Bucks 108 vs 118 Suns Game 2: scores, summary, stats, highlights | NBA FInals
The Phoenix Suns held on to home court advantage, taking a 2-0 series lead on the road to Milwaukee after a 118-108 win over the Bucks. Devin Booker paced the Suns in a night where Phoenix was red hot from behind the arc.
Suns open game on fire from downtown
Both teams had drastically different first quarters. The Bucks pounded the ball in the paint scoring 20 points down low courtesy of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday. The Suns, in contrast, came out firing from three point range in the first quarter. Phoenix scored 26 points in the opening quarter, going 8 for 14 from downtown.
The Bucks led by as many as nine half way through the first quarter, but the sharp shooting Suns quickly erased the deficit with a 20 point turnaround. Defense led the way for Phoenix in a second quarter where they outscored the Bucks 30-16 which sent them to halftime with a nine point lead.
Bridges set the tone early on
Mikal Bridges led the way in the opening 24 minutes scoring 13 points, and hit three of the Suns' 11 first half threes. Holiday and Khris Middleton struggled to find their offensive rhythm in the first half combining for 11 points on 5-24 shooting. The Bucks shot just 36% from the field going in to the halftime break
Giannis giant third quarter not enough
Giannis Antetokounmpo was in his second game back from hyperextending his knee last series, and he looked even quicker and more explosive than he did in his promising Game 1 performance on Tuesday night. After scoring 12 points in the opening half, the Greek came out and dropped 13 straight points in route to a 20 point third quarter to keep Milwaukee in the game. Antetokounmpo’s 20 out of the halftime break were the most scored in a quarter in the NBA Finals in 25 years.
Phoenix still led by 10 despite the monster performance from Giannis in the third. Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges closed out the game for Phoenix after the Bucks made one final surge closing the gap to six in the final quarter.
Booker and Bridges close out Bucks in fourth
Booker scored 31 points, shooting 12 of 25 from the field. His shooting has been hindered since breaking his nose last round against the Clippers, but he looked back to his best in Game 2. Bridges had a playoff career high 27 points and 7 rebounds. Chris Paul followed up his heroic 32 point performance with 23 and eight assists.
Giannis finished with 42 points and 12 boards, but got little help from Middleton and Holiday who combined for just 28 points.
Game 3 in Wisconsin on Saturday
The series will now head to Wisconsin where the Bucks will be in a must win situation going into Game 3. No team in the history of the league has comeback from a 3-0 hole, and that will be a big motivating factor for Milwaukee as they look to defend their home court. Game 3 is set for Saturday at 8 pm ET from the Fisver Forum.
The Phoenix Suns held on to home court advantage, taking a 2-0 series lead on the road to Milwaukee after a 118-108 win over the Bucks. Devin Booker paced the Suns in a night where Phoenix was red hot from behind the arc.
Suns open game on fire from downtown
Both teams had drastically different first quarters. The Bucks pounded the ball in the paint scoring 20 points down low courtesy of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday. The Suns, in contrast, came out firing from three point range in the first quarter. Phoenix scored 26 points in the opening quarter, going 8 for 14 from downtown.
The Bucks led by as many as nine half way through the first quarter, but the sharp shooting Suns quickly erased the deficit with a 20 point turnaround. Defense led the way for Phoenix in a second quarter where they outscored the Bucks 30-16 which sent them to halftime with a nine point lead.
Bridges set the tone early on
Mikal Bridges led the way in the opening 24 minutes scoring 13 points, and hit three of the Suns' 11 first half threes. Holiday and Khris Middleton struggled to find their offensive rhythm in the first half combining for 11 points on 5-24 shooting. The Bucks shot just 36% from the field going in to the halftime break
Giannis giant third quarter not enough
Giannis Antetokounmpo was in his second game back from hyperextending his knee last series, and he looked even quicker and more explosive than he did in his promising Game 1 performance on Tuesday night. After scoring 12 points in the opening half, the Greek came out and dropped 13 straight points in route to a 20 point third quarter to keep Milwaukee in the game. Antetokounmpo’s 20 out of the halftime break were the most scored in a quarter in the NBA Finals in 25 years.
