Middleton and Antetokounmpo rise over the Suns to even Finals series
The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns served fans with one of the most exciting games of the NBA Finals as Bucks, in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter, overcame a 6-point deficit to win Game 4 109-103 at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday night.
While it was expected of Giannis Antetokounmpo to take on the big load, it was actually Khris Middleton who stepped up, combining for 66 points with the two-time MVP to lead the charge for Bucks and help even the series at 2-2.
Middleton exploded a playoff career-high of 40 points while Antetokounmpo piled 26 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and two blocks making both the fourth pair of teammates in NBA history to have 40-point games in the same Finals series. Middleton kept getting better with every quarter as he went from scoring seven in the first to nine in second, 10 in the third, and 14 in the fourth, 10 of which came in the final 2:07 minutes of the game.
But Antetokounmpo dominated the most defining moment of the game when in the final minutes he blocked Deandre Ayton at the rim along that helped the Bucks take over.
The 40-point man heaped praise for his illustrious teammate. “We stay with it and do what we do. Getting into spots and sets we are comfortable in, Giannis has been doing that all year,” said Middleton. “Coming in off the weak side and blocking shots. He didn’t have the dominant performances we are used to seeing, but he did it with other things tonight.”
While Suns’ Devin Booker made history by breaking the record for most points in a debut post-season with 42 points, crossing the likes of NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry and Elgin Baylor, Chris Paul could only muster 10 points and made some costly turnovers at the end of the fourth quarter. Paul, too, was critical of himself after the game. “I have to take care of the ball, we had 17 turnovers. We shoot the ball way too well to not have those opportunities to score,” said Paul who had five to his name.
The elusive Championship ring is just two wins away for both teams. Game 5 now becomes the most important game of the series yet. If the Bucks win, they take the home-court advantage away from the Suns and finish the Finals at home in Game 6. Meanwhile, if the Suns win, they will have to win just one of the two final games to take the title.
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