2021 NBA Finals: Milwaukee Bucks vs Phoenix Suns BUCKS WIN THE TITLE!!!!

[homer]

I think the Suns are very good...much better than Atlanta. I expected this to be a very tight series even with Giannis. Without him it's gonna be tough.

[owbc]

I think the fans and the media still have a western conference bias which is understandable since LeBron and the Celtics are the only way the east wins anything. But that’s not really the case anymore, the east is at least as good as the west now and the Bucks have been tested as much as the Suns if not more.

 

If the Bucks split in Phoenix have near-100% Giannis for game 3 then I like their chances. Realistically I’m expecting another 2-2 split with this series coming down to the last 3. In that scenario, experience from the Nets series will pay dividends for the Bucks and they prevail in 7.

 

If Giannis has no impact the Suns will win in 6.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

He'll have an impact even if he doesn't play. I don't care how old these guys are, there is a difference between Giannis being the #1 cheerleader on the bench vs. Kawhi watching emotionless from a luxury box.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Home court is great and, according to 538, worth a little more than two points this year. They've got the Suns as about a 2 to 1 favorite. That seems right.

 

The one plus for the Bucks: I've been to so many high-pressure basketball games where homecourt is a double-edged sword. It comes with lots of pressure. That's probably not a big deal in the NBA, but the Bucks should be the looser team and should be more in rhythm given the amount of off time for PHX. If they're going get one on the road, I'd say tonight's the better shot.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Giannis upgraded to questionable for game 1...wouldn't be surprised if he sits tonight and his presence for game 2 hinges on if the Bucks win or lose game 1.

[patrickgpe]

we saw in game 6 how Trae was a liability most of the time he was out there. If he plays, bucks better be sure he can help.

[GAME05]

I was thinking if Giannis plays, maybe he's best off for a couple games to focus more on defense and being the role player to grab offensive boards, rather than immediately going straight back to being the entire offensive focus.

 

I don't know what to think of Jrue for this series. He's been a different animal once he upped his offensive aggression.

 

A lot is being made of the Suns' mid-range game. Bucks give up the second-worse percentage and the Suns make the second-best percentage. You could see it against Atlanta those were the shots the Bucks were happy enough to cede. But the Suns also haven't seen any playoff opponents who contest three-point shots at the high rate the Bucks do. The Suns really strike me as a beefed-up version of Atlanta plus a better defensive Center. But if Giannis is out there just tying up Ayton, who does Phoenix really have to handle Lopez/Portis?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The closer we get to tip off the more optimistic I feel about the Bucks chances but I know it's just the fan in me. I don't really know what to expect. I think Phoenix is too much for us without Giannis but I don't think the gap is so big that the Bucks have no chance. I wouldn't be totally stunned if they make it competitive.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I think we are too used to being beat down in big moments to have a lot of hope.

 

We handled Atlanta fine without Giannis in games 5-6 (granted they were without Trae young)

 

Bucks maybe aren't a better team without him, but probably a more well rounded team. They dont stand around waiting for him to run into the wall or run half court. I think Phoenix is the better team if we don't have him but it's not overwhelmingly so.

[nate82]

I think we are too used to being beat down in big moments to have a lot of hope.

 

We handled Atlanta fine without Giannis in games 5-6 (granted they were without Trae young)

 

Bucks maybe aren't a better team without him, but probably a more well rounded team. They dont stand around waiting for him to run into the wall or run half court. I think Phoenix is the better team if we don't have him but it's not overwhelmingly so.

 

Other than the Nets this is probably the best team the Bucks will have played this entire playoffs.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Is that saying much? That's basically saying they are better than Atlanta.

[adambr2]

I didn't expect to even get out of the semis once we were down 2-0 to Brooklyn, so this is all house money to me now. As thrilling as an NBA title would be, I feel some satisfaction that we at least made a Final now. Of course that's easy to say now, as I'm sure I will be massively disappointed if we go on to lose a close Game 7 in a competitive series.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I think we are too used to being beat down in big moments to have a lot of hope.

 

We handled Atlanta fine without Giannis in games 5-6 (granted they were without Trae young)

 

Bucks maybe aren't a better team without him, but probably a more well rounded team. They dont stand around waiting for him to run into the wall or run half court. I think Phoenix is the better team if we don't have him but it's not overwhelmingly so.

