The NBA crowned a new champion last night. While the city of Milwaukee celebrates the Bucks’ first title since 1971, Giannis Antetokounmpo is coronated, yet he is not the player that got this team over the hump.
As great as Giannis is, and proved to be during the finals, there was another Bucks player that ultimately stepped up and provided an element this Bucks team had been missing in past playoff runs. No, not Khris Middleton either, although his knack for hitting clutch shots late in games did prove to be the difference between winning and losing for the Bucks during this run.
The player to push this team over the top is a player that wasn’t on this team last season. Looking back, you won’t always see all of his contributions reflected in the box score of each game in the finals, but what he was able to do against the Phoenix Suns, and more importantly when guarding Devin Booker, should not go unmentioned. Anytime Jrue Holiday got matched up with Booker, you could see that ‘Book’ was bothered and even flustered at times.
It was a team defensive effort, but Holiday’s sole mission in the finals was to make Booker’s life a living hell whenever he had the ball in his hands. His [Holiday] steal at the end of game five in Phoenix to seal the deal is a play that will go down as one of the biggest defensive plays in NBA Finals history. Every NBA finals montage from here until the end of time will contain that play moving forward.
The @Bucks are #NBAChampions, ending a 50-year title drought. #NBAFinals #NBA @FullPressNBA pic.twitter.com/5tnenhaD3I
— Full Press Coverage (@FP_Coverage) July 21, 2021
MORE PODCASTS From FPCFeed has no items.
A TALE OF TWO SERIES
Instead of a tale of two halves, this was a tale of two series. Games one and two in which the Suns had firm control of and heading back to Milwaukee felt like the Suns were well on their way to the franchise’s first title in its history. Then game three happened, where the Bucks won by 20-points. From there, the momentum of the series never really swung back into the Suns’ favor.
While Holiday didn’t exactly have a great series offensively, games one and two were two of the worse of his career. Although Holiday didn’t have a great shooting performance in this series, under 40-percent from the field overall in the finals, it seemed as he began to show signs of life from game three on, is when all of the Bucks started to show signs of life in this series.
Whereas the Bucks’ three stars of Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Holiday aren’t exactly what we like to call a “Big three” they may very well be the most well-rounded trio in the league at this time. We can talk about their path along the way and the injuries to other teams, and the breaks they caught, just like the Suns. The most important thing to remember is that the Bucks took advantage of the breaks they received along the way to hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Latest NBA News
- Stackin’ The NBA: Suns at Bucks, Heat at Pistons, Nuggets at Mavericks, Celtics at Wizards
- Stackin’ The NBA: Raptors at Magic, Nets at Spurs, Hawks at Clippers
- Stackin’ The NBA: Warriors at Lakers, Timberwolves at Jazz, Knicks at Kings
- Stackin’ The NBA: Hornets at Warriors, Bucks at Timberwolves, Spurs at Lakers
- Stackin’ The NBA: Suns at Mavericks, Clippers at Thunder, Rockets at Pelicans, Celtics at Bulls
AND THE OTHERS
Honorable mention also goes to P.J. Tucker, Pat Connaughton, and Bobby Portis. Bobby!!! Bobby!!! Bobby!!! Without their contributions and willingness to do the dirty work along with Holiday, this Bucks team does not sniff a championship this season. Everything came together exactly how this group needed it to, and they took full advantage of the opportunities afforded them during this post-season run.
Regardless of what happens with this team moving forward, whether they can make it back next season or not, this moment cannot be taken away. Enjoy this one Milwaukee, you have certainly earned it.