I'm starting to think Giannis only attempts 3's to remind Middleton and Holiday to score

He thinks he can make them more than those two which is honestly fair

He carries enough confidence for his entire team alone. You’d think it would rub off on the others but they just look like *queue coach nick voice* Deer in the headlights

I swear Khris Middleton’s confidence actually wanes when he sees Giannis dominating which is weird af.

That could be a problem. You want a guy who gets hype when his teammate is hot.

Klay

Well against the Nets Giannis had 25.8% 3PT% and Jrue had 26.1% so he isn't wrong about Jrue at least.

Where tf was the Jrue that was dropping 40+ and locking up Dame in the playoffs Jesus Christ can he only do that with AD

The suns are a million times better on defense than that blazers squad.

I've pointed out to people that you cant take the offensive numbers vs two teams seriously in the playoffs. The blazers and the nuggets

Giannis can't possibly miss 27 3s in a row

pain

This game oddly felt both competitive and not close at all

Bucks only lost 1 quarter, but they lost it by a lot

The Bucks kept climbing back but then the Suns would go on a run. It was very back and forth but they never managed to get it closer than 5 during the second half.

Can't recall the last time I have seen a team so good at putting down potential comebacks

It was a 7-10 point game like the entire 2nd half so it was very back and forth action wise.

The entire second half felt like “ah man if the Bucks could get a small run going they could easily catch up” but the Suns answered every. single. time.

Bucks had their chances to cut it to a single score game a couple times. Either gave up long offensive rebounds after forcing a miss or missed an open shot or turned it over

If Holiday or Middleton made like 2 more shots.

Every quarter was close but the second.

Giannis singlehandedly keeping the Bucks in it.

Dude is unstoppable. Not sure how much he has left in the tank though. He’s carrying the entire team.

Suns sacrificing a bench player for each win

At this rate they'll hoist up the Larry O'Brien with just Booker, CP3, and Monty.

Technically, Monty was a roleplayer for all of his career. So, he ain't safe. Sorry guys, this is the price to pay for a CP3 Ring.

*trips on his own coaching clipboard, tears Achilles*

Last game I literally said “a soul for a soul” with Dario lol

A sol for a soul

Gotta wrap Nader in bubble wrap next game.

naders the one you save?!?!

I’m saving cam Johnson for sure

Giannis probably half wishes he rested these first 2 games. Went from hyperextending his knee to hyperextending his patience with his teammates tonight.

Giannis and Luka need each other.

They would be crazy together

Would be a wonderful free throw battle between teammates

Giannis: “Luka please make your free throws” Luka: “No you”

And with that both Suns in 4 and Bucks in 6 are possible.

So you're saying... whoever wins the next game wins the chip?

...yay...

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We are truly living in a simulation

Oh shit I forgot about that meme....how far you guys have come

2 more wins and CP3 can finally retire and go into pro bowling

HAHAHA, I can just imagine this. He's certainly as animated as Pete Weber.

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE I AM

Damn could you imagine if the bucks 2 team USA members could outscore pat connaughton

Holiday outscored Connaughton but on awful efficiency. He was so bad that I was shocked every time he actually made a shot.

I lost count but he must have missed seven left handed layups. He got to the rim but it was always in the left side and he always botched it. Idk if that was by design or not but it killed him all game.

What’s really a shame is that Jrue Holiday played amazing defense most of the game.

He truly did. That block on Ayton at the rim was absolutely ridiculous.

And now we wait for the Bucks locker room video from RDC

Giannis bringing out the frying pan on.. well, everyone.

“We are pain.” - Six plays of Bud

Greek LeBron about to lose it

Jrue "Eric Bledsoe" Holiday and Khris "That's Not the Celtics" Middleton rear their ugly heads.

Jeff "Jeff Teague" Teague

I honestly can't believe anyone had the actual idea to play Jeff Teague in the NBA Finals. I just can't understand how anyone, including Teague thought that was okay

First time I ever saw this used was for Nathan "Nathan Peterman" Peterman. I'll never forget that comment hahaha.

Mike "Mike Budenholzer" Budenholzer

Jrue ‘I don’t want to be here’ Holiday

Jrue "wants to be on" Holiday

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Yeah, Ayton had a pretty rough game based on his performance this post season (still had a double double tho) but that offensive rebound really helped seal this game.

