Following a thrilling 123-119 critical Game 5 win on the road, the Milwaukee Bucks have taken a commanding 3-2 series lead over the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals and now stand one win away from the franchise’s first NBA Championship since 1971.
Phoenix flew off to a flying start as they led 37-21 after only one quarter, but Milwaukee came roaring back to take a 64-61 halftime lead by outscoring the Suns 43-24 in the second period. The Bucks resiliently gripped control from that point on before fending off a late surge that cut their lead to just one with under a minute remaining.
Phoenix had its chances, but Milwaukee was ultimately able to prevail in the end on the back’s of its star trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. It was a rollercoaster ride that had everybody on the edge of their seats with championships aspirations on the line, and it’ll go down as an all-time classic night that will be trenched in history, especially in the mean streets of Milwaukee.
As the Milwaukee Bucks earn a defining Game 5 road victory over the Phoenix Suns to take a 3-2 series lead in the NBA Finals, let’s examine three takeaways.
The Suns shot 55.2 percent from the floor, 68.4 percent from 3, outscored the Bucks 52-46 in the paint, led by as many as 16, All-Star Devin Booker had a second-consecutive 40-piece scoring outburst, and still lost. It’s a disheartening loss for this team that could haunt them for a while.
Despite poor execution and many miscommunications defensively, the Bucks were rolling on the offensive end and finally regained their hot shooting form from beyond the arc. They made 14-of-28 attempts from 3, shooting a playoff-high 50.0 percent from 3-point range.
It was an incredible display of offense from both teams, but Milwaukee’s turned out to be more lethal collectively with the stars and key role players efficiently thriving. Whether it was shot-making, playmaking for each other, or hustling for offensive rebounds and positioning, the Bucks were firing on all cylinders.
Let’s dive into three takeaways from a monumental, memorable Game 5 of the 2021 NBA Finals that has suddenly placed the Milwaukee Bucks one step away from claiming the world championship.