Resiliency is a word that has often been associated with the Milwaukee Bucks throughout this hectic playoff run, and it was on display last night.
Starting Game 5 of the NBA Finals with 12 minutes consisting of erratic turnovers, questionable shot selection, and poor defense, the Bucks trailed by 16. They appeared dead in the water as the Suns looked destined to take control on their home floor, but the Bucks indeed had other plans as they stuck together and made this a game.
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After battling back thanks to a dynamic second quarter comeback, the Bucks led by three at the half. Their second half lead would grow to as large as 14, although it was cut to single digits down the stretch.
However, despite a valiant effort from the Suns in the closing moments, the Bucks would complete the comeback and win 123-119 and claim a 3-2 lead in the series. It was certainly an eventful contest, and here are three significant takeaways.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns trade 3-pointers in wild Game 5
The Bucks and Suns have both had their struggles from 3-point range in this series, but that was certainly not the case in last night’s Game 5.
Shooting a highly efficient 13-of-19 from deep, the Suns were shooting the lights out for most of the night. Mikal Bridges and Chris Paul each knocked in three triples apiece, while Devin Booker, Jae Crowder, and Cameron Johnson hit two, and former Buck Torrey Craig rounded out the total by hitting one. When the opposing team shoots an impressive 68.4 percent from behind the arc, it is virtually a death sentence for the Bucks. However, that obviously was not the case in Game 5 as they managed to survive the onslaught by having a good shooting night themselves.
The Bucks would fire back by knocking down 14 triples in 28 attempts, having one of their better shooting games in recent memory. They were led by Pat Connaughton, who knocked down four triples as he continues to have a massive impact in this series off the bench, which will be hit on in just a moment. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, who will also be discussed in further detail had it going from the outside as they chipped in three triples each. Bobby Portis finally found his outside touch and hit two triples off the bench, while Brook Lopez and P.J. Tucker contributed one each.
Seeing the Bucks survive a game where their opponent shoots that well from deep is certainly something to behold, made only sweeter given their own shooting numbers.
Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis give the Milwaukee Bucks life in Game 5 win vs. Phoenix Suns
The contributions from Connaughton and Portis for the Bucks in this massive Game 5 victory were touched on briefly, but that brief section would not do it justice.
Connaughton has proven to be Milwaukee’s most reliable player in the second unit as he has been nothing short of sensational in this series. The guard clocked in what might have been his finest work yet by scoring 14 points and hauling in six rebounds. Knocking in four triples in six attempts, Connaughton gave the Bucks a much-needed spark offensively in the second unit while crashing the glass consistently to haul in rebounds. He was also tasked with playing defense against Paul and Booker more consistently on the switches, to which he did a solid job.
As for Portis, it was not a world-beating performance from the big man, but he clocked in some solid minutes off the bench. The energizer would score nine points on 3-of-6 shooting, with two of those makes coming from behind the arc and the other being a tough finish inside that created an and-one opportunity. Surprisingly, Portis would not tally a single defensive rebound in this game, managing to haul in his three rebounds strictly on the offensive end. Yet, he remained active on the defensive side of things by tallying two steals.
These two were fantastic off the bench for the Bucks in the victory, with the pair playing some of the best basketball yet since they have set foot in Milwaukee. They have undoubtedly stepped up on both ends of the floor with the lights currently the brightest.
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.