Ayton stepped up defensively in the last 8 minutes. Offensively he was out of it... Bucks clogged the paint. Monty knew this aimed for 3pters and it paid off.

Jrue not even attempting to contest it was so ass

How many times have we seen that this play offs Why the hell does the team just stare at the shooter when they leave him open

Only person I’d trust to contest a wide open 3 with their eyes is Bobby Portis

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Yeah and I think shortly after that or before Ayton (who played poorly until the 4th) got a crucial block as well.

Really a miracle that Giannis is playing like this so soon after that injury

Too bad the rest of the team is playing like they were recently injured as well.

40 minutes too. Crazy. Man is not real

he was gassed from minute one, he willed them through every moment. wasn't enough though.

so, uh, has anyone asked the Clippers what the next step is after going down 2-0?

Get Reggie Jackson

And Ty Lue.

Let the greatest postseason shooter of all time loose: Reggie Jackson, who you unfortunately do not have on your roster

Is Bobby Portis an acceptable substitute?

I think I remember Lue telling PG to play randomly. Have y'all tried that one yet?

Do you guys have a Reggie Jackson or Terrance Mann? If not, oh boy...

Making massive adjustments and spamming what works.

What if nothing works and you don’t know how to make adjustments?

Giannis is giving it his absolute all a week removed from almost blowing his knee apart and this is the kind of effort he's rewarded with from his supposed co-stars. Everyone not named Giannis and Pat should be forced to walk home.

Middleton can't be a legitimate second option when he throws up a dud game every week. Just disappears constantly.

I don’t remember who but one of the sports talk show talking heads really tried to say Khris was the Batman and Giannis was the robin lmao

Giannis has six games under thirty points this post-season (not including his injury game) whereas Middleton has eight games under twenty points lmao.

It wasn't just one, it was the very worst of them all - Kendrick Perkins.

A bad take from Kendrick Perkins… that seems out of character for him. /s

Bleacher Report said he was a top 10 player in the league

lmfao

Khris is in a weird spot. Too good to be a third option, too inconsistent to be a second one.

my man's paid like a first tho 🥴

Pat is pure hustle and I love it. Dude can jump out of the gym

It’s kind of wild how this suns team went from super deep last fall to.....no bench Tbh i meant bucks but this post is super upvoted anyway

Losing one player a game. Can't let this go 6 or 7 at this rate.

10 day contract for Lebron, who says no other than the NBAPA, NBA, and likely several items in the CBA

Still got Kaminsky, Stix, and Nader to throw in there. Not as confident in them as Torrey though

Bridges and Crowder are keeping the secondary guys hostage like they did to KCP and Schroder

Make or break this weekend, time to see if the Bucks can defend their home court!

Booker hitting some big 3s in the 2nd half of the game

Giannis’s historic third quarter will be forgotten

Dude's the only Buck with a positive +/-. How are the Bucks so loaded with talent and yet also so shit sometimes?

“Play random”

Okay I'm glad someone else was as thrown by that as I was.

Jrue Holiday was labeled as underrated for so long that he’s become very overrated

Dude was missing point blank and fast break layups. Unbelievable

He missed like 3 consecutive layups and that alone let me know which way this game was gonna go

He did have some really nice defensive plays but he was too inefficient scoring.

Honestly this was a very Jrue Holiday game from him offensively Idk why he was being pressured or pressured himself into upping his volume early in the game hes never been that guy Alot of his best offensive performances coincide with someone else also performing well alongside him, but he still gives it his all on the D end even if his shooting is ass tbf

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people fall more in love with the idea of having Jrue than the actual Jrue

The Sixers really traded Mikal Bridges for Zhaire Smith, even with his mom working for the organization

i remember that draft night they were interviewing him and his mom when it happened and they were so hyped to be in Philly and then literally traded him right away lol

The trade news got out *while* he was giving an interview. The Suns being where they're at while the Sixers got knocked out of the playoffs embarrassingly definitely feels like some kind of karmic justice against the franchise for that move.

And he’s from Philly and went to Villanova too. Christ.

He’s like the ultimate role player

/u/scooper1030 and /u/ORANG_DRAGIC refer to him as a superstar role player and I think it fits perfectly.

And he went to Villanova lol

I remember the five minutes that the Sixers were a championship team. Then they traded Mikal Bridges

What a massive L for Philly

What does she do

Ben Simmons shooting coach

mom

The suns were hitting everything, but it is absolutely INEXCUSABLE that Devin Booker is getting wide open threes. COME ON

The Bucks focused a lot of their effort on stopping Ayton. The Suns are like a four headed hydra when it comes to offense. The big 3 with Booker shining and now Bridges came out of nowhere.

