NBA Finals 2021: Phoenix Suns' Chris Paul Takes Over Late in Game 1 Win vs. Milwaukee Bucks
The "Point God" Chris Paul proved that he could also dominate the NBA Finals stage as he took over in Game 1 victory for the Phoenix Suns against the Milwaukee Bucks, 118-105, on Tuesday night, July 6.
Chris Paul entered Game 1 with a slow start, but when he finally found his rhythm, the "Point God" demonstrated that he belonged in the NBA Finals.
According to CBS Sports, Chris Paul dropped 32 points, 9 assists, and 4 rebounds to secure his first-ever NBA Finals victory and appearance. The 'Point God' orchestrated the Phoenix Suns' run that gave them the largest lead of the night.
Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton also came up big in their NBA Finals debut. Booker scored 27 points, 6 assists, and 2 rebounds, while Ayton grabbed 19 boards and scored 22 big points, a rebound shy for 20-20 performance.
Despite the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the starting lineup of the Bucks, the predicted outcome for Game 1 did not change.
Giannis Antetokounmpo started the game like he did not hyperextend his left knee a week ago. The Greek Freak was aggressive early in the game and even finished with a monstrous dunk at the rim in the opening minutes.
Middleton became a steady offensive contributor for the Bucks, allowing them to stay the striking distance in the first half. The second quarter finished with a score of 49-57, with Suns leading in the first half.
Second Half of NBA Finals Game 1
Chris Paul and Devin Booker revived the dying art of perimeter shooting in the 2021 NBA finals. The Phoenix Suns, led by Paul and Booker, exposed the weakness on the Bucks line up.
Despite his contribution on the offensive end, Brook Lopez was a liability for the Milwaukee Bucks on the defensive end. The Suns' backcourt took advantage of the mismatch and attacked Lopez, forcing him to guard them on the switches.
Chris Paul was aggressive on the offensive end and already dropped 19 points, 6 assists, and 2 rebounds in the middle of the third period.
Paul displayed various moves from his offensive arsenal, leaving his teammates open for easy buckets, AZCentral reported. He executed drop coverage, capitalizing on the Ayton-Paul connection.
Also, Paul attracted the Bucks defense, which left the Suns big man wide open in the paint for an easy flush. Ayton dominated the boards halfway of the third period, having already 14 rebounds with lots of minutes left in the ball game.
The 'Point God' was on fire in the third with 8 consecutive points to extend the Suns' lead to 18 points. The Bucks put Bobby Portis on Paul as the defender, but CP3 did not mind the defense at all.
However, Paul injured his left hand by contact with Bobby Portis. Despite his injury, he was still able to dish an assist to Ayton to put the lead to 2 points.
Every time Booker and Paul were on the free-throw line, the Suns crowd shouted MVP chants, praising them for placing the Phoenix Suns back to the NBA Finals.
However, when Giannis Antetokounmpo turns to shoot at the charity stripe, the crowd counted every time he steps on the line.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer of the Bucks started the final quarter with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the center position. It allowed the Bucks to have more offensive firepower by stretching the floor to give space to the shooters.
The Bucks tried to cut the lead to single-digit early in the fourth, but the Suns' squad rallied back. Chris Paul took care of business in the final minutes, not allowing the possible Bucks' comeback, The Guardian reported.
READ MORE: 2021 NBA Finals Game 1: Winner, Loser, Schedule, Odds; Injury Update on Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Written by Jess Smith
WATCH: Chris Paul Becomes 1st player With 30 PTS & 8 AST in an #NBAFinals Debut Since Michael Jordan - From ESPN