Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from electric Game 5 win vs. Phoenix Suns

The Milwaukee Bucks get a massive lift from their Big 3 in Game 5 win vs. Phoenix Suns

The Bucks’ Big 3 has hardly played their best basketball simultaneously throughout these playoffs, but they finally clicked together in Game 5.

Giannis Antetokounmpo would lead the charge 32 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, doing a touch of everything for the Bucks in the win. The Greek Freak was surely excellent, but one issue that proved glaring was his free throw shooting, where he shot just 4-of-11. Those four that he made proved to be the difference in this matchup, but he certainly gave fans a scare with his inability to capitalize on those shots, particularly after he missed a pair late. Still, despite those shooting woes, it was a stellar performance from Antetokounmpo all-around.

Still, this victory would not have been possible had it not been for the efforts from Middleton and Holiday, who both had stellar games as well. Middleton would finish with an impressive 29 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, cementing yet another well-rounded performance. He knocked down several clutch shots late, including a free throw to put the Bucks up by four in the closing moments to ensure they would get this victory. Performing on the road has been a struggle for Middleton, but he looked comfortable last night after finding his groove following a slow start.

As for Holiday, he was sensational from start to finish. His defensive excellence was something to behold in the contest as he took turns guarding Booker and Paul, doing his part to limit them. Still, the biggest play of the game came with under a minute left to play when Holiday stripped the ball from Booker with the Bucks leading 120-119 and threw an alley-oop pass to Antetokounmpo. It was a phenomenal sequence from the guard that added to his three steals on the night.

Yet, the bigger story might have been his offense and how he finally established a rhythm after struggling mightily previously. Holiday finished Game 5 with 27 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor while dishing out 13 assists. He appeared confident on offense all night no matter where he was on the floor, which was exactly what the Bucks needed in this pivotal matchup. Hats off to Jrue for a spectacular performance on both ends on the road.

The Bucks have taken a 3-2 series lead in the NBA Finals and will host the Suns this coming Tuesday at Fiserv Forum. Be sure to catch the action at 8:00 p.m. CST on ABC.