NBA Finals: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Phoenix Suns, Part 3 | Bucks lead 3-2

[Profound23]

Going to bet the league takes a hard look at moving screens this off season.

Is this legal, or just subtle enough to fly? Not a rules expert here.

https://gfycat.com/slowbogusargentineruddyduck

Ayton usually gets whistled at least once a game. Not sure if any were called last night. Add it to the ‘wtf refs?’ list. Wacky game, whistle wise. Hate to see it become the narrative of what otherwise was a good game to watch, emotions aside.

They need to look at these screens for sure. As many times as Jrue has been called for a defensive foul because a Sun illegaly screened him into his defender is pathetic.

[Profound23]

Just some friendly reminders that:

- the last time the Suns lost 2 post-season games in a row they went on to win their next 9 games in a row

- This Suns team has only lost 3 games in a row once all year (way back in January)

- This Suns team hasn't lost 4 games in a row at all this year

- Every star player has a bad game once in a while

The Suns lost game 4 because of their own mistakes - they outshot the Bucks 51% to 40%, but gave the bucks an additional 19(!!!) possessions over the course of the game due to ORebs and TO's (the Bucks also had 10 more FT's, but still only managed to win by 6....on their home court)

You sound just like us Bucks fans in 2019.

- That team didn’t lose two games in a row all year

- Didn’t lose to any team more than once

- Never had a 3 game losing streak

- Had a winning record vs every team (except the Suns ironically)

- Had the most double digit victories of any team (only teams close were 2016 GSW, 96 Bulls, etc)

- Yada yada

Then proceeded to get backdoor swept by the Raptors.

That stuff is ultimately irrelevant this deep in the season. Regular season, you can struggle for a game or two then then get back on track vs the Kings or Magic. The margin for error is much tighter in the postseason.

Suns don’t strike me as a team that can consistently win ugly games. They simply don’t get enough easy baskets of extra opportunities.

I thought the same exacty thing. I heard so many Bucks fans in 2019 saying "We haven't lost 3 games in a row all year" then boom we lost 4 in a row right when it counted most.

[DrWood]

Problem is I don’t think Milwaukee can win a road game this series. Middleton and Jrue just don’t play well enough on the road. Game 5 is their only chance cause they ain’t winning a Game 7 on the road where the home team wins like 80% of the time.

hahahaha. You apparently don't even understand the statistic you posted, which is wrong. They won 75% of their home games and that was against a mixture of good and bad teams.

[bwgood77]

All this seems pretty irrelevant. The Suns haven't played the Bucks 2/3/4 games in a row all season. This is completely different than the regular season not losing 4 games when you are playing teams like the Pelicans, Kings, Cavs, etc..

The Bucks lost game 2 by 10pts with Middleton and Jrue combining for 12-37 from the field and the Suns shooting 50% from 3 on their home court!

If anything the Bucks snuck out a win last night they shouldn't have. If Jrue goes 8-20 instead of 4-20, and Booker actually gets called for a foul they probably win by 15-20.

Well, the Bucks may have been better in the last couple of years (and the Suns worse) and the Suns never lost to them even twice in a row. In fact they only lost to them 1 time in 6 games.

But maybe the Bucks do beat them or destroy them and everyone shoots well for once. I don't really expect Middleton to go for 40 again but who knows?

But a playoff series is completely different. Its a chess match where teams are preparing to face each other and constantly making adjustments. I don't think anything other than what's happened the last 4 games gives us any insight on what to expect.

I wouldn't expect Middleton to go for 40, but I also wouldn't expect Jrue to go 4-20, Giannis to only get 26, Booker to shoot 70% and go for 40 (finished 61% but he missed a few shots that had no bearing).

Both teams had a bright spot, and some negatives. I think Giannis is the best player, and Phx has the better team. Either way this has been a joy to watch!

True, it is about teams making adjustments and perhaps Budenholzer is a master at that.

I wouldn't be surprised if part of the reason Paul is having so many turnovers is because the Suns started emphasizing fast breaks and it's not the way they played at all this season until this series and the offense seems out of sorts...people standing around watching isos.

I do wonder if they go back to a slower pace where Paul can be more methodical with his decision making while the team runs sets and makes the defense work harder, perhaps it could help. We had thought catching a defense more off guard with a faster pace wouldn't allow them to get as set on defense but their hustle and premier defenders allows them to keep up anyway.

Cam Payne is usually much more of an impact player too and he hasn't been doing much, and Bridges has been pretty quiet the last two games. It all comes down to Paul, Booker and Ayton. The Suns also need Ayton being aggressive taking it to the rim like he has been most of the playoffs. He was pretty soft in there and could have probably thrown down a couple of dunks where he missed a little try inside. His 3-9 game was very uncharacteristic.

