{"id":21272,"date":"2021-07-07T07:28:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-07T12:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=21272"},"modified":"2021-07-07T07:28:34","modified_gmt":"2021-07-07T12:28:34","slug":"the-phoenix-suns-chris-paul-devin-booker-and-deandre-ayton-rolled-over-the-milwaukee-bucks-in-the-second-half-to-take-a-1-0-lead-in-the-finals-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=21272","title":{"rendered":"The Phoenix Suns CHRIS PAUL, DEVIN BOOKER. AND Deandre Ayton rolled over the Milwaukee Bucks in the second half, to take a 1-0 lead in the Finals series."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chris Paul carries Suns past Giannis, Bucks in NBA Finals opener<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n

Paul had 32 points and nine assists, Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the returning Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks 118-105 in Game 1.

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Suns guard Chris Paul scores as Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) and guard Jrue Holiday, left, look on during the second half of Game 1 of basketball\u2019s NBA Finals on July 6 in Phoenix<\/strong><\/figcaption>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/figure>\n
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PHOENIX \u2014 Chris Paul waited 16 years to get to the NBA Finals, bringing with him a team starving for its first championship.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The setting was entirely new.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The performance was same \u2018ol Chris Paul.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cJust knew he\u2019s ready,\u201d Phoenix forward Mikal Bridges said. \u201cHe\u2019s prepared his whole life for this moment and it shows out there on the court.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul had 32 points and nine assists in an NBA Finals debut that was well worth the wait, Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Suns beat the returning Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks 118-105 on Tuesday night in Game 1.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul scored 16 points during a sensational third quarter that had Phoenix fans who waited 28 years to see the NBA Finals again screaming in delight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time he shoots it we think it\u2019s going in,\u201d Booker said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It almost did in the third quarter, when Paul was 6 for 7 and made all three 3-pointers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally playing for the title in his 16th season, the star point guard has the Suns in the NBA Finals for only the third time, and it sure looked as if they could make this ending different than the other two.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been building all season long for these moments,\u201d Paul said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to keep playing. This is just one game. We\u2019ve got to stay locked in.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Deandre Ayton added 22 points and 19 rebounds to continue his breakout stretch of play in his first postseason.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Antetokounmpo had 20 points and 17 rebounds after missing two games with a hyperextended left knee. Khris Middleton scored 29 points, but the Bucks will have to play from behind again after dropping Game 1 for the third straight series.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know it\u2019s not going to be easy. We know it\u2019s going to be tough,\u201d Middleton said. \u201cThere\u2019s times where we\u2019re going to be down in this series. But this series isn\u2019t over. We\u2019re down. We\u2019ve still got to keep competing and just playing.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The series opener was the first NBA Finals game in Phoenix since Michael Jordan\u2019s Chicago Bulls won their third straight championship here in Game 6 in 1993. The Suns, who came into the NBA with the Bucks in 1968, made their only other finals appearance in 1976.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They hadn\u2019t even made the playoffs since 2010 and just two years ago were last in the Western Conference with a 19-63 record.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But Booker was already headed for stardom by then, and 2018 No. 1 pick Ayton has played at that level in the postseason. Paul has been steady as always since his arrival in an offseason trade.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now 36 and a 10-time All-NBA selection, he is on the list of best players to never win a championship. It appeared he might never even get to play for one until Oklahoma City dealt him to a team of Suns on the rise, and he might be the final piece that takes them all the way to the top.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite so many debuts on the finals stage \u2014 the Suns\u2019 Jae Crowder was the only player who had appeared in them, and that was for Miami at a neutral site last year \u2014 there didn\u2019t appear to be many first-time jitters.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But Paul shifted the Suns into another gear in the third. His opening jumper provided the first double-digit lead of the game, and he followed with a four-point play for the Suns\u2019 next basket.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He scored eight straight Phoenix points later in the period, hitting a 3-pointer, dancing around Bobby Portis for a layup and then hitting another 3. He then fired a pass to Ayton, who was fouled and made both free throws to make it 88-68 with 2:20 left.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTheir pick-and-roll game is tough to guard,\u201d Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. \u201cI think we\u2019ve just got to keep getting better. We\u2019ll look at the film. We\u2019ll see how we can maybe take away some of the rhythm.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bucks cut it down to seven near the midpoint of the fourth before Paul helped the Suns restore a safe margin. He found Booker for a 3-pointer, stole the ball from Middleton and then hit a jumper to make it 106-94.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Milwaukee also is making its third finals appearance, having won the title in 1971 but not getting another chance since losing in 1974. The Bucks got a boost for this appearance when Antetokounmpo worked his way back quickly from an injury that looked serious when it happened.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The two-time MVP missed the final two games of the Eastern Conference finals. He was listed as doubtful for the opener, but he was upgraded to questionable Tuesday and then inserted into the starting lineup after he worked out on the court before the game.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just happy that I\u2019m out there and I\u2019m able to help my team in any way possible and participate in my first NBA Finals,\u201d Antetokounmpo said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bucks threw a lob to Antetokounmpo on their first possession \u2014 a play similar to the one he was defending when he was injured in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against Atlanta \u2014 and he seemed to attack the basket just as forcefully as always.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But Jrue Holiday, who played so well while Antetokounmpo was out, shot just 4 for 14 and scored 10 points.<\/strong><\/p>\n