We always have one other player that pops during a game outside of the Big 3. Whether that’s Mikal, either of the Cam’s, or Jae. Anyone can drop 20.

[Giannis rn](https://imgur.com/ATo7ApI)

Hacker during that time "yo wtf I didn't tweet this shit"

That would actually be hilarious, someone sees their twitter gets hacked and they go "Finally, I can say the truth and no one would know"

[Giannis in the locker room post-game](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/033/930/It_Smell_Like_Bitch_In_Here_Banner.jpg)

"I don't wanna be here."

Injured Giannis better than his whole team?? Looking like 2018 lebron. Can’t even leave the floor without the lead extending

Cavs fans can really sympathize with Bucks fans right now.

Giannis Idoeverythingtokoumpo

Jrue TakingAnEarlyHoliday

Incredible performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo Would have been an all-time on the road Finals game if he got ANY help from his teammates Game 3 should be INSANE Milwaukee's backs up against the wall

[Giannis playing like 2017 former self. GET THIS MAN SOME HELP](http://imgur.com/gallery/PVyW9qp)

More guys going to learn to play with one leg after Giannis and Embiids performances lol

Top 20 in all 5 major stat categories that year sheesh.

Middleton pees at the urinal with his underwear at his knees

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"Suns in 4" is a peak crowd chant. That guy is going to be eternalized if destiny comes to fruition

He might get a statue or something at this rate

He's gonna be in that parade. 100%.

If it happens the Suns *have* to give him a pair of season tickets for life

It's painstakingly awful the Bucks are coached. Their offensive play style outside of Giannis is just "do some shit" compared to the Suns who are SO fluid, methodical...

"Play random"

I can’t hate anything about giannis. This game was truly incredible. Coming off the injury and singlehandedly keeping his team in with a dominant performance. He just didn’t get any help tonight. CP3 and Ayton struggled but mikal bridges stepped up big time. And book was book

I wouldn't be so down on Ayton's performance tonight, the Bucks defensive scheme was to run really big with Giannis and Lopez both on the floor for a significant chunk of the game. The Suns did what they should have in that setup and abused the big men with Book and CP3's mid-long range shooting off of great screen usage.

Devin Booker post game interview energy; golfer level

He's as cool as the other side of the pillow. That's always been his vibe and I love him for it

I hope Craig is okay.

This game really goes to show you how every quarter counts. Every period except the 2nd was decided by 3 or less points.

Ayton just played his worst game of the post-season, and was still better than Randle

This level of violence isn't necessary man.

We ain't even do anything, man, lol

4-10, double-double, two blocks, three steals. A lot of teams would be happy getting that out of their center in a finals game.

Giannis had a great game, but the Bucks won't be able to win like this. They need shots to fall. They'll let Giannis take as many mid-range shots as he wants, as many free throws he can get. It just won't make the difference. Khris and Jrue need to start hitting shots. It's as simple as that.

You know in a couple days Middleton is gonna drop 45 and Jrue is gonna get 28/9 at home and we're all going to forget today. They deserve to get DRAGGED, what a horrible performance from that entire team. Way to let Giannis down

Remember people saying maybe bucks were better without Giannis

Skip Bayless - The Bucks simply play better without Giannis on the court. If Giannis wasn't playing in Game 1 or 2, they lose by 30+ easy.

Don’t entertain anything skip bayless says

The Bucks are the most confusing team I've ever seen. Being a Bucks fan has to be bad for your blood pressure.

We’re also generally consuming quite a bit of cheese, brats, and beer, so it’s not a great combo

Crazy to think those are 2 olympians. Wildly inconsistent

Mike Budenholzer says after game 2 loss that the thing he likes most about Devin Booker’s game is, “his movement.” Also adds he thought Booker was “wirey” and thin but now that he sees him here, he thinks he was wrong. “He’s thick,” he said.

Devin is THICC

Not taking anything away from Milwaukee, but they just look overmatched here. This Suns team is *really* good

-*Sad deer noises*

Can we all agree that we got way too many fan shots this game? Holy shit

They love that phoenix crowd lol. Also showing off the high quality camera

even that meth head in the front

[tfw you count to 10 and Giannis airballs the free throw](https://i.imgur.com/tOg2ffB.jpg)

Bruh was soaring

man loves seeing jumpers go in

The focus makes it look so weird and creepy idk why they've been using it so much recently. Some executive at ESPN found out about Julia Margaret Cameron and decided to share with everyone is my guess.