[bwgood77]

Just some friendly reminders that:

- the last time the Suns lost 2 post-season games in a row they went on to win their next 9 games in a row

- This Suns team has only lost 3 games in a row once all year (way back in January)

- This Suns team hasn't lost 4 games in a row at all this year

- Every star player has a bad game once in a while

The Suns lost game 4 because of their own mistakes - they outshot the Bucks 51% to 40%, but gave the bucks an additional 19(!!!) possessions over the course of the game due to ORebs and TO's (the Bucks also had 10 more FT's, but still only managed to win by 6....on their home court)

You sound just like us Bucks fans in 2019.

- That team didn’t lose two games in a row all year

- Didn’t lose to any team more than once

- Never had a 3 game losing streak

- Had a winning record vs every team (except the Suns ironically)

- Had the most double digit victories of any team (only teams close were 2016 GSW, 96 Bulls, etc)

- Yada yada

Then proceeded to get backdoor swept by the Raptors.

That stuff is ultimately irrelevant this deep in the season. Regular season, you can struggle for a game or two then then get back on track vs the Kings or Magic. The margin for error is much tighter in the postseason.

Suns don’t strike me as a team that can consistently win ugly games. They simply don’t get enough easy baskets of extra opportunities.

The Suns actually played the most close games this season...trailing or leading by less than any other team I believe on average and had I think one of the, if not the best clutch player in Paul to close them out..while Booker was fairly clutch as well. Now maybe this Paul choke thing in big games is real, but most of the playoff failures came from injuries. He put the Rockets up 3-2 against the legendary Warriors before getting injured.

The main choke that sticks out to me is the 2014 series in OKC..game 4 or 5 I believe where he had two weird turnovers near the end.

[LightTheBeam]

Well, the Bucks may have been better in the last couple of years (and the Suns worse) and the Suns never lost to them even twice in a row. In fact they only lost to them 1 time in 6 games.

But maybe the Bucks do beat them or destroy them and everyone shoots well for once. I don't really expect Middleton to go for 40 again but who knows?

But a playoff series is completely different. Its a chess match where teams are preparing to face each other and constantly making adjustments. I don't think anything other than what's happened the last 4 games gives us any insight on what to expect.

I wouldn't expect Middleton to go for 40, but I also wouldn't expect Jrue to go 4-20, Giannis to only get 26, Booker to shoot 70% and go for 40 (finished 61% but he missed a few shots that had no bearing).

Both teams had a bright spot, and some negatives. I think Giannis is the best player, and Phx has the better team. Either way this has been a joy to watch!

True, it is about teams making adjustments and perhaps Budenholzer is a master at that.

I wouldn't be surprised if part of the reason Paul is having so many turnovers is because the Suns started emphasizing fast breaks and it's not the way they played at all this season until this series and the offense seems out of sorts...people standing around watching isos.

I do wonder if they go back to a slower pace where Paul can be more methodical with his decision making while the team runs sets and makes the defense work harder, perhaps it could help. We had thought catching a defense more off guard with a faster pace wouldn't allow them to get as set on defense but their hustle and premier defenders allows them to keep up anyway.

Cam Payne is usually much more of an impact player too and he hasn't been doing much, and Bridges has been pretty quiet the last two games. It all comes down to Paul, Booker and Ayton. The Suns also need Ayton being aggressive taking it to the rim like he has been most of the playoffs. He was pretty soft in there and could have probably thrown down a couple of dunks where he missed a little try inside. His 3-9 game was very uncharacteristic.

Ya I wonder if Pauls injury has anything to do with the change?

Agreed that the role players need to be more involved. Suns are damn near unbeatable when Ayton gets rolling. Hes a big X-factor.

[machu46]

Going to bet the league takes a hard look at moving screens this off season.

Is this legal, or just subtle enough to fly? Not a rules expert here.

https://gfycat.com/slowbogusargentineruddyduck

Ayton usually gets whistled at least once a game. Not sure if any were called last night. Add it to the ‘wtf refs?’ list. Wacky game, whistle wise. Hate to see it become the narrative of what otherwise was a good game to watch, emotions aside.

I doubt they will but I really hope they do. Moving screens is in the top 3-5 worst things about the NBA IMO.

[machu46]

I don't know how anyone can come out of that game last night and think they have a good feel for how this series is going to play out. Pretty much everyone played like crap outside of Booker and a quarter of Giannis/Middleton.