Phoenix still led by 10 despite the monster performance from Giannis in the third. Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges closed out the game for Phoenix after the Bucks made one final surge closing the gap to six in the final quarter.
Booker and Bridges close out Bucks in fourth
Booker scored 31 points, shooting 12 of 25 from the field. His shooting has been hindered since breaking his nose last round against the Clippers, but he looked back to his best in Game 2. Bridges had a playoff career high 27 points and 7 rebounds. Chris Paul followed up his heroic 32 point performance with 23 and eight assists.
Giannis finished with 42 points and 12 boards, but got little help from Middleton and Holiday who combined for just 28 points.
Game 3 in Wisconsin on Saturday
The series will now head to Wisconsin where the Bucks will be in a must win situation going into Game 3. No team in the history of the league has comeback from a 3-0 hole, and that will be a big motivating factor for Milwaukee as they look to defend their home court. Game 3 is set for Saturday at 8 pm ET from the Fisver Forum.
It's all over from Phoenix! The Suns win Game 2 and they are two wins away from the NBA Title.
Bridges back to the line, hits two of two.
Teague goes to the line, and hits two of two.
Bridges back to the line, hits two of two and has a career playoff high 25 points.
Giannis with an easy lay up after getting an open path to the rack.
Bridges to the line, hits two of two.
Giannis with the dunk out of the timeout.
Timeout Bucks with 51.5 to go in the fourth.
1:00 to go in the fourth.
Bridges goes to the line after the Connaughton foul, hits two of two. He's got 21 points.
Connaughton drop a straight on three ball.
Connaughton drop a straight on three ball.
2:00 to go in the fourth quarter.
Crowder hits the jumper with the shot clock winding down.
Giannis with the one handed floater in the paint
Bridges with the up and under gets the scoop to go.
Paul hits the corner three after Ayton pulls down the offensive board.
Timeout Suns with 4:32 to go in the fourth quarter.
Giannis gets the roll off the fade away.
Under 5:30 to go in the fouth quarter.
Holiday with a strong drive gets the bucket and the foul.
Holiday with the jumper from outside the paint
Ayton on the alley oop off the feed from Paul.
Middleton with the step back jumper
Booker from the top of the key
Giannis went to the bench and is being looked at by the trainers after the block on Bridges that led to the Lopez lay up.
Booker drops a three ball and Milwaukee calls a timeout with 7:41 to go in the game.
8:00 to go in the fourth quarter.
Ayton on the pick and roll off the feed from Paul
Lopez with the lay up off the big block from Giannis.
Teague gets the floater in the lane.
Booker spots up from three point range.
Connaughton gets the offensive rebound and put back off the Giannis missed three.
Giannis on the turnaround jumper from the baseline.
Paul gets the bucket and the foul falling out of bounds, FT is no good.
Holiday down low off the Giannis feed to start the fourth quarter.
The third quarter comes to an end. Phoenix led by as many as 15, but the lead is down to 10 going into the fourth.
Torrey Craig is being carried off the court after an offensive foul on Giannis. He grabbed his right knee after the collision.
After the review, it has been ruled an offensive foul and nothing more.
Offensive foul called on Booker, it will be reviewed after his elbow caught Connaughton in the face. 6.9 to go in the third
Paul gets the roll from the FT line jumper
Giannis to the line hits two of two. He's got 20 in the third quarter.
Middleton hits a long two with a hand in his face from Johnson
Craig strings a three ball from the top of the key.
Giannis gets the offensive board off the Lopez missed three, he's back at the line where he hits one of two.
Johnson fouled by Lopez on the drive, goes to the line hits two of two.
Giannis back to the line, hits two of two.
