Milwaukee Bucks: 3 areas to build on from Game 3 victory in NBA Finals

Milwaukee Bucks must continue chasing the Suns off the 3-point line

For as much as the Bucks took it to the Suns on the glass and got them rotating on defense, Phoenix’s shooting regression was certainly one of the biggest keys in Game 3.

After going 20-for-40 from beyond the arc in Game 2, which certainly powered the Suns to victory and served as the most makes they’ve had in a playoff game this year, the Suns had a shooting slide in Game 3. Going 9-for-31 from long range, good for 29 percent, the Bucks made a more concerted effort to make Phoenix’s 3-point looks much more tougher game over game.

After going 14-for-22 on 3-pointers deemed wide-open in Game 2, the Suns went 5-for-14 on such looks (35.7 percent) in Game 3. Furthermore, after going 10-for-17 on corner threes in Game 2, the Suns went 0-for-4 on such shots in Game 3.

Some of that certainly came as a result of the Bucks locking down when getting back and defending in transition. Some of it also attributable to the Bucks staying glued to the Suns’ more dangerous shooters such as Devin Booker and sending bodies his way as he looked to create shots off the dribble, whether in halfcourt or semi-transition settings.

With the Suns so reliant on jump shots, whether beyond the arc or from the mid-range area, being able to stay connected to the likes of Booker and Paul is just half of the battle for the Bucks.

They’ve thrown multiple coverages the Suns’ way over the course of this series, but the mixture of ball pressure, sound help defending and increased communication certainly propelled the Bucks to their Game 3 victory.

We’ll see whether the Bucks can get the job done in Game 4 and even up the series before it goes back to Phoenix for Game 5 later this weekend. If Milwaukee plays up to the level they showed for Game 3, there’s a very good chance the Bucks can put the pressure back on Phoenix.