Giannis Antetokounmpo played a key role in keeping Milwaukee's title hopes alive. The Bucks beat Phoenix Suns, 120-100, in Game 3 of the NBA Finals before a sellout crowd at the Fiserv Forum on Sunday night. Five players scored in double figures for the Bucks, who now trail the best-of-seven series 2-1.
Leading the way for Milwaukee in this massacre was Giannis Antetokounmpo. He scored 41 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out six assists in 37 minutes of action. The Greek Freak was unstoppable down low as he registered yet another double-double. He is just the third player in NBA Finals history with 40 points and ten rebounds in consecutive games, joining LeBron James (2016) and Shaquille O'Neal (2000) in that list.
Giannis Antetokounmpo posting MVP numbers in Finals
It's simply remarkable what Antetokounmpo is doing in this series after hyperextending his left knee in the Bucks' previous series against the Hawks. Giannis has shown no signs of the knee injury, averaging 34.3 points, 14 rebounds, and 4.7 assists through the first three games of the Finals.
Khris Middleton bounced back from his woeful Game 2 performance, scoring 18 points on 6 of 14 shooting from the field. He was a serious threat in this ballgame, burying three of his seven attempts from beyond the arc. Middleton also had seven rebounds and six assists in 40 minutes of play.
Jrue Holiday also had a much better showing in Game 3, registering the highest +/- among Bucks players with a +22 clip. He finished the game with 21 points, five rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one block.
The Bucks made their presence felt in the opening half, building a comprehensive 60-45 lead at the break. Milwaukee's 15-point lead after two quarters was their largest advantage in this year's NBA Finals at that stage as they finally grabbed a double-digit lead in the series. Milwaukee went on a back-breaking 30-9 run in the second quarter to pull away from Phoenix late in the first half. The Bucks outscored the Suns, 35-17, during the second period.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton proved to be the difference in the opening half, making solid plays on both ends of the floor. The All-Star duo combined for 33 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists over the first 24 minutes of play.
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Booker struggles in Game 3
It was the Bucks' play on the defensive end, however, that took the plaudits in the first half as Milwaukee finally shut down Phoenix guard Devin Booker. The Bucks limited Booker to just seven points on 2 of 11 shooting from the floor in the opening half. Booker couldn't get his offensive rhythm the rest of the game as he finished with just 10 points on 3 of 14 shooting from the field.
The Bucks continued their dominance in the second half, stretching their lead to 22 points at the end of the third quarter. They went on a 16-0 run during this period, thanks in large part to the solid play of Giannis and Holiday. They scored or assisted on 36 of the Bucks' 38 points in the third quarter.
For the Suns to return to winning ways in Game 4, they will need to get more production from Mikal Bridges. After averaging 20.5 points in the first two games of the Finals, Bridges came crashing back to earth in Game 3, scoring a measly four points.
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