NBA Finals perfectly poised at 2-2 as series returns to Phoenix for critical Game 5
Coverage of the NBA Finals continues on Saturday night as the series heads back to Phoenix all square at 2-2; watch Devin Booker and the Suns host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in a critical Game 5 encounter, live on Sky Sports Arena from 1.45am
Sunday 18 July 2021 07:01, UK
The naysayers will claim these are not the two teams that belong in an NBA Finals series, franchises that have won a single championship between them and have endured Finals droughts stretching back to 1993 for the Suns and 1974 for the Bucks.
Those were the days when Charles Barkley was an MVP in Phoenix and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - present at the Fiserv Forum during Tuesday night's magnificent Game 4 - an MVP in Milwaukee.
These teams are not the Los Angeles Lakers nor the Boston Celtics of yesteryear, that much is correct, but are people really complaining about watching Giannis Antetokounmpo - the single best basketball player in the world over the past few seasons - tear up the NBA Finals stage with historic 40-point performances? Don't even get me started on 'The Block'.
Or Chris Paul - who was not at his typical 'Point God' best in Game 4 - gun for his very first ring alongside Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, two of the league's most impressive young stars? Indeed, Booker has already broken the record for most points in a debut post-season. He has at least two (but probably three) more games to add to his tally.
Through the first four encounters, this NBA Finals has already been a bona fide classic and there is a simple reason for that beyond that quality of talent on show and the fact we already have our series highlight (yep - the block): these two teams are perfectly matched. There is almost nothing to choose between them.
Take, for instance, the series points totals so far. The Phoenix Suns have 439 after Game 4. The Milwaukee Bucks, however, are positively streaking ahead with 442. Have a moment to think about that. After 192 minutes of basketball there is only a single three-pointer separating the two teams.
Then there is that other point: both teams have been utterly dominant with homecourt advantage. The Bucks have lost only one of their 10 games at the Fiserv Forum during the playoffs. The Phoenix Suns at home? Only two of 10. Their overall records - 14-7 for the Bucks and 14-6 for the Suns - are also eerily similar.
Through the 20 and 21 games both teams have played they also possess a net rating (offensive rating minus defensive rating) differentiated only by a tenth of a decimal. The Milwaukee Bucks have been 5.3 points better than their opponents overall during the post-season, the Phoenix Suns 5.2 points. Talk about fine margins.
Milwaukee are the better defensive while Phoenix are better offensively. Both sides average between 109-110 points per game while playing at a similar pace. The Suns shoot better, but the Bucks make up for it by shooting more.
After Games 1 and 2, it seemed as though Phoenix were going to dominate this Finals through the playmaking ability of Paul, relentless scoring of Booker and all-round skill of Ayton as a focal big man. In Games 3 and 4, Milwaukee came roaring back behind a Giannis performance for the ages, during which he utterly bullied the Suns in the paint at both ends, and then a consummate team effort where they rallied back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Middleton and Booker both had 40-point games on Wednesday night. Paul and Jrue Holiday both struggled mightily, appearing to cancel each other out on the defensive end. Giannis and Ayton ruled over the glass. Pat Connaughton and Jae Crowder both hit a trio of timely three-pointers for their team. The scheming of head coaches Monty Williams and Mike Budenholzer went back and fourth, with surprise minutes for Jeff Teague off the Bucks bench and more Portis, less Lopez for coach Bud. Williams attempted to navigate Booker's early foul trouble without losing the lead and minus Dario Saric, he was forced to stay small with wings surrounding Ayton.
In the end, it was only the clutch shooting of Khris Middleton and a play from another world from Giannis Antetokounmpo that settled matters in a game of nine lead changes. Neither team possessed an advantage that double digits, emphasising just how tight it was.
The first trio of fixtures were not as close, admittedly, with the home victor usually running away with things during the second half. But now, given these teams have had four contests in 10 days to figure each other out, it seems likely going to be as nail-biting as Game 4 the rest of the way.
Milwaukee have the momentum heading into what is now a best-of-three mini-series of its own. But Phoenix have two of those games at their own arena, where we know the fans blow the roof off. Chris Paul is unlikely to play as poorly as he did in Game 4, while Khris Middleton's shot has wavered on the road and another 40-point masterclass seems improbable.
As the Marvel supervillain Thanos once said, feeling the weight of the blade of a knife on his fingertip: "It's perfectly balanced, as all things should be." Bring it on.
Live NBA Finals 5: Milwaukee @ Phoenix Gm5 17.07 2545