I hope like hell that Milwaukee can keep the momentum going and take the series in 6 but I'll continue to expect the Suns to win the series until it doesn't actually happen. At any rate, I'm glad one of these two teams will be the champs; this was the exact matchup I was hoping for.

[tonyreyes123]

CP3 is washed now. Milwaukee back door sweep incoming and the Bucks in 6 prophecy is finally fulfilled…

[GSWFan1994]

Man, I feel like I voted in the poll at least 457 times now.

[soboMP3]

So... not to be a jerk, but I'm just going to say that I feel much less confident about the Bucks winning this series after last night. Sure, we won... but I was really expecting a bigger victory than just sort of escaping defeat.

[skones]

So... not to be a jerk, but I'm just going to say that I feel much less confident about the Bucks winning this series after last night. Sure, we won... but I was really expecting a bigger victory than just sort of escaping defeat.

We got punched in the mouth and this team just punched a younger more inexperienced team back in the NBA finals. That confidence high they rode into Milwaukee on, it's gone.

[Frank Lee]

I'll admit I was wrong about the Bucks. I thought the Suns were the better team.

I never thought the Suns were that good. But I don't think the Bucks are a great team either.

The difference is Giannis. Hes gone up to a level I did not think he could.

Giannis is the most underrated superstar in the NBA.

Not after this series

[bwgood77]

CP3 is washed now. Milwaukee back door sweep incoming and the Bucks in 6 prophecy is finally fulfilled…

Washed after 1 game?

So far in this series and some of the previous ones after the COVID stuff and injury in Lakers series:

First 3 finals games he was shooting 57% including 50% from 3 averaging 25 ppg, and still averaged 9 assists.

Close out game against Clippers had 41 pts on 67% shooting including 87.5% from 3 (7/8), 8 assists and 0 turnovers.

In the Nuggets entire series he averaged 63% from the field and 60% from 3 averaging over 25 ppg, 10 assists per game and 1.25 turnovers per game.

I wish the Suns could print out your comment and frame it in CP3's locker.

[Caped Crusader]

CP3 is washed now. Milwaukee back door sweep incoming and the Bucks in 6 prophecy is finally fulfilled…

Washed after 1 game?

So far in this series and some of the previous ones after the COVID stuff and injury in Lakers series:

First 3 finals games he was shooting 57% including 50% from 3 averaging 25 ppg, and still averaged 9 assists.

Close out game against Clippers had 41 pts on 67% shooting including 87.5% from 3 (7/8), 8 assists and 0 turnovers.

In the Nuggets entire series he averaged 63% from the field and 60% from 3 averaging over 25 ppg, 10 assists per game and 1.25 turnovers per game.

I wish the Suns could print out your comment and frame it in CP3's locker.

Washed is not the right word. Shook is more suitable.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

[og15]

Going to bet the league takes a hard look at moving screens this off season.

Is this legal, or just subtle enough to fly? Not a rules expert here.

https://gfycat.com/slowbogusargentineruddyduck

Ayton usually gets whistled at least once a game. Not sure if any were called last night. Add it to the ‘wtf refs?’ list. Wacky game, whistle wise. Hate to see it become the narrative of what otherwise was a good game to watch, emotions aside.

They need to look at these screens for sure. As many times as Jrue has been called for a defensive foul because a Sun illegaly screened him into his defender is pathetic.

Holiday hasn't had an issue with fouls:
Game 1 - 1 foul
Game 2 - 4 fouls
Game 3 - 0 fouls
Game 4 - 1 foul

4 games guarding the opposing best players and full court pressing while playing 40.9 mpg, and he's averaging 1.75 fouls and has had 1 or fewer fouls in 3/4 games. It would probably fall on deaf ears if someone on the Bucks was complaining about Holiday picking up fouls

[Profound23]

Going to bet the league takes a hard look at moving screens this off season.

Is this legal, or just subtle enough to fly? Not a rules expert here.

https://gfycat.com/slowbogusargentineruddyduck

Ayton usually gets whistled at least once a game. Not sure if any were called last night. Add it to the ‘wtf refs?’ list. Wacky game, whistle wise. Hate to see it become the narrative of what otherwise was a good game to watch, emotions aside.

They need to look at these screens for sure. As many times as Jrue has been called for a defensive foul because a Sun illegaly screened him into his defender is pathetic.

Holiday hasn't had an issue with fouls:
Game 1 - 1 foul
Game 2 - 4 fouls
Game 3 - 0 fouls
Game 4 - 1 foul

4 games guarding the opposing best players and full court pressing while playing 40.9 mpg, and he's averaging 1.75 fouls and has had 1 or fewer fouls in 3/4 games. It would probably fall on deaf ears if someone on the Bucks was complaining about Holiday picking up fouls

Go back and watch some of those fouls...Jrue is literally illegally screened into the player he is defending. Happened to Pat C a couple of times last night alone as well.

