Milwaukee Bucks of America sensation, Giannis Adetokunbo (Antetokounmpo) was again in top form and helped his side edge closer to winning USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA) title with victory over Phoenix Suns.
Megasportsarena.com reports that such was the glee, as Antetokounmpo collected 32 points and nine rebounds to fuel the visiting Milwaukee Bucks to a dramatic 123-119 victory over Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Although ‘The Greek Freak’ had to overcome some initial rusty edges, which might have been caused by his recent bouts with injury, the Nigerian-born Greece international recovered well and took The Bucks just one win away from their second NBA title.
The Bucks lost the first two of their best-of-seven series but took the next couple on their home court, and impressed in Arizona to give them a chance to seal the title in front of their own fans.
Phoenix started as the better side, holding a double-digit lead early and going on to outscore the Bucks 37-21 in the first quarter.
However, Milwaukee hit back in the next 12 minutes putting on 43 to make it 64-61 in their favour at the half.
The Bucks looked to be in the driving seat from there on, as they amassed a lead of 13 with three minutes left to play in the third.
Phoenix refused to be downed, with Devin Booker (40 points) and Chris Paul (21) keeping the Suns in the game, while Antetokounmpo missed a trio of late free throws which could have seen the Bucks home and hosed.
The Bucks overcame an early 16-point deficit by erupting for 43 points in the second quarter and holding a three-point lead at half-time, an advantage they maintained the rest of the way.
Antetokounmpo, who finished with 32 points, however, extended Milwaukee’s lead to three with 13.5 seconds left with a dunk and Khris Middleton drained a free throw with 9.8 seconds left to wrap up the win.
Khris Middleton added 29 points for the Bucks, who shot a blistering 57.5 per cent from the floor to win their third straight game and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Jrue Holiday had his best performance of the Finals with 27 points and 13 assists to bounce back from a dismal 4-for-20 performance from the floor in Game 4.
He also had a key steal of Devin Booker towards the end of the fourth quarter to thwart a late Phoenix comeback bid, before throwing an audacious lob that the colossal Antetokounmpo emphatically converted.
Booker scored 40 points in a losing effort, marking the fourth time he reached the 40-point plateau in his first postseason. Chris Paul finished with 21 points and 11 assists while Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix.
The Suns trimmed a 10-point deficit to begin the fourth quarter down to three after Booker drained a three-pointer.
Antetokounmpo missed both free-throw attempts on the next possession and Paul made a driving layup to trim Milwaukee’s lead to 120-119 with 56.6 seconds remaining.
Holiday then stripped the ball from Booker for the second time on the night and set up Antetokounmpo for an alley-oop with 13.5 seconds to play.
Antetokounmpo missed the ensuing free throw, but Giannis tapped back the offensive rebound and Milwaukee regained possession. Phoenix promptly fouled Middleton, who made one of two attempts to make it a two-possession game.
The Suns were scorching hot right out of the gate, making 14 of 19 shots from the floor and 5 of 6 from three-point range to seize a 37-21 lead after the first quarter.
However, The Bucks countered with a 29-12 run to start the second quarter. Bobby Portis capped the surge with a three-pointer to give Milwaukee a 50-49 lead. That second frame run proved key for the Bucks, and they now stand just one game away from glory.
Milwaukee then became the second team in NBA Finals history to lead at half-time after trailing by as many as 15 points after the first quarter. The Boston Celtics previously accomplished the feat in the 1957 Finals against St Louis Hawks.
Antetokounmpo and his pals from Milwaukee can now clinch their second NBA title in franchise history and first since 1971 when they returns home for Game 6 on Tuesday night.
However, the iconic star, who was knocked down two weeks ago by hyperextending his left knee, has two days of rest before his shot to win Milwaukee’s fourth straight game and first title since a 24-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar last led them to glory as the MVP 50 years ago.
Suns center, Deandre Ayton summed it all up when he said of Antetokounmpo’s seventh missed free throw in 11 tries: “That was a horrible miss. It was just an athletic play. He tipped it behind him, knowing his teammates are there.”