TIP-INS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bucks: The Bucks said they had 9,000 fans watching the game inside Fiserv Forum and 20,000 outside in the Deer District. \u2026 Brook Lopez scored 17 points.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suns: Ayton, who came in shooting 70.6% in the postseason, was 8 for 10. \u2026 Bridges scored 14 points. \u2026 The Suns are 4-0 in Game 1s in this postseason. \u2026 Reserve forward Dario Saric missed the second half with a right knee injury.<\/strong><\/p>\n

MORE ON THE SUNS VICTORY:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Phoenix Suns rolled over the Milwaukee Bucks in the second half, to take a 1-0 lead in the Finals series.

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The Phoenix Suns<\/a> hosted their first NBA Finals<\/a> game in more than 10,000 days tonight against a Milwaukee Bucks<\/a> team who had not been in a Finals game of their own in almost twice as many days.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Suns, buoyed by a crazy loud home crowd, broke out of a 45-45 tie with a 20-7 run that soon ran up to a 33-17 run and a 16-point late-third lead on the visiting Bucks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The big three of Deandre Ayton, Chris Paul and Devin Booker dominated the game for the Suns, each putting their stamp on the game at different times.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suns win, 118-105, and (somehow) lead in an NBA Finals series for the first time in the franchise\u2019s 54 year history. Neither of the prior two Finals appearances began well for the Valley.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chris Paul had a game-high 32 points plus dished 8 assists, while Devin Booker had 27 points, 6 assists and 3 steals and young center Deandre Ayton finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds against the Bucks mammoth front line.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How it unfolded<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Holy crap this place is loud! The counting of Giannis free throws was more deafening than I imagined.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Suns came out FIRED UP, which led to spirited defense and attacking on offense but also a whole lot of jump shot misses. In the opening minutes, the Suns shot 5-7 inside the arc but missed all four open threes including a pair of corner threes by Chris Paul.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suns down 12-10 at the 6:48 mark. All 10 of the Suns points were in the paint, as were the Bucks 10, the difference being a pair of free throws by Giannis (2 of 4 from the line).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Later in the quarter, the Suns got open for a pair of threes and Cameron Johnson and Cam Payne drained both, giving the Suns a 24-20 lead and a thunderous roar from the crowd. Devin Booker has been highly aggressive, having a hand in at least 16 of the Suns 24 points (8 points, 3 assists including both 3s).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suns finished the first quarter up 30-26.<\/strong><\/p>\n