Phoenix Suns vs Milwaukee Bucks
Despite being down 0-2, the Milwaukee Bucks have come back to life after winning their two games at home and now they can claim the series advantage with a vital road victory.
The Suns, however, have been one of the best NBA teams at home this postseason and they aren’t going to bow down against their streaking opponents that easily.
When the series is level at 2-2, the team that wins Game 5 goes on to win the series at around 75-per cent of the time, making this a must-win match for both sides.
As the NBA Finals continues to heat up, let’s discuss how the Suns and the Bucks can get over the hump this weekend here at SBOTOP.
Talking Points
Devin Booker can’t do it all alone for the Suns
After a horrible performance in Game 3, Devin Booker came out firing in Game 4 but apparently it wasn’t enough to topple the Bucks.
The 24-year-old combo guard dropped 42 points on 17-for-28 shooting from the field, but none of his teammates followed suit as they’ve only combined for 38 points.
Devin Booker scored 18 of his 42 points in the third period to where he made all of his field goals that helped the Suns stay afloat up until the end.
However, co-stars Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton only had 16 points combined and their bench was sub-optimal in this game.
Chris Paul, who was one of the favourites to win the Finals MVP, only had 10 points and seven assists. However, he also had five turnovers – including the one late in the fourth period that essentially sealed the game.
Deandre Ayton only tallied six points, but he made up for it with his activity on the defencive end by grabbing 17 boards and three blocked shots.
Jae Crowder was their second leading scorer with 15 but he shot poorly from the field at 30-per cent.
With the Suns losing back-to-back, momentum is suddenly not on their side heading into Game 5. However, all is not lost for them since they still hold the homecourt advantage in what is now a best-of-three series.
If they plan on reclaiming the edge, Chris Paul and Devin Booker both need to be at their sparkling best at the same time.
Which Khris Middleton are the Bucks going to get?
Khris Middleton has been an enigma throughout this NBA playoffs. On one night, he’ll look like a superstar dropping NBA 2021 highlights en route to tallying 30+ points, and on the next one he’ll have an inefficient 16-point night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been doing his part with his historical production. But just like on the other side, one man can’t do it alone.
The 29-year-old swingman was phenomenal in Game 4 as he led the Bucks with 40 points, including some big shots down the stretch in the final period.
Middleton is undoubtedly the second-best player for the Bucks and he has to show up night and night out for them to have a chance of winning this series through his perimeter scoring and defence.
History
The Suns have to be wary about the Bucks’ resilience since they are no strangers to comebacks so far this postseason.
Against the mighty Nets, the Bucks came back from 0-2 and they eventually won the series at Game 7 in Brooklyn.
When the series was level at 2-2 in the ECF, Milwaukee took Game 5 and they sealed the deal in Game 6 even without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Khris Middleton’s Game 4 performance was one for the books as he had the fourth-most points in a finals game by a non-All-Star this season (40). In fact, he outscored the Suns 10-4 in the final 2:15 of regulation.
Him and Giannis Antetokounmpo became the third pair of teammates to each score 40 points in a single NBA Finals series, albeit not at the same time.
The Greek Freak is on pace to become the first player ever to average a 25-10-5-1-1 while shooting 55-per cent from the field in a single playoff run.
Meanwhile, Devin Booker has scored the most points ever by a player in his first postseason run at 522 points and counting, surpassing Rick Barry’s previous record.
What are the odds?
Even with the series level at 2-2, the Suns remain the prohibitive favourites here in our NBA 2021 odds to win the championship.
They have the lower spread in the Asian Handicap market at -0.00 @ 1.72 to win the whole thing while the Bucks are not far behind at -0.00 @ 2.19.
With at least two more games remaining, this Finals series will all boil down to which stars will shine the brightest.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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