A half-century, the period that fans of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Deer District have prayed and waited, and year after year, the wishes only intensified.
Just one championship for the mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, essentially any family member who rooted for the Bucks and lived long enough to see it become a reality and for those no longer here and left this world with the empty feeling of not seeing a dream fulfilled.
Now it’s a reality, Milwaukee, it’s real, it’s Larry O’Brien, and he’s coming to your house. Milwaukee’s 105-98 win over Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and the Phoenix Suns ends a six-game series and caps off a four-game winning streak for the franchise’s first title since 1971 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was at the helm.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, affectionately known as the Greek Freak, has pulled off a remarkable feat and now boasts both the title and a Finals MVP to show for it. Oh, and he dropped 50 points in the close-out game.
Also, Giannis is only the second player in league history to have three 40+ points and 10+ rebound games in a single NBA Finals, joining Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. He also is the second player to score 50 in a close-out game, joining Bob Petit, who accomplished the feat in 1958.
The Milwaukee Bucks not only won the NBA Title but scored a big victory for small market sports teams everywhere.
What truly makes this run special is the cast of characters that forms this Bucks roster. Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, and Jrue Holiday aren’t the guys that ESPN features consistently like LeBron James, but they step up, contribute, and knock down shots when needed.
Moreover, Charles Barkley’s GUARANTEE came true as he picked the Bucks to beat Phoenix, whom he played for the last time the Suns made the finals in 1993, only to lose that series in six games to Chicago and Michael Jordan.
It’s a breath of fresh air, it’s new, and given the scene of the crowd that stood outside the Bucks’ arena for Game 6, the victory means so much to them.
But the Milwaukee Bucks won more than just the title; they won the opportunity to say that small markets can sometimes be just as great as the big leaguers.
It’s not just about Los Angeles or New York or Boston in the NBA; it’s about everyone else as well. Why should coverage be singled towards those cities when something exciting is brewing elsewhere?
Even for Phoenix, who walks away as the runner-ups, they deserved some air time as well and finally got it, albeit due to being in the postseason. They won the first two games of this series, and though they lost the next four, they put their city on the map.
But it’s really all about Milwaukee. 50 years of waiting, hope, and prayers are finally given a blessing. They went to the finals in 1974 but lost to Boston. Since then, they have had their moments, but truly nothing to show for it, until now.
Also, it was not just their leader, who ignored voices that told him to go to a bigger market and leave Milwaukee because of the playoff disappointments, who stepped up; it was the entire team making contributions when it counted.
Congratulations to the city of Milwaukee, congrats to Aaron Rodgers, an NFL champion and now an NBA Champion as a minority owner, and congrats to Tom Grossi, notable YouTuber, and notable Bucks fan.
Last but certainly not least, congratulations to the fanbase of the Milwaukee Bucks and the team itself. You waited five decades to hear these words, and they ring out loud and clear for those who tell us to Fear the Deer. The Milwaukee Bucks are the 2021 NBA Champions.