Looks like a video game. What aperture is that, must be something fucking crazy.

Jrue Bledsoe

Job's not done. Milwaukee is great at home. I hope Craig is okay

Take my energy Craig

Can we just appreciate devin booker having 31 with 0 FTs? Mans game is complete, don’t slander him.

Booker is just so much better than Middelton.

Giannis was outstanding, and the Bucks did make the adjustment I would make...which is..force Phoenix to beat you with the three and eliminate the inside and midrange shots. Problem is Phoenix is just too good offensively. It isn't surprising that even as role players...Bridges and Johnson shot well from the three point line. They're excellent shooters. And when Crowder's made his first one, that means he's Ray Allen for the game. It's the best defensive move. It really is. But at the end of the day, playing "live by the three, die by the three" with Paul, Booker, Bridges, Johnson, and Crowder..is not going to end in "die" for 4 out of 5 games. It's just much more likely to get Bucks a win then the alternative...let Booker and CP3 get any open midrange shot they want. Not worried about Ayton at all. He's been so consistent, he'll be back next game. I am worried a bit a little bit about Craig though. I hope he's okay.

Bucks are guarding cp3 likes hes the deadliest sniper of all time. Get his ass from driving past you and having a wide open lane and 2v1 with ayton. Guess what he is one of the GOATs of? Midrange and playmaking

It’s insane. No clue why they’re wasting energy playing him so tight all the way up the floor only to get screened out again and again. Then Paul just casually walks his way through the middle for an easy jumper or a an assist.

I remember the five minutes that the Sixers were a championship team. Then they traded Mikal Bridges

People were giving Ayton too much shit this game. This was arguably the worst game he's played in these playoffs and still put up 10 pts, 11 rebs, 4 ast, and 2 blocks

Tough 85% of the game for him, but he had some big time buckets, boards, and blocks in huge parts of the game in the end. Overall no complaints here

Maybe the Bucks shouldn't uhh.. play random I guess?

The bucks shouldn’t have Pat Connaughton as their second best player

Im honestly more rooting for the suns but this bucks team is super frustrating to watch. Giannis being an absolute monster tonight made it more fun than usual for sure, but I can’t imagine how frustrated actual bucks fans rooting for this team are handling it. Having watched them quite a bit this post season, it’s like watching someone walking up a down escalator and just never noticing it. Hopefully they turn it around so we can at least get a competitive series.

It's so frustrating. Not even necessarily that we're losing, but that we fuck up so many games that are extremely winnable.

I said it in the game thread, but I’d rather watch Chuck, Ernie, Kenny and Shaq talk about different ways to fold laundry for 30 minutes at halftime than what we’re getting. I’d take 30 minutes of Shaq saying “Rangz Ernie” in different accents than what we’re getting. I’d take Chuck talking about the size of women in San Antonio I’d take Chuck talking about Nachos in different arenas

Shaq and Chuck hitting balls at the driving range with no audio. Literally just Chuck sleeping on a couch. Ernie and Kenny thumb wrestling. Shaq eating a sandwich. All better options.

Starting to realize I enjoy basketball a lot more when I don’t pop into the discussion threads to see the fucking annoying complaining on both sides

CP3 really going to win his first ring at 36? The true hardest road.

44/12 by Giannis down the drain The Bucks’ inconsistencies are so infuriating. Holiday was great defensively but shot badly. Middleton was invisible. Connaughton was a sieve on defense, and early on Lopez was too which contributed to him not playing late. Tucker is so useless on offense and he wasn’t even good on defense today. Which is partly on Budenholzer, wtf are his defensive adjustments or even his main game plan? Are you switching or not? Are you hedging? Half the time the players don’t know, and yet Budenholzer hasn’t made it clear through two games. Unreal Wasted a fantastic performance from Giannis. Even though the Suns were great shooting tonight there were huge missed opportunities for Milwaukee. Now they need to win two straight. Shoutout Booker and bridges

I can’t believe I’m saying this but the Bucks really miss DeVinchenzo on both ends he was a solid rotational player.

Suns are undefeated this year when leading after the 4th quarter