RealGM

Who: Phoenix Suns @ Milwaukee Bucks

When: Tuesday, July 20th @ 6:00pm (9:00ET) NBC

Where: Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ






Phoenix Suns starting lineup:


C- Ayton

F- Crowder

F- Bridges

G- Booker

G- CP3




Reserves: Payne/Cam/Craig/Nader






Milwaukee Bucks starting lineup:


C- Lopez

F- Giannis

F- Middleton

G- Tucker

G- Holiday



Reserves: Connaughton/Portis/Forbes/Teague

This team has defied expectations all season long. No reason they can't win 2 games in a row.

bwgood77 wrote:This team has defied expectations all season long. No reason they can't win 2 games in a row.

Would Saric make somewhat of a difference if he was fully healthy or would series still be 3-2 in their favor?

SunsRback4Good wrote:

bwgood77 wrote:This team has defied expectations all season long. No reason they can't win 2 games in a row.

Would Saric make somewhat of a difference if he was fully healthy or would series still be 3-2 in their favor?

Maybe, I thought this was going to be a series he could have made some impact going up against slow footed Lopez. We have no size at all once Ayton sits and they killed us on the boards when we played small ball.

SunsRback4Good wrote:

bwgood77 wrote:This team has defied expectations all season long. No reason they can't win 2 games in a row.

Would Saric make somewhat of a difference if he was fully healthy or would series still be 3-2 in their favor?

He'd help the rebounding for sure, but I don't think he would do anything for the turnovers, rotations, timeout usage, or challenge decisions.

If you believed in the Suns for the entirety of the season here’s your chance to place a bet and could win you a decent amount of change if the Suns come out champions.

Qwigglez wrote:If you believed in the Suns for the entirety of the season here’s your chance to place a bet and could win you a decent amount of change if the Suns come out champions.

I can place 375 the most anything beyond that is preposterous. How much would the two wins net me in profit?

My strategy is bet on the Bucks as much as I can afford to lose. At least get some money for getting up 4am to watch the team throw away a 16pt lead in the span of a few mins. Should have put a bet after first qtr as well. Would prefer a win of course.

Qwigglez wrote:If you believed in the Suns for the entirety of the season here’s your chance to place a bet and could win you a decent amount of change if the Suns come out champions.

I had my brother put $20 for me before the playoffs started. I was hoping to post this after we won, but I figure might as well do it now.

Uncharted territory, the Phoenix Suns beat the defending champions, the current MVP and the contending Clippers without being put on the brink of elimination.

Now they must win consecutive elimination games for the Larry O'Brien trophy.

The Bucks themselves have stolen homecourt with their own steal one setup by none other than Jrue Holiday their offseason trade acquisition who may very well be the steal of FA period.

Now with trophy in the building, the Bucks will actively seek their 1st title in 50 years, attempting to avoid returning to Phoenix for a potential Game 7 in the Valley of the Sun.

Can the Suns hold serve in Fiserv Forum or will their be champagne in the Cream City? Game 6 of the NBA Finals, next.

Suns shouldn’t even get on the plane. 0 chance they win in Milwaukee after losing the last two the way they did.

It’s a learning experience for a young team but man this hurts being up 2-0 and losing 4 straight. CP3 will be a year older I don’t think you give that guy a lot of money he’s really not played well in these finals. But then who do you get at PG?

You just don’t know the next time you will be in the finals it’s so hard to get there. Sick to my stomach all night.

Suns have already won two Finals games, so it's not too difficult to see them winning two more. Ebb and flow of a series happening right now. Tidy a few things up and they can win in 7.

I think we have to hope that Milwaukee just expended all of their energy to get these past 3 games. We're the better team. I believe that. Now we've got to prove it.

Just win this one. I don't know if I would survive a game 7 but whatever. I'll take my chances.

We can do this. We could’ve won the last 2, and there’s no reason we can’t win the next 2. It’s an uphill battle now, but we made our own bed.

O ye of little faith. I still believe. It's not like Milwaukee is some juggernaut. Last two games were lost on our own accord.

PittsburghSuns wrote:Suns shouldn’t even get on the plane. 0 chance they win in Milwaukee after losing the last two the way they did.

It’s a learning experience for a young team but man this hurts being up 2-0 and losing 4 straight. CP3 will be a year older I don’t think you give that guy a lot of money he’s really not played well in these finals. But then who do you get at PG?

You just don’t know the next time you will be in the finals it’s so hard to get there. Sick to my stomach all night.

Yet another fine example of why we need a -1 option.

How probable is it to see more Bucks players and staffers enter Covid protocols. I dont wish it on them but they already have two out.

The reports did not suggest they tested positive but I have to guess they did. With the vaccine I dont think contact tracing warrants entry immediately or does it ?

There has been silence since the report and that makes me think the Bucks are nervous about it. Anybody have any thoughts ?

MrMiyagi wrote:I think we have to hope that Milwaukee just expended all of their energy to get these past 3 games. We're the better team. I believe that. Now we've got to prove it.

Better on paper, maybe, but as you said they need to prove it on the court. I remember only one play screwed by two Bucks players fighting for a rebound which resulted in a TO. Then I can point out at least two dumb plays for each Suns starter. In addition we have been clearly outworked. It's up to the Suns players to have two perfect games and show the max of their potential like the Bucks do. The last two games just don't give me the confidence. The pressure is now on the Bucks though, so hopefully they choke a bit. The bookies give now 25% chance for Suns win in the series, which seems about right.

SunsRback4Good wrote:

bwgood77 wrote:This team has defied expectations all season long. No reason they can't win 2 games in a row.

Would Saric make somewhat of a difference if he was fully healthy or would series still be 3-2 in their favor?

Who knows? We may have played our best game last night. Our shooting was great. Our defense was a lot better than you'd think given their shooting. Rebounding was about the same. We limited turnover. We cut down on their offensive rebounds.

He may have helped with size, but I think most had preferred the Craig/Crowder small ball more than Saric before anyway.

Jrue killed us and had not been playing well..and no one was likely going to stop him. He was just locked in.

Games 3 and 4 were Booker (in 3) and Paul (in 4) having bad games.

Both teams played great last night. We had a chance at the end and Booker drove a bit too much into traffic and Jrue made a great play. After that there was little chance for us...the Paul foul on Giannis didn't help but he missed and if we can just get that rebound we have a chance. Monty could have/should have called a timeout before our possession with the Booker turnover so we could set up a play, but it is what it is.

We played great to make the comeback, with Paul going 4-4 for 10 points in the last 8 minutes with some huge 3s which was key, Bridges playing well, and Booker going like 3-5.

I don't think we are necessarily dead in the water like everyone else does, but I never believe something is over until it's over. Are the odds in our favor? No. Are we a great road team? Yes. Have we closed out every series on the road which are supposed to be the toughest games closing someone out? Yes, and in emphatic fashion.

We are not a team to go down without a fight. Can we shoot that well again? Unlikely. Can they? Unlikely. I give us a 50/50 chance in game 6 and 7. Maybe more like 45 and 55 but we are evenly matched.