Sports

Giannis scores 50 to drive Bucks to NBA Championship

Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 makes a dunk at the Amway in Orlando Florida on Saturday February 8, 2020. Photo Credit: Marty Jean-Louis

MILWAUKEE – It took 50 years for the Milwaukee Bucks and 50 points from Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to deliver the NBA Championship to Milwaukee. The Bucks won game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals over the Phoenix Suns 105-98 at the Fiserv Forum with reportedly over 65,000 fans losing their minds outside of the arena in the “Deer District”. This is the second title in franchise history and first since 1971.

Giannis was named MVP of the series for dominating the scoring sheets and strong defensive play. Giannis was almost unstoppable, averaging 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and five assists per game and at 26 years old, he becomes the youngest player to win Finals MVP since Kawhi Leonard did so at age 22 in 2014.

In Game 6, Giannis also had 14 rebounds, and five blocks and had is way in the paint whenever Phoenix gave him an opening. Antetokounmpo became just the seventh player in NBA history to score 50-plus points in a Finals game. He also became the first player ever to record 50 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a playoff game, per ESPN. 

Four other Bucks players score in double figures including 17 from Khris Middleton, 12 points and 11 assists from Jrue Holiday and 16 off the bench from Bobby Portis.

For the Suns, Chris Paul led the way with 26 points, Jae Crowder put up 15 points, 13 rebounds and four steals while  Devin Booker only managed 19.

The Bucks and Suns were fairly even in the first period, but Phoenix hit back to lead at halftime. Behind a 31-13 second quarter, including a 19-4 run which began with a 10-0 start, the Suns rebounded and took a five-point (47-42) lead at halftime. 

Chris Paul scored 10 points in the period and assisted on another five as he seemed more like himself in the second period.

Chris Paul’s careers has been knocked for not finishing after good starts in series. After going up 2-0 over Milwaukee in the series, the Suns dropped four straight games, marking the fourth time in his career that Paul’s team has lost a best-of-seven series after going up 2-0. He’s the first player ever to blow four such series leads.

Paul made it clear in post-game comments that he has no intention of retiring and is eager to getting started on running it again, hinting a return to the Suns next season.

Interestingly, Devin Booker, Kris Middleton, and Jru Holiday are all heading to Tokyo via private jet to join the US Olympic Basketball team.

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