Download
NBA highlights on July 11: Bucks win G3 to avoid desperate 3-0 trail
Li Xiang
Giannis Antetokounmpo (#34) of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 11, 2021. /CFP

Giannis Antetokounmpo (#34) of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 11, 2021. /CFP

The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns 120-100 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Fiserv Forum on Sunday, making the series 2-1 instead of a desperate 3-0.

Giannis Antetokounmpo put down 41 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for the Bucks. This was the second straight game for him to get similarly amazing numbers. The Greek Freak became the second player in NBA history to get 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games in the Finals. The first one was Shaquille O'Neal.

Antetokounmpo's 14-18 field goal shooting performance under the rim was incredible, but the Bucks and their fans were probably happier to see 13 of 17 free throw attempts go down. It seemed Antetokounmpo could shoot better at his home arena without the hostile countdown.

Bobby Portis (#9) of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum, July 11, 2021. /CFP

Bobby Portis (#9) of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum, July 11, 2021. /CFP

That does not mean Fiserv Forum was quiet on Sunday night. Besides cheering for Antetokounmpo's explosive dunks and other excellent moments, Bucks fans gave many of their hails to Bobby Portis. His contributions to the team went beyond his 11 points and rebounds because the Bucks managed to extend their lead drastically twice when Portis was on the floor.

Portis is not an elite defender but he has a complete offensive skills set that enabled the team to play more fluently on offense. More importantly, when he played center, the Bucks switched everything defensively, which facilitated the team to launch more fast breaks.

Of course, the Bucks were only able to do so when Deandre Ayton was on the bench. The 22-year-old big man posed a great threat to the Bucks' defense in his pick-and-roll attack with Chris Paul. Though Ayton does not share the rich arsenal of Brook Lopez, he was a very reliable scoring option and created mismatches against small defenders in the paint.

Deandre Ayton (#22) of the Phoenix Suns dunks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum, July 11, 2021. /CFP

Deandre Ayton (#22) of the Phoenix Suns dunks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum, July 11, 2021. /CFP

Unfortunately, Ayton only played a bit more than 24 minutes in Sunday's game. He scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds in the first half, but the personal fouls he committed at the end of Q2, plus the beginning of Q3 and Q4, glued him to the bench. As a result, the Suns fell apart both offensively and defensively.

Without Ayton standing between Antetokounmpo and the rim, the Greek Freak kept rattling the Suns' paint in different ways. Paul assisted Frank Kaminsky to make a layup, but that's the only moment you even noticed him on the court for the whole game. Without the distraction of Ayton, Jrue Holiday and his teammates followed Paul more closely, leaving the 36-year-old no chance to fire comfortably in the mid-range.

Bobby Portis (#9) of the Milwaukee Bucks blocks a shot by Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Fiserv Forum, July 11, 2021. /CFP

Bobby Portis (#9) of the Milwaukee Bucks blocks a shot by Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Fiserv Forum, July 11, 2021. /CFP

Usually Devin Booker is the one to stand out and shoulder the offensive burden, but that wasn't the case on Sunday night. Having gone 3-14 from the field and 1-7 from downtown, Booker had only 10 points and six rebounds. That's partly why the game was out of reach in the last two minutes of the third quarter.

It took the Bucks two losses to find their key to victory and make the series a closer contest. Game 4 will take place at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday.

Search Trends