"It's going to be all mental"- Giannis Antetokounmpo explains how Milwaukee Bucks can win 2021 NBA Finals after going 0-2 against Phoenix Suns
Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo's phenomenal 42-point effort, the Milwaukee Bucks suffered a 108-118 loss against the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
The "Greek Freak" waged a lone war for the Milwaukee Bucks. None of his teammates were able to cross the 20-point mark on a night when the Phoenix Suns put in a team effort to claim the win.
Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated the paint on both ends of the floor, grabbing 12 rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end. The majority of his points also came in the paint. He made 14 of 17 of his shots from there.
The 26-year-old seemed hopeful about the Milwaukee Bucks' chances of making a comeback. Here's what he said after the game:
"We have been here. We know what the deal is. To win this series, it’s going to be all mental.”
The Milwaukee Bucks have been in a similar situation (down 0-2) in the 2021 NBA Playoffs series against the Brooklyn Nets.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and co. will be hoping they can replicate their heroics from that series when they head to Wisconsin to play Games 3 and 4 of the 2021 NBA Finals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo looking healthy as Milwaukee Bucks look to defend home court in the next game
Milwaukee Bucks players and fans showed signs of concern every time Giannis Antetokounmpo took a hit in Game 2. They were particularly worried when the player was seen holding his left knee after a hard fall mid-game.
The Greek Freak injured his knee in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks. The injury ruled him out for the last two matches of that series.
During Game 2 against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, Giannis Antetokounmpo fell hard mid-game after colliding with Chris Paul. He seemed to be in pain and immediately held his injured knee. However, he later said that it was just a minor bump and that both of his knees must have collided against each other.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was taken out of the game early in the fourth quarter, which was a worrying sign for many fans. However, when asked about it, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer claimed the player endured some cramps and just needed a breather.
Even though Giannis wasn't afraid to use his body during plays on both ends of the floor in Game 2, the other Milwaukee Bucks players will need to provide more support to him.
The likes of Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, in particular, need to deliver better on the offensive end. They combined for only 28 points on the night.