 

Other than the Nets this is probably the best team the Bucks will have played this entire playoffs.

 

I think all I'm trying to say is that it's not an absolute foregone conclusion that we cannot win this series.

 

Phoenix is definitely better than Atlanta. Atlanta also went 27 and 11 after hiring Nate McMillan.

 

I'm not mentally throwing in the towel just yet.

 

Bucks in 6.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Definitely not throwing in the towel and especially not if Giannis is already at GTD level with his injury. If we steal a win tonight with or without him, I will be in full "let's do this" mode.

[nate82]

 

I think all I'm trying to say is that it's not an absolute foregone conclusion that we cannot win this series.

 

Phoenix is definitely better than Atlanta. Atlanta also went 27 and 11 after hiring Nate McMillan.

 

I'm not mentally throwing in the towel just yet.

 

Bucks in 6.

 

Just saying that this will be the 2nd best team that the Bucks will have faced in the playoffs. The Hawks were good but they are a tier or two below the Suns. The best team in the NBA the Bucks took to 7 games though they were missing 1/3 and at times 2/3 of their best players. I don't think that series goes 7 with both Kyrie and Harden healthy. With both Kyrie and Harden healthy the Nets would have swept the Hawks and win the Finals in 5 games.

 

I think for the Bucks to have a chance they need to win it in 6-games and they need to steal a game in Phoenix preferably one of games 1 or 2. If the Bucks can come back to Milwaukee and be tied that is the best outcome that they could hope for as I think Giannis maybe ready to go by game 3 or game 4. If they can steal 1 game in Phoenix and then steal game 3 at home without Giannis and then have him come back in game 4 and win that sets them up perfectly to win in 6-games. If they drop the first two games it becomes increasingly harder to win but it is do able though they will probably have to take it to 7-games and that is then a coin flip. A 7-game series would be awesome and would be very entertaining. The series against the Nets was very entertaining even if it was rather frustrating to watch at times.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I'm a little over the Nets injury excuse. Those guys barely played together all year, Kyrie is a walking injury waiting to happen, Harden is out of shape and KD is turning 33. I've noticed their fans can't wait to get healthy, however expecting those three guys to ever get through a season without being hurt seems like a big wish at this point.

 

The Bucks pulled past ATL because of something Brooklyn couldn't do: our role players stepped up, theirs disappeared.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Exactly. Harden, Durant, and kyrie played 8 games together this year and they were the 2 seed. Durant played less than half the season.

 

The Bucks did what they had to do... And that was overcome a monumental performance by Durant.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

Bucks in 6! Bringing first championship in 49 years!! Let’s go!!

[owbc]

The Bucks’ defense pulled them through the Brooklyn series and I imagine there will be a game or two in this series when they will have to do the same. And Giannis is a huge part of that.

[wildcat83]

ESPN video of Giannis warming up looks like he’s got really good movement.

[KeithStone53151]

ESPN video of Giannis warming up looks like he’s got really good movement.

 

I wouldn't say it's "really good". It is when you consider he just hyper extended his knee a week ago, but he seemed clearly not 100 percent to me. That said, I think he's preparing to play and will log 15-20 minutes today.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

It's a warm up. I don't think he going balls to the wall and I don't think we know what any of it means until he actually plays and we can see how he looks in a game.

 

I think it's dumb for him to play tonight. At least see how they look without and if they can split the first two, you basically bought him another week.

[adambr2]

Giannis is active tonight.

[adambr2]

It's a warm up. I don't think he going balls to the wall and I don't think we know what any of it means until he actually plays and we can see how he looks in a game.

 

I think it's dumb for him to play tonight. At least see how they look without and if they can split the first two, you basically bought him another week.

 

I don't think there's any right or wrong answer. You can be cautious but then if you drop the first two even if you get him back it might be too late to come back. Or he is ineffective tonight and they look worse than they looked the last two games.

 

Going to just trust the doctors and team on this one and hope he comes through with an epic performance.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I'll trust they wouldn't activate him if they thought there was significantly higher risk than usual. I hope the team feeds off his commitment though, what a warrior.