Photo via Twitter / Bucks
On Sunday night, Milwaukee hosted its first NBA Finals game since 1974, and the spectacle of it all could have been enough to take the Milwaukee Bucks out of the game. Fortunately, that was very much not the case, and a special night felt even bigger with a commanding home win.
There was no shortage of pressure on Milwaukee. The team came into Sunday night’s contest down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, and no team in NBA history has ever rallied back from going down three games. While it wasn’t a totally do-or-die situation for Milwaukee, it was as close to it as they could get, and when the pressure was on, they were able to respond.
The night started close, as has every game this season with Milwaukee and Phoenix. Both teams traded big baskets and defensive stops, as well as the lead in the process. It felt, in many ways, how an NBA Finals contest should. The Suns clung to a three-point lead after the first quarter, but things broke open in the second, and Milwaukee was able to pull away. It wasn’t until the midway point of the second quarter that either team was able to establish a run of offense, ignited by a Giannis Antetokounmpo dunk that put Fiserv Forum and the Deer District into a frenzy. Misses from Phoenix converted into baskets from Giannis, Khris Middleton and fan favorite Bobby Portis to give the Bucks a 15-point advantage at the half.
Giannis would finish 41 points and 13 rebounds, becoming the only player besides Shaquille O’Neal to have consecutive NBA Finals games with over 40 points and 10 boards. His well-documented struggles at the free throw line were mostly absent on Sunday as well, making 13 of 17 from the stripe to contribute to his point total. They would prove important, as Milwaukee thrived on getting bodies to the paint and initiating contact. That became a factor in the second half, when Phoenix all but evaporated the Bucks’ lead in the early going of the third quarter. It wasn’t enough to overtake Milwaukee, but forced Antetokounmpo, along with Jrue Holiday to shift into a different gear on the offensive side of the ball. A massive 16-0 run closed out the third quarter, starting the celebrations Downtown.
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Milwaukee took a 22-point lead into the fourth quarter, and were able to ride that momentum to the final buzzer. Notably absent for Phoenix was star guard Devin Booker, who played the least minutes of the Suns’ starters. The lopsided score also allowed for Milwaukee’s bench to relieve their stars down the stretch. The rest will be well needed, as a crucial game four at home takes place on Wednesday night. Milwaukee won by a total of 120-100, and in the process gave the city their first taste of the NBA Finals since 1974.
Outside of Fiserv Forum, an estimated 25,000 fans flooded the Deer District. Fans were loud all night, amplifying cheers every time they were shown on national television. Bucks in six chants broke out with every offensive run, and the atmosphere truly captured the magnitude of what this franchise has been able to achieve so far.
Game four of the NBA Finals tips off on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. from Fiserv Forum, airing on ABC nationally. Milwaukee will look to tie the series up before returning to Phoenix for game five on Saturday night in Phoenix. Fans can find out information about playoff watch parties at the Deer District on the Bucks website.
