Milwaukee Bucks 105-118 Phoenix Suns: 5 Hits and flops as Chris Paul and co. take 1-0 lead in the 2021 NBA Finals
The 2021 NBA Finals got off to an exhilarating start with the Phoenix Suns edging out the Milwaukee Bucks 118-105 in Game 1 at home. Chris Paul masterminded the victory once again, but it was, by and large, a team effort from the Suns with six of their players scoring in double digits.
The game started off on equal footing with both teams exchanging blows regularly. Giannis Antetokounmpo's healthy movement during this period was a huge takeaway for the Milwaukee Bucks. It was only late in the second quarter that the Phoenix Suns managed to create some separation.
Monty Williams' men started running away with the show in the third quarter and established a 20-point lead. That's when Khris Middleton rose to the occasion to cut the Milwaukee Bucks' deficit to seven points. But the Phoenix Suns' backcourt duo of Chris Paul and Devin Booker retaliated in time to close out the game.
Without further ado, let's look at the hits and flops from the Phoenix Suns' win against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals.
#1 Hit: Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns)
Chris Paul made his NBA Finals debut one worth remembering. Paul did not perform to the expectations of Phoenix Suns fans in the first quarter and failed to open his scoring account until the second. But once he got his first point on the board, CP3 didn't look back.
Paul first went on a 6-0 run of his own in the second quarter to give the Phoenix Suns an early cushion in the game. He finished with 11 points in this period. Point God went into overdrive in the third, scoring 16 points. His scoring burst allowed the Suns to establish a 20-point lead over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Paul maneuvered his way around the Bucks' defense, whether it was on defensive switches or drop coverage, and got to his spot almost every time. He was up to his usual playmaking antics in the pick-and-roll with Deandre Ayton too. Paul finished with 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting and also had nine assists to his name.
#2 Flop: Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks)
Brook Lopez had a hot start against the Phoenix Suns and it seemed as if he had carried over his aggression from Game 6 against the Atlanta Hawks where he scored 33 points. Lopez helped the Milwaukee Bucks establish some dominance in the paint on offense. Defensively, though, the Suns feasted on him.
Head coach Mike Budenholzer initially opted to switch everything on defense, but that didn't work out as both Devin Booker and Chris Paul were too quick for Lopez to stay in front of. The Milwaukee Bucks then moved to drop coverage and this allowed the Phoenix Suns' backcourt duo to thrive in mid-range.
The situation became so grim that Brook Lopez had to be taken out of the game with over five minutes left in the third quarter and he did not return to the court. Lopez scored 17 points on 50% shooting, but despite playing just 23 minutes, he had a plus-minus rating of -17, the lowest amongst all Milwaukee Bucks players.