Booker gets the follow to go off his own miss
Giannis on the step back from the FT line. He's got 15 in the quarter
Timeout Bucks with 4:09 to go in the third quarter.
Booker drops a three with a hand in his face.
Under 4:30 to go in the third quarter.
Connaughton in the right corner for three.
Booker banks the pull up off the glass from mid range.
Giannis back to the line, misses both.
Paul in the corner for three off the feed from Booker.
MIddleton drops a catch and shoot three
Ayton hits one of two free throws out of the timeout.
Timeout from Phoenix with 6:29 to go in the third quarter.
Lopez gets the tip in off the Giannis miss.
Giannis again, he's got 13 straight points for the Bucks
Paul knocks down a three ball
Giannis back to attacking the rack, he's got 11 in this quarter.
Paul taking the contact and floats it in from the heart of the paint.
Giannis back to the line again, hits both for the first time tonight.
Giannis pulls up from behind the arc.
Giannis back to the line, gets one of two to go again.
GIannis to the line, hits one of two.
Bridges down low off the feed from Crowder.
Giannis hits the pull up from inside the arc.
Booker with a deep three
Booker on the mid range jumper
Holiday with a much needed three pointer.
Bridges going back to work, gets the first bucket of the second half.
We are back in action from Phoenix.
Holiday has struggled from the field, shooting 3 of 14, but he has been great on defense.
Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are a combined 5 for 24. Giannis is going to need more production from those two if they are going to have success tonight.
The Suns hit 11 threes in the first half, eight of those came in the first quarter.
Giannis has 12 first half points. We'll keep an eye on him in the second half after colliding with Chris Paul, he stayed down once the foul on Paul was called, and clutched his knee. He went to the halftime break with a light limp.
Mikal Bridges leads all scorers with 13 points, 9 of those coming from downtown.
A 20 Suns turnaround in the first half, after they were down by nine early in the opening quarter.
We are going to halftime with the Suns leading by double digits.
Ayton with the finish underneath and gets the foul, goes to the line and converts the three point play with 15 seconds left in the half
Booker with the high arching shot in the paint.
Giannis on the baseline fader
Bridges gets another three, and he's got 13
2:16 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Giannis down main street getting the transition lay up to go.
A Booker three was changed to a two in the timeout break.
A 17 point turnaround for the Suns in the first half.
Paul with the fade away from outside the lane. Timeout Bucks with 3:04 to go in the second quarter.
Crowder with a corner three, he's got three from downtown.
Booker answers back with a three
Connaughton on the catch and shoot
Bridges with a pull up jumper fromthe baseline.
Giannis to the line, goes one of two.
Lopez finds the offensive board and put back after the Giannis missed three.
Ayton with an open jam, after Holiday comes up with a huge block on Booker. Timeout Bucks with 6:59 to go in the second quarter.
Johnson for three again!!!
MIddleton with the lob finds Lopez for the alley oop
Bridges on the fall away from just outside the paint.
Pull pulls up in the paint.
Holiday fouled by Paul, goes to the line and hits one of two.
Paul with a floater high off the glass.
Forbes connects on a three after a couple offensive rebounds.
Payne dashes to the rack out of the quarter change.
Giannis and Tucker have 7 points to lead the Bucks after 12 minutes, while Bridges, Crowder and Booker all have 6.
A wild first quarter comes to a close in Arizona. Milwaukee leads Phoenix by 3 after 12 minutes.
Portis with the put back in the paint.
Connaughton answers back with a corner three.
Craig for three from the top of the key!!! the Suns have made 8 threes in the first quarter.
Booker spots up off the dribble from downtown.
Giannis goes to the line after the foul by Cam Payne, gets one to go and air balls the second.
Timeout from Arizona, where the Suns have his six first quarter threes. 2:49 to go in the first quarter.
Johnson off the bench and on the board with a three ball.
Paul spots up from the elbown for his first points of the game.
Middleton spins on the baseline and hits the baseline jumper.
