In NBA history, no team has ever recovered from a 0-3 deficit and win a seven-game series. The Milwaukee Bucks, with their horns gotten entangled in the Valley of the Suns, had gotten back into the deer park and corrected themselves.
Hosting their first Finals game after 47 years, they simply wiped the daylights out of the Suns with a masterful Game 3 showing at the Fiserv Arena. And yes, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis came to play with a combined 61-point effort. Head of the herd Giannis Antetokounmpo, as usual, was the most impressive.
For the second straight game, Giannis scored 41 points, had 13 rebounds and 6 assists. In a Game 2 losing effort, he scored 42 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.
His performance landed him in a very exclusive group of players who recorded back-to-back 40-plus points in an NBA Finals. He joins LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West and Rick Barry. Going up a notch, Giannis and Shaq are the only players in the history of the Finals who had back-to-back 40+ points and 10+ rebounds.
Ironically, it was during the 1993 Finals between Chicago and Phoenix when Jordan scored four consecutive 40+ point games and Giannis, now also facing the Suns, is two games shy of equaling MJ’s Finals feat, and maybe perhaps eclipsing it.
It also helped Milwaukee’s cause that Devin Booker was neutralized, with a very uncharacteristic field goal percentage of 21.4%, scoring only 10 points in 29 minutes. This was way below his 2-game Finals average of 29 points.
If we are to describe Giannis’ Finals performance, sensational would be an understatement. By far, he is the best player, in my opinion of this championship series and will be my choice for the Finals MVP.
Entering today’s Game 4, Milwaukee in all likelihood will tie the series. But owing to Phoenix’s deeper bench, I’m favoring the Suns to clinch the trophy in six games.