Strap in, there are bound to be fireworks in tonight’s Game 4 between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals.
The first three matchups have been must-see and signal that this fourth installment will be very unpredictable until that final buzzer sounds. The series started as the Suns jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after winning the first two matchups on their home court in convincing fashion. Needing to secure a victory to virtually keep their playoff hopes alive, the Bucks regrouped and earned a much-needed 120-100 victory at Fiserv Forum to make it a 2-1 series in favor of Phoenix.
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Resiliency and adversity have been a staple in this playoff run for Milwaukee, and that will certainly continue after digging themselves in this early hole to kick off the series.
If they will even up the series tonight, the Bucks will have to emphasize several key factors that made them successful in their thrilling Game 3 victory. With that being said, here are three keys to victory for a critical Game 4 tonight between the Bucks and Suns.
The Milwaukee Bucks will need to keep feeding Giannis Antetokounmpo in dire Game 4 vs. the Phoenix Suns
There is no denying that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s greatness has been on full display during his first trip to the NBA Finals.
After tallying 20 points and 17 rebounds in Game 1, the Greek Freak has erupted in the past two contests with performances of 42 points and 12 rebounds, and 41 points and 13 rebounds. Continuing the excellence that has been witnessed throughout this entire playoff run, Giannis has been a dominant force on both ends of the floor, putting up numbers that are typically unheard of in his first trip to the NBA Finals. It is a no-brainer that the Bucks will look to keep that momentum rolling heading into this pivotal Game 4 matchup.
A massive reason for this sheer dominance has been Antetokounmpo’s willingness to settle down on his jump shots and take a more aggressive approach inside. According to NBA.com/stats, he is shooting an astounding 26-of-28 (92.9 percent) from the restricted area in this series, imposing his will offensively close to the basket with consistency. That does not mean he has stopped his shooting elsewhere entirely, as he is 3-of-9 from the mid-range and 2-of-9 from deep, but it is clear that attacking inside has been a winning formula for him.
Antetokounmpo has made history throughout these first three games in the Finals, and another otherworldly performance in Game 4 would continue that. The Suns will undoubtedly look to combat Antetokounmpo’s assault down low, likely by building up a wall to prevent him from penetrating, and time will tell how things transpire there. Yet, it goes without saying that another dynamic performance from the two-time MVP would bode well for the Bucks.
The Milwaukee Bucks need consistent production from their supporting cast in Game 4 vs. Phoenix Suns
As fantastic as Giannis Antetokounmpo has been in these NBA Finals, he ultimately cannot stage a comeback for the Bucks on his own. The contributions from the supporting cast have been hit or miss throughout these first three games, with Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton being two names that immediately come to mind.
Holiday got off to an incredibly slow start throughout the first two games, struggling mightily to put points on the board. However, the guard flipped the script in Game 3 by scoring 21 points on 57.1 percent shooting from the floor while handing out nine assists. Holiday’s performance was highlighted by knocking down five 3-pointers after hitting just one over the first two games. He found a groove, and the Bucks will need him to keep these efforts consistent. Taking smart shots, facilitating, and playing robust defense are all things the Bucks will need from Holiday to keep the ball rolling.
As for Middleton, the Bucks are still waiting for him to have a breakthrough in this series that fans are accustomed to seeing. He scored 29 points in Game 1, but it took 26 shot attempts, and he followed that up with an abysmal 11 point performance in Game 2. The forward finally found a sense of a rhythm in Game 3 by scoring 18 points as he took a backseat to Antetokounmpo and Holiday, but the team will need more in this Game 4. Middleton’s scoring prowess needs little rehashing, but consistency is an issue that has plagued the team throughout this playoff run. Tending to play his best basketball at home, all eyes will be on Middleton tonight.
Other names to keep an eye on will be Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, and Pat Connaughton, who have all played their individual roles well in this series. All three can score the ball and provide some solid defense, both of which the Bucks will need to support the Big 3. If they can come in and hit some threes, grab some boards, or play some serviceable defense, it would be a massive boost to help Milwaukee on their home floor.
The Milwaukee Bucks must keep playing pestering defense on Devin Booker in Game 4 vs. Phoenix Suns
A massive reason that the Bucks managed to win Game 3 was because of their improved efforts on the defensive end, making it hard for the Suns to score from start to finish. One of the most significant subplots from the game was the poor shooting night from Phoenix’s Devin Booker.
Booker, Phoenix’s leading playoff scorer, could not find the hoop all night as he finished with just 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting, including 1-of-7 from deep. The guard’s brutal outing should not solely be credited to Milwaukee’s impressive defensive efforts, as he simply missed several shots that he would typically make, but they still deserve some credit. The Bucks threw a carousel of robust defenders at him throughout the contest, doing their part to keep one of the toughest shot-makers in this league in check.
He will undoubtedly be looking to bounce back after being pulled early from Game 3 for his efforts, and the Bucks will be put to the test in trying to prevent him from doing so. One player that will see significant minutes defensively against Booker will be Holiday, as the First Team All-Defensive guard has done a marvelous job defending him in the series thus far. According to NBA.com/stats, Booker has shot just 1-of-12 from the floor when being defended by Holiday over these first three games. It goes without saying that the Bucks will look to keep that matchup going and aim to slow Booker down yet again.
The Bucks and Suns will hit the floor once again in a pivotal Game 4 tonight, and be sure to catch the action at 8:00 p.m. CST on ABC.