In Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals, the Suns tore the Bucks apart from mid-range. So, Milwaukee adjusted but Phoenix had another arsenal in their armoury - the 3-point shot.
The Suns knocked down a playoff franchise-record 20 3-pointers on 50 percent efficiency, becoming only the second team ever to do so .
Bouncing back from a nearly nine-point deficit, the hosts took control of this game with a 30-16 second quarter, after which they never handed away the control of the game. The 118-108 Game 2 victory gives the Suns a 2-0 series lead and puts them within just two wins of their first-ever NBA championship.
For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the star but he didn't receive the adequate help needed. That said, here is a quick look at the player ratings from Game 2 of the Finals:
Giannis Antetokounmpo - 9.5
The Greek Freak was clearly the best player on the floor in Game 2. He is truly living upto his nickname of a 'freak'. To put up these numbers while still experiencing pain from the left knee hyperextension from just over a week earlier, is just superhuman.
After the Bucks fell behind by double-digits around halftime, Antetokounmpo took over in the second half, especially in the third. That explosion put his name alongside some elite company.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (20 points in the 3rd quarter of Game 2) is the 4th player to score 20+ points in an NBA Finals quarter over the last 50 seasons.
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) July 9, 2021
The other 3 are Michael Jordan (1993 Finals), Isiah Thomas (1988 & 1990 Finals) and Joe Dumars (1989 Finals). pic.twitter.com/I30GzQEcal
He finished the game with 42 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. He was so invaluable in this game that despite playing 40 minutes, he was the only Bucks player to record a positive plus-minus (+3).
That's leadership. pic.twitter.com/ZPQkqgQM9I
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 9, 2021
Courtesy his statline, he becomes the first player in franchise history to record a 40-10 double-double in the Finals. His performance means that five of the last seven 40-point games in the NBA Finals have resulted in losses.
Only four players since the NBA-ABA merger have had 40 Pts and 10 Reb in a Finals loss:
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 9, 2021
🏀 Giannis Antetokounmpo
🏀 LeBron James
🏀 Shaquille O'Neal
🏀 Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/OWrJQMggVM
Devin Booker - 9
Among the Suns' backcourt, If Game 1 was Chris Paul's, Game 2 belonged to Devin Booker.
After a slow start, shooting 2-of-8 from the field in the first quarter, the 6'5" shooting guard stepped up in the second half. Knocking down shots at will, he came up huge and had an answer every time the Bucks were making a run in the second half.
He scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half on an incredible efficiency.
At the final horn, he had registered six assists and knocked down seven 3-pointers on 12 attempts. The seven makes are one short of his playoff career-high and the efficiency of 58.3 percent efficiency is the third-best of his playoff career.
Devin Booker is making noise in the Finals at a young age 💯 pic.twitter.com/tcqS9B3WZV
— ESPN (@espn) July 9, 2021
His 48.0 percent efficiency from the field is the first time he's knocked down shots upwards of 41.0 percent since his 40-point triple-double (51.7 percent) in Game 1 against the LA Clippers. After Game 2, his tally for the playoff is up to 459 points, which is the fourth-most ever in a debut postseason.
Mikal Bridges - 8.5
To overcome Antetokounmpo's big night, the Suns All-Star backcourt needed more support than they received in Game 1.
The trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson combined for 25 points but that production stepped up to 46, led by a playoff career-high 27 from Bridges.
Devin Booker is making noise in the Finals at a young age 💯 pic.twitter.com/tcqS9B3WZV
— ESPN (@espn) July 9, 2021
Along with grabbing seven rebounds and going a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line, Bridges still kept up his level of play on defence.
Crowder went from going 0-of-8 in Game 1 to nailing 4-of-8 including three 3-pointers in Game 2 to finish with 11.
Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul - 7.5
Given the high standards they set for themselves in Game 1, the duo of Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul had sub-par performances in Game 2.
Deandre Ayton went from recording a 22-19 double-double on 8-of-10 shooting in Game 1 to a 10-11 double-double on 4-of-10 shooting in Game 2. However, as he has shown numerous times this season and even in the 2021 playoffs, Ayton learns.
After some advice from coach Monty Williams, in a clip that went viral, Ayton stuffed the stat sheet in the final seven minutes of the game - two points, three rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block.
SOUND ON for this Monty Williams coaching moment with Deandre Ayton. 💯#NBAFinals on ABC pic.twitter.com/qPqD2Y4Ryd
— NBA (@NBA) July 9, 2021
The same could be said for CP3. After a Finals debut for the record books, the 16-year veteran finished with 23 points and eight assists on 10-of-20 shooting in Game 2.
He went from just two turnovers in Game 1 to being responsible for six of the team's 12 turnovers.
Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday - 6.5
The Bucks have been in a 0-2 hole before - against the Brooklyn Nets in the Conference Semifinals - but it's clear they are not going to be able to get on the board in these Finals unless one of their guards in the back court step-up.
Jrue Holiday started out hot, scoring six of the team's first 12 points but overall, he struggled to knock down shots efficiently. He finished the game with 17 points on 7-of-21 shooting from the field.
Khris Middleton also found it hard to nail shots, as he only scored 11 for the game on 5-of-16 shooting from the field including 1-of-6 from 3-point range. Although the duo combined for 15 of the team's 21 assists, they also contributed for seven of the team's 17 turnovers.
That combined with their shooting struggles really hurt the Bucks chances of making a legitimate run in the second half.
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