This years Finals between the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks is a first for the league in over 20 years.
On the 7th July, the pinnacle of competition in the basketball world is being contested by two teams that haven't been to the Finals in some years. The Bucks last went to the Finals in 1974, where the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar lead team lost to the Boston Celtics.
For the Suns, they last played in 1993 lead by Charles Barkley against the iconic Michael Jordan, which they also lost in 6. Both teams will be looking to end their droughts with a championship to show for it.
The Suns have a remarkably young team apart from a few pieces within their line-up. Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton have established themselves in the NBA Playoffs this year, with Booker averaging 27.0 points per game, and Ayton playing some great interior defence especially against the Clippers in the Western Conference Finals. Chris Paul will enter his first NBA Finals in his 16-year career, with his closest attempt being in 2018 with the Houston Rockets, where they lost to the stacked Golden State Warriors. His performances during the playoffs have been impeccable, as his floor-general style of play elevates his teammates to a high standard. Their pick and roll oriented offense combined with a high octane defence will potentially lead them to NBA glory.
The Bucks have defeated some impressive opponents on their way to the NBA Finals, beating the superstar-filled Brooklyn Nets as well as the surprising Eastern Conference finalists in the Atlanta Hawks. Giannis Antetokonmpo's condition is being assessed on a day-to-day basis (CBS Sports, 2021), after he hyper-extended his knee in game 4 against the Hawks. It's miraculous that he suffered no structural damage to his knee given the severity of the angle his knee was in. Nevertheless, the Bucks have looked strong and determined without the "Greek Freak", with Khris Middleton taking centre stage, providing top-notch offense for the Bucks in the process.
My Side, Flipped.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo fully fit, it would be difficult to see the Suns being able to contain the Bucks, as there is no player on the Suns that would be able to slow down the "Greek Freak" enough to stall their offense. When Antetokounmpo eventually does come back to the fringe, I think that Ayton will be the key in preventing him from catching fire. 45% of Antetokounmpo's shots are from 0-3 feet, showing his reliance on the inside game. Therefore, if Ayton is able to stop the Greek freight train, and the Suns offense flows effectively, then I believe Chris Paul (8.7 assists per game) will be able to smoothly dissipate the threat of Giannis by providing the immaculate pick and roll game that he has done all of his career.
Prediction: Suns win in 7 games.
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