Crowder in the corner for three. All 15 points for the Suns have been from three point range.
Tucker in the corner for three, he's got a quick 7
Tucker get the offensive rebound and put back down low.
Tucker floats one up from outside the lane.
Booker spots up from three point range out of the timeout.
Timeout Milwaukee, with 7:08 to go in first quarter. The Bucks have scored 12 of their 14 points in the paint
Giannis with the follow up tip slam.
Holiday finishes under the basket in traffic.
Bridges with his second three in the left corner
MIddleton gets a floater to go in the paint.
Bridges in the left corner for three
Holiday off the spin gets the lay up to drop.
Giannis back to the rack with a big dunk down the lane.
Crowder spots up from three point range
Holiday spots up from the elbow.
Giannis stretches for the dunk off the steal and score
We are underway in Game 2 from Phoenix.
ESPN's coverage of tonight's game has started from Phoenix Suns Arena. We are just moments away from tip off of Game 2.
According to Bet365.com the Suns are a 4.5 point favorite at home tonight, with the Over/Under set at 221.
We are less than 20 minutes from tip off in Arizona.
Monty Williams is expecting the Bucks at their best tonight, "We have already started to prepare ourselves for the best Milwaukee effort that we're going to see in the series. We're ready for that. I'm grateful for the experiences we have had leading up to this because I think it's prepared us for the Game 1 and in particular Game 2."
Coach Monty Williams happy with Game 1 win, but wants more, "To win the first game at home was great for us. But we also have the mentality that we're not satisfied. We have been in this situation before.
Deandre Ayton will need another big game after posting 22 points and 19 rebounds in Game 1. Back up big man Dario Saric tore his ACL last game and will be out a lenghty spell.
Giannis looked great in his return for injury in Game 1. Look for his to have an even bigger night tonight with a game under his belt
One of the storylines of this post season has been Giannis and his FTs. He went 7 of 12 in Game 1 which is just about par for the course in the playoffs where he is shooting 54 percent.
The Suns missed just one of their 26 free throws in thieir Game .1 win.
Giannis looked explosive, and unaffected by his knee in the last game, scoring 20 points and grabbing 17 rebounds.
Giannis played in Game 1 after missing the final two games of the Eastern Conference Finals with a hyperextended left knee.
Paul failed to score in the first 12 minutes, but then posted 32 points, and was seemingly impossible to stop at times.
The Suns won Game 1 after leading for the final three quarters. Chris Paul stole the show in his first NBA Finals game in his 16 year career.
We are back at Phoenix Suns Arena for Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Tip off is just an hour away.
Hello everyone and welcome to Arizona for Game 2 of the NBA Finals. AS English will be providing live coverage, updates, stats and scores from tonight’s contest between the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Phoenix Suns keep home court advantage in the second game of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. They come into Game 2 up a game on the Bucks after Chris Paul’s sensational performance in the Suns first win in a championship series since 1993.
Paul was fantastic in his first ever Finals game. After being held scoreless in the first quarter, he erupted for 32 points over the next 36 minutes. Phoenix took the lead late in the first quarter and never let go of the lead in the final three quarters, widening the margin to as much as 20. Devin Booker followed with 27 points, and Deandre Ayton showed he’s going to be difficult to contain this series, posting 22 points and 19 rebounds.
The Bucks were dealt some good fortune when it was announced that Giannis Antetokounmpo would return to action in Game 1 after hyperextending his left knee in the last series. While his numbers didn’t quite match up to his postseason average on the run to the finals, he scored 20 and dragged down 17 rebounds. His stat line was encouraging for the Bucks, but more than his numbers it was in range of motion and his explosiveness that he showed that will give Milwaukee hope for Game 2 in beyond.
The Bucks will be hoping to head back to Wisconsin with a win in their pocket, but Phoenix will have other ideas, as they look to hit the road up 2-0. Game 2 is set to tip off at 9 pm ET/ 6 PT from the Phoenix Suns Arena.