Adversity awaits as the Milwaukee Bucks are set to square off against the Phoenix Suns in a crucial Game 3 of the NBA Finals tonight.
After dropping the first two games in Phoenix, this Milwaukee team finds themselves in an early hole that they will have to do some digging to get out of. Those first two games were far from the best the Bucks have played during this postseason run, and losing both contests by double-digits should certainly serve as a wake-up call for everyone involved.
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Perhaps playing in front of their vibrant home crowd at Fiserv Forum and getting an extra day’s worth of rest will help jolt some energy into the players, as this third installment in the series is a must-win for the Bucks.
While they would undeniably like to leave the past behind them and forget about the previous two matchups, there are several things they could learn to better prepare for Game 3. With that being said, here are three keys to victory for tonight’s battle between the Bucks and Suns.
The Milwaukee Bucks need Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday to get going in Game 3 vs. the Phoenix Suns
Among the biggest storylines in this series have been how little Milwaukee’s supporting cast has stepped up.
The first name that many are quick to bring up is Jrue Holiday, and rightfully so, as the guard has been downright awful on the offensive end in the first two games to kick off this series. Although he is playing a facilitating role well by handing out 16 assists, Holiday has failed to generate any offense for himself as he cannot buy a bucket whatsoever. The floor general has scored a mere 27 total points between Games 1 and 2, shooting a brutal 11-of-35 from the floor, including 1-of-7 from behind the arc.
A massive factor in this sluggish offense has been Holiday’s failure to capitalize close to the basket, which is something he has preached throughout this entire offseason when it comes to being more aggressive when looking to score. According to NBA.com/stats, Holiday is shooting a horrific 6-of-14 (42.9 percent) in the restricted area, an awful and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) from the non-restricted painted area during this series. Those lackluster numbers are enough to make someone want to pull their hair out.
For whatever reason, the guard has lost his touch at the rim with the basketball in his hands, an area to which he previously thrived. Yet, despite this sluggish stretch, the team will need him to remain aggressive offensively to lighten the load off the other stars, but that entails taking smart shots and making them, particularly right at the rim. After poor performances in back-to-back games, Holiday’s ability to bounce back in Game 3 will be pivotal.
The same goes for Khris Middleton, who has had a shaky start on the offensive end to the series. Middleton led the team with a respectable 29 points in the opening loss, but it took him 26 shots to get there as he never found a groove until late. He followed that up in Game 2 with one of his worst playoff performances to date by scoring 11 points on 16 shots in the loss. The forward has had many mighty performances this postseason to elevate the Bucks, but with another stale performance fresh in everyone’s mind, all eyes will be fixated on him in Game 3 to see if he can step up when the team needs him.
Simply put, these two need to provide the proper reinforcement to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Just over a week removed from hyperextending his knee, the Greek Freak put the team on his back in Game 2 by scoring 42 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, but it was not enough as the Suns kept firm control of the game as this one-man army left everything out on the floor. This type of night from Holiday and Middleton cannot happen again if the Bucks will claw their way back into this series, and they must realize that with their backs against the wall trailing 0-2.
The Milwaukee Bucks must limit Devin Booker and Chris Paul in Game 3 vs. the Phoenix Suns
Arguably the biggest key to victory for the Bucks entering this entire series was slowing down the talented tandem of Devin Booker and Chris Paul. They are the engine that makes that team go, and Milwaukee’s reputable defense has failed to keep them in check to any extent over the first two games played in this matchup.
Booker has been on a scoring tear as he is averaging 29 points on 43.5 percent field goal shooting, including 40 percent from behind the arc. The natural-born scorer has torched the Bucks, and it is clear that they cannot sustain this assault for much longer. Two players that should see more time against Booker are Jrue Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo. According to NBA.com/stats, the guard has shot just 1-of-9 when being defended by Holiday, and 2-of-6 by Antetokounmpo.
These two all-world defenders have the tools to slow him down, and they will be the key to slowing him down moving forward. Booker will consistently try to get a mismatch in his favor by drawing Brook Lopez or Bobby Portis as his primary defender, but the Bucks need to make it harder on him to score. Yet, even when he gets that advantage, he has simply made an array of tough shots that the players can only tip their hat to afterward. Yet, with a First Team All-Defense guard and Defensive Player of the Year in the fold, the Bucks have the personnel to turn things around defensively.
As for Paul, he has been carving up the Bucks offensively by averaging 27.5 points while shooting 56.4 percent from the floor and 58.3 percent from three. Handing out an impressive 8.5 assists as well, the Bucks have been unable to combat his vigorous assault on the offensive end. Holiday has not managed to replicate that same defensive excellence on Paul that he has Booker, as CP3 is shooting 7-of-10 (5-of-5 from deep) when defended by Holiday.
One player that has seen his share of success on Paul defensively is P.J. Tucker, who has played impactful defense all throughout these playoffs. The defensive ace has done a great job defending his former teammate by holding him to 2-of-6 shooting, and although this is a rather unorthodox matchup given the positions, it is one this team must continue utilizing. The same switching will occur here as Paul has exploited Milwaukee’s big men, but this team must prevent themselves from getting picked apart by these two once more.
If the Bucks continue letting these two run wild and tear them to shreds with their crafty offense, the same problems from the first two games will arise once more.
The Milwaukee Bucks must defend the perimeter in Game 3 vs. the Phoenix Suns
A Bucks fan can only ask themselves so many times, “The opposing team cannot keep shooting like this for the entire game, right?” Defending the perimeter is a flaw that has haunted this team for the past several years, and it returned during Thursday’s Game 2 with the Suns.
Phoenix caught fire from 3-point range early, knocking down eight triples in the first quarter alone, three less than they hit throughout the entirety of Game 1. They never took their foot off the gas as they would finish with 20 triples in 40 attempts, claiming a new franchise playoff record for the most threes in a game. There has always been a running joke that teams break all of their previous shooting records when they are playing the Bucks and that ultimately proved true as the Suns had an unbelievable shooting night from deep.
Whether or not they can sustain that shooting remains up in the air, but the Bucks would certainly not like to take that chance entering this must-win game. While the Suns deserve credit for once again knocking is tough shots from the perimeter, there were several instances of overhelping by Milwaukee that gave Phoenix great looks on the perimeter to help get the ball rolling. They must tighten up the defense from long range this time around, which will be a tall task as this entire roster can shoot the ball at an extremely high level.
Booker was on fire from deep in Game 2 by shooting 7-of-12 from long range, helping fuel his electric performance. Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, and Mikal Bridges were all respectable from deep as well as they poured in three each, while Cameron Johnson and Torrey Craig both chipped in a pair to cement a solid all-around team shooting night. Making those looks as tough as possible will be among the top priorities for the Bucks, as another 20 threes from the Suns would practically be a death sentence in Game 3.
The Bucks and Suns will square off in Game 3 of the NBA Finals tonight back at Fiserv Forum, and be sure to catch the action at 7:00 p.m. CST on ABC.