The Milwaukee Bucks are back in the 2021 NBA Finals after blowing out the Phoenix Suns 120-100 in Game 3 at the Fiserv Forum, the first Finals game in Milwaukee since 1974.
Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated, scoring 41 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and dishing out six assists. Jrue Holiday added 21 and Bobby Portis had 11 coming off of the bench.
Chris Paul led four Phoenix players in double figures with 19 points and nine assists while De'Andre Ayton and Jae Crowder each had 18. Devin Booker was held to just 10 on 3-of-14 shooting from the floor.
Giannis explodes as Bucks rout Suns to get back in Finals
Despite a raucous crowd and overall electric atmosphere, Phoenix only trailed 15-14 with 6:09 left in the first quarter. Antetokounmpo exited the game at the 8:30 mark for Pat Connaughton, who registered seven points and four assists.
Ayton and Paul were the early offense for the Suns, scoring 18 of their first 20 points with the former racking up 12. Booker was the exact opposite, making just one of his seven shots in the opening quarter for just five points.
Overall, Phoenix shot 48 percent from the floor in the first quarter and held a 28-25 lead, but they committed consecutive turnovers to open the second quarter, which resulted in five Milwaukee points. The Western Conference champions then put together an 8-0 run keyed by Paul.
Antetokounmpo returned and sparked a 20-6 spurt, attacking the basket and the Bucks' lead grew to eight with 3:44 remaining in the first half after he scored his 18th point. Portis later nailed a three that grew the lead to 13.
Phoenix missed their final six shots of the half as Milwaukee took full advantage, going on a 10-0 run, outscoring the Suns 35-17 to take a 60-45 lead into the break. Booker continued to struggle, scoring just seven points in the first 24 minutes.
Ayton picked up his fourth foul less than two minutes into the third quarter, but Cameron Johnson threw down a thunderous dunk over P.J. Tucker, which sparked a 7-0 run for Phoenix. Crowder chipped in with three three-pointers to whittle the lead down to four.
Rebounding was key as Milwaukee outrebounded Phoenix 37-23 through three quarters, including 11-3 on the offensive glass while scoring 20 second-chance points to the Suns' 0. The Bucks, much as they did in the second quarter, ended the third with a huge run, this one 16-0 to take a 98-76 lead heading into the fourth.
There wasn't much Phoenix could do and Ayton picked up his fifth foul with 8:53 remaining as Antetokounmpo continued to put on a show with dunks and alley-oops. Booker only played 29 minutes as Milwaukee cut the Suns lead in the series to 2-1.