I'm just agreeing with the post that they need to stop illegal screens.

[og15]

They need to look at these screens for sure. As many times as Jrue has been called for a defensive foul because a Sun illegaly screened him into his defender is pathetic.

Holiday hasn't had an issue with fouls:
Game 1 - 1 foul
Game 2 - 4 fouls
Game 3 - 0 fouls
Game 4 - 1 foul

4 games guarding the opposing best players and full court pressing while playing 40.9 mpg, and he's averaging 1.75 fouls and has had 1 or fewer fouls in 3/4 games. It would probably fall on deaf ears if someone on the Bucks was complaining about Holiday picking up fouls

Go back and watch some of those fouls...Jrue is literally illegally screened into the player he is defending. Happened to Pat C a couple of times last night alone as well.

I'm just agreeing with the post that they need to stop illegal screens.

Illegal screens is a huge NBA problem, I'm just saying that for this series, saying "as many times as Jrue has been called for a defensive foul" would basically just be talking about game 2. Jrue had a total of 2 fouls in 3 of the games, he's barely been called for fouls in the series a whole. He's not a high foul player, but 1.8 fpg in 41 mpg, 1 foul or less in 3/4 games while full court pressing all game is pretty good, that's all I'm saying.

[gorz]

Just some friendly reminders that:

- the last time the Suns lost 2 post-season games in a row they went on to win their next 9 games in a row

- This Suns team has only lost 3 games in a row once all year (way back in January)

- This Suns team hasn't lost 4 games in a row at all this year

- Every star player has a bad game once in a while

The Suns lost game 4 because of their own mistakes - they outshot the Bucks 51% to 40%, but gave the bucks an additional 19(!!!) possessions over the course of the game due to ORebs and TO's (the Bucks also had 10 more FT's, but still only managed to win by 6....on their home court)

You sound just like us Bucks fans in 2019.

- That team didn’t lose two games in a row all year

- Didn’t lose to any team more than once

- Never had a 3 game losing streak

- Had a winning record vs every team (except the Suns ironically)

- Had the most double digit victories of any team (only teams close were 2016 GSW, 96 Bulls, etc)

- Yada yada

Then proceeded to get backdoor swept by the Raptors.

That stuff is ultimately irrelevant this deep in the season. Regular season, you can struggle for a game or two then then get back on track vs the Kings or Magic. The margin for error is much tighter in the postseason.

Suns don’t strike me as a team that can consistently win ugly games. They simply don’t get enough easy baskets of extra opportunities.

I thought the same exacty thing. I heard so many Bucks fans in 2019 saying "We haven't lost 3 games in a row all year" then boom we lost 4 in a row right when it counted most.

I see people referencing the 2019 ECF between Toronto and Milwaukee where Milwaukee was up 2-0 and then got backdoor swept but I don't see that happening here. Here are some key differences:

Game 1 between Toronto and Milwaukee.. Toronto was actually leading the vast majority of that game at Milwaukee. They were up 7 going into the 4th and were up by as much as 12 throughout the game. The Bucks were pretty much trailing the whole entire game until they took the lead nearly halfway in the 4th quarter. Game 1 between Phoenix and Milwaukee.. Phoenix was winning pretty much the whole entire game and was never in danger of losing that game. Game 2 both Milwaukee and Phoenix won decisively on their home floor. Game 3 Toronto won in OT but they led the entire game and Milwaukee had to come back from down 5 with just a minute and 13 left to play to force OT. Game 3 Milwaukee won decisively. Now here's the big difference between these two series. Game 4 Toronto won convincingly at home going up by as much as 25 points. They were never in danger of losing that game. Game 4 that we saw just now between Phoenix and Milwaukee.. Phoenix was winning pretty much the entire game on the road and only lost the lead with a minute and 30 left to play in the game. They were very close to taking a commanding 3-1 series lead and winning at Milwaukee, where the Bucks play very well in.

After 4 games of the 2019 ECF Toronto looked like the better team especially when you consider the results of game 1. After 4 games of the 2021 NBA Finals Phoenix looks like the better team and they should win this series. If anything Bucks fans should be worried about the staggering difference in play of Middleton and Holiday on the road versus home. Giannis is going to get his, but the question is are Middleton and Holiday going to show up at Phoenix.

[iamworthy]

Suns are probably under the most pressure they've felt all playoffs, not to mention it's the finals.