NBA: Suns Beat Bucks, Takes 2-0 Finals Lead
The Phoenix Suns took a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals after beating the Milwaukee Bucks 118-108, overcoming a 42-point effort from the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Devin Booker led the way for Phoenix with 31 points, Mikal Bridges scored 27 points, while Chris Paul contributed 23. Deandre Ayton grabbed 11 rebounds, leaving the Suns two wins away from its first championship.
Milwaukee started strong, with Antetokounmpo looking determined to avenge their convincing Game One defeat, but the Suns offence caught fire in the second quarter. They outscored the Bucks 30-16 to take a 56-45 lead into halftime.
Antetokounmpo was outstanding throughout, dominating in the paint and on the glass, but received little help from his teammates, as the team shot 9-of-31 from three-point range.
Antetokounmpo continued to fight in the second half, at one point reeling off 13 straight points. However, the Bucks cut the deficit to five points in the fourth quarter on an alley-opp to Brook Lopez.
The Suns, who scored 20 three-pointers, pushed the tempo and defended strongly to deliver the win before a rocking crowd at the Phoenix Suns Arena.
Booker said there would be no let up in Sunday’s Game 3, when the best-of-seven series shifts to Milwaukee.
“It’s a 0-0 mindset for us going into Game Three,” said Booker, who connected on seven three-pointers and dished out six assists for the Phoenix Suns.
“It’s a Game Seven for us. Every game is a Game Seven at this point in the season. We’re locked in but we understand that’s a really good team over there,” Booker added.
“We know it gets rowdy in Milwaukee but I think we’re ready for it.”
While the Bucks have it all to do, they can take heart from the fact they have already battled back from a 0-2 deficit in the postseason. After dropping the first two games on the road against the Brooklyn Nets, they rallied to win the series.
Chidi Nwoke/Reuters/ESPN.
