What happened to the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals?
[caption id="attachment_358425" align="aligncenter" width="1288"]
Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images[/caption]
Coming off a 4-2 series victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in the Conference Finals and sweeping the Denver Nuggets with League MVP Nikola Jokic the round before, Devin Booker and the Suns could not overcome Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the 2021 NBA Finals.
https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1417696276406145026?s=20
In his first Finals appearance, Booker averaged 28 points and four assists but managed to shoot only 28-percent from beyond the arc through six games. The slump wasn’t just limited to Booker, Deandre Ayton’s shooting percentage fell from 70 percent on 10 shots to 14 points on 53 percent for the Finals.
https://twitter.com/KROPPTOP/status/1417709979314712576?s=20
In-game six, Ayton went 4-12 from the field, joining teammates Devin Booker and Jae Crowder as they all shot below 36 percent from the field. Other role players suffered a similar fate, as the young core of the Suns were unable to gather momentum in the Finals series against Milwaukee’s superstar and team defense.
https://twitter.com/nbastats/status/1417727738736254976?s=20
As a team, Phoenix shot below 25-percent from the three, making only six of their 25 attempts, while the Bucks shot a combined 6-27 from three. This is all while Giannis turned out a historic 50-point performance that included 14 rebounds, and five blocks in Game 6.
https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1417693353102114817?s=20
Antetokounmpo became the first player in Finals history to shoot over 60-percent while averaging more than 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. His 35 points a game tied Kevin Durant for the fifth most in Finals history, behind only Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan. With an already loaded resume, which includes multiple MVPs, a DPOY, and now a Finals’ MVP, Giannis is easily on his way to the Hall of Fame.
https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1417694378466766848?s=20
After suffering a hyperextended knee less than a month ago, most thought Antetokounmpo would not have the same impact on the court. But the two-time MVP came out guns-a-blazing, making double digits free throws en route to ending Milwaukee’s drought of 50 years, securing the Bucks their first Larry O’Brien trophy since 1971.
https://twitter.com/NBAHistory/status/1417721092500766721?s=20
For the Suns, they now face a large decision if Chris Paul decides to opt-out of his $44 million player option to hit free agency a year earlier. Paul’s deadline is August 1st, and his addition this year helped propel the young Suns to the Finals after five straight years of finishes near the bottom of the Western Conference. However, he just turned 36 two months ago, and constant injuries along with old age can quickly turn a CP3 extension into a bad contract.
The Lakers are also reportedly in contention for Paul’s services according to ESPN’s Marc Spears, seeking to bring in a veteran point guard, and pairing CP3 with his banana boat buddy LeBron James.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1417900650050973697?s=20
The future is bright for the Suns, but it's paramount they learn from their mistakes in the 2021 NBA Finals.
Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images[/caption]
Coming off a 4-2 series victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in the Conference Finals and sweeping the Denver Nuggets with League MVP Nikola Jokic the round before, Devin Booker and the Suns could not overcome Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the 2021 NBA Finals.
https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1417696276406145026?s=20
In his first Finals appearance, Booker averaged 28 points and four assists but managed to shoot only 28-percent from beyond the arc through six games. The slump wasn’t just limited to Booker, Deandre Ayton’s shooting percentage fell from 70 percent on 10 shots to 14 points on 53 percent for the Finals.
https://twitter.com/KROPPTOP/status/1417709979314712576?s=20
In-game six, Ayton went 4-12 from the field, joining teammates Devin Booker and Jae Crowder as they all shot below 36 percent from the field. Other role players suffered a similar fate, as the young core of the Suns were unable to gather momentum in the Finals series against Milwaukee’s superstar and team defense.
https://twitter.com/nbastats/status/1417727738736254976?s=20
As a team, Phoenix shot below 25-percent from the three, making only six of their 25 attempts, while the Bucks shot a combined 6-27 from three. This is all while Giannis turned out a historic 50-point performance that included 14 rebounds, and five blocks in Game 6.
https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1417693353102114817?s=20
Antetokounmpo became the first player in Finals history to shoot over 60-percent while averaging more than 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. His 35 points a game tied Kevin Durant for the fifth most in Finals history, behind only Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan. With an already loaded resume, which includes multiple MVPs, a DPOY, and now a Finals’ MVP, Giannis is easily on his way to the Hall of Fame.
https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1417694378466766848?s=20
After suffering a hyperextended knee less than a month ago, most thought Antetokounmpo would not have the same impact on the court. But the two-time MVP came out guns-a-blazing, making double digits free throws en route to ending Milwaukee’s drought of 50 years, securing the Bucks their first Larry O’Brien trophy since 1971.
https://twitter.com/NBAHistory/status/1417721092500766721?s=20
For the Suns, they now face a large decision if Chris Paul decides to opt-out of his $44 million player option to hit free agency a year earlier. Paul’s deadline is August 1st, and his addition this year helped propel the young Suns to the Finals after five straight years of finishes near the bottom of the Western Conference. However, he just turned 36 two months ago, and constant injuries along with old age can quickly turn a CP3 extension into a bad contract.
The Lakers are also reportedly in contention for Paul’s services according to ESPN’s Marc Spears, seeking to bring in a veteran point guard, and pairing CP3 with his banana boat buddy LeBron James.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1417900650050973697?s=20
The future is bright for the Suns, but it's paramount they learn from their mistakes in the 2021 NBA Finals.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard