Phoenix Suns: All goes according to plan in Game 1; How will Bucks counter?
All goes according to plan for the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 as they take a 1-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals.
Led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker – along with a strong contribution from Deandre Ayton – all went according to plan for the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Suns hold a 1-0 series lead as the teams prepare for Game 2 in Phoenix.
Game 1 was headlined by the return of Giannis Antetokoynmpo, who made his return after a scary knee injury that he suffered in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks, and he came through for the Bucks.
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Giannis was impressive in spurts and managed to play 35 minutes in his return but it was Paul and the Suns that were able to control the game from beginning to end to set the tone for the series. From the onset, the Suns’ offense had their way with Milwaukee’s defense.
Paul and Booker were able to get to their spots offensively and Ayton fed off the Bucks’ bigs, who struggled mightily on the night overall. Paul finished with 32 points, nine assists, and four rebounds while Booker added 27 points and six assists. Ayton feasted on the boards as he collected 19 of them and added 22 points.
Milwaukee was sputtering from the opening tip and their offense never seemed to click. Other than a strong night from Khris Middleton, who finished with 29 points, the Bucks got little from Jrue Holiday and Giannis.
Phoenix centered their entire defense on stopping Giannis, and while he was effective (20 points and 17 rebounds), he was held to 11 shot attempts on the night. Holiday struggled with his shooting all night and finished with 10 points on 4-14 from the field.
How will the Milwaukee Bucks counter in Game 2?
It’s tough to say how exactly the Bucks will counter heading into Game 2, although you’d have to expect that they’re going to try and counter what didn’t work for the team in Game 1. Then again, knowing head coach Mike Budenholzer’s philosophy – or track history – that’s also no guarantee that he’ll be open to knee-jerk changes after just one game.
Perhaps the Bucks are in a better position if they can free up Giannis a bit more or if their offense simply looks more fluid in Game 2.
Either way, it’s clear that the Bucks need to make the Suns more uncomfortable on the offensive end – one way or another. It’ll be interesting to see how they adjust heading into Game 2.