Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily. NBA Finals are here!
Both the Bucks and the Suns are two wins away each from the NBA championship.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
The NBA Finals are officially down to a best-of-three.
First of all, everyone has been talking about THE block. And deservedly so. The athleticism by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who, by the way, we thought was going to be out for the rest of the way due to a knee injury, was BEYOND incredible.
CLUTCH BLOCK BY GIANNIS 😱 pic.twitter.com/jwB0b75o65
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 15, 2021
We’re going to show this again down in this column and it will probably be replayed for the rest of the time. Look where Giannis was when he started. And then the awareness and quickness. Let me remind you that he had a hyperextended knee just two weeks ago.
And it was CLEAN. No hits in the face or arm or whatever. It was a clean block that took away a potential momentum-changing play.
That’s the thing. The Bucks were up by two with a minute left in the game. That alley-oop dunk could’ve tied the game but instead, it took precious time away (the Bucks didn’t convert and it would look completely different had the game been tied).
The Suns couldn’t capitalize on the two Khris Middleton missed jumpers as Chris Paul slipped in the ensuing possession. Middleton finally made them pay with a fastbreak lay-up and Game 4 was curtains.
Like I said, everyone’s going to talk about the clutch block Giannis made. But the Bucks don’t win this without Khris Middleton, who had an 8-0 personal run late in the game. Middleton scored 40 points, who pretty matched a scorching Devin Booker (who had 42 points). Booker had 38 after the third but foul trouble put the Suns in danger. Questionable non-calls kept Booker in the game as it was clear he fouled Jrue Holiday that would’ve gotten him his 6th.
Of course, there’s Chris Paul. He uncharacteristically had 5 turnovers and the slip might be overlooked a bit because of Giannis’s block beforehand. But that slip led to that Middleton lay-up that put Milwaukee up four. Paul will look to bounce back in Game 5 just like Booker followed up a stinky Game 3 with that ballin’ 42-point Game 4.
And yes, Giannis. He didn’t score 40 but he still went for 26-14-8. He has become the best player in this series and, well, I can’t say enough on how impressive this is considering where he was two weeks ago.
BUT it’s still a tied series. Phoenix and Milwaukee have both been resilient throughout these playoffs. And the fans in Phoenix promise to be uproariously noisy. That could play a factor in the very pivotal Game 5.
This is looking like an instant classic of an NBA Finals. Let’s see what Game 5 brings.
NBA Playoff Scoreboard
July 14, 2021
NBA Playoff Series Count
NBA FINALS
Suns tied with Bucks, 2-2.
EAST
#3 Bucks defeat #5 Hawks, 4-2.
#5 Hawks defeat #1 Sixers, 4-3.
#3 Bucks defeat #2 Nets, 4-3.
#1 Sixers defeat #8 Wizards, 4-1.
#5 Hawks defeat #4 Knicks, 4-1.
#2 Nets defeat #7 Celtics, 4-1.
#3 Bucks defeat #6 Heat, 4-0.
WEST
#2 Suns defeat #4 Clippers, 4-2.
#4 Clippers defeat #1 Jazz, 4-2.
#2 Suns defeat #3 Nuggets, 4-0.
#1 Jazz defeat #8 Grizzlies, 4-1.
#4 Clippers defeat #5 Mavericks, 4-3.
#2 Suns defeat #7 Lakers, 4-2.
#3 Nuggets defeat #6 Blazers, 4-2.
Watch This Play
As promised, here’s Giannis’s block again.
CLUTCH BLOCK BY GIANNIS 😱 pic.twitter.com/jwB0b75o65
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 15, 2021
It’s probably already the second best block in Finals history. Although we’ll see if this DOES lead to a Milwaukee championship.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.