Phoenix Suns: 4 keys to success in the NBA Finals

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Phoenix Suns Jae Crowder (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports) /

Keys for the Phoenix Suns: Who defends Giannis?

There honestly is no player in the NBA who can guard Antetokounmpo. All teams can really do is double team him, try to keep him out of the paint and be as physical with him as possible, and hope he wears down and shoots for a low percentage from the field.

Ayton would be a viable option to guard him but then again the Suns don’t need their young star and leading rebounder getting in foul trouble because he is too valuable not to be on the floor. Crowder would be an ideal candidate to guard Antetokounmpo considering his never-back down attitude, physicality, and strength for his size and stature.

Even though he is a bit undersized at 6-foot-6 Crowder possesses the ability to be one of the premier 3-and-D players in the league. Then, there is Mikal Bridges who has proven to be one of the better wing defenders in the NBA but the Suns won’t need him expending all of his energy guarding Antetokounmpo in the post. It is also important for the Suns to limit the Bucks’ fast-break opportunities since Antetokounmpo thrives in the open court.

He is like a freight train coming down the floor and if the Suns’ defenders can’t beat him to the spot, all they will be able to do is foul him or hope he somehow misses the shot. Looking at the two matchups from the regular season, Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 47 points in the first game while five other Bucks scored in double figures in a 1-point victory for the Suns in a game that could have gone either way.

In the second game, Antetokounmpo scored 33 while only Middleton and Jrue Holiday were the only other Bucks to score in double figures in another 1-point win for the Suns. Even if the Suns can clog the lane and prevent Antetokounmpo from driving and force him to kick the ball out to his shooters, the Suns will have to close out and rotate quickly to avoid giving the Bucks open looks.

In the end, the Suns must understand that there is no answer for stopping Antetokounmpo, but if the rest of his team can be neutralized, it increases the Suns’ chances of winning the series.