enjoyment I've had has been the real reward.

I've been a championship or bust guy all my life but being on the cusp now I don't think it's the be all.

Maybe it's a just my defense mechanism if we lose, I'm not sure, but I'll enjoy chasing the next one just as much.

No. I am right there with you. Not to say during the 4th quarter wasn't a little more "vocal" than at any other time of the playoffs. But really enjoying the team and the playoff chase

I also think the opponent - the Bucks. Good solid professional team. Not like playing say the Lakers - the evil enemy. Bucks have Jrue, Middleton, PJ, even Giannis isn't a bad dude.