Game 3 Info
Phoenix Suns vs Milwaukee Bucks
Sunday – July 11 – 7:00 p.m.
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
TV: ABC
Records heading into the Game
Phoenix Suns (52-21)
Milwaukee Bucks (46-27)
Phoenix is up 2 games in the this year’s finals. They took care of business at home and now they’re on the road in Milwaukee. There are some big questions that needs to be answered. How can the Bucks bounce back? Can the Suns put a stranglehold on the series? Finally, what happened to Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday? Let’s take a close look at both teams and I will give you my thoughts on Game 3.
Phoenix Suns (51-21) NBA Finals (2-0)
There was a Jae Crowder sighting in Game 2. He scored 11 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and 3 assists last game. He hit three 3-pointers in the first half. It’s actually what the Suns needed from him. Devin Booker scored 31 points while Chris Paul added 23 points and 8 assists. The Suns bench will be the key in Game 3. Last game the bench scored a total of 16 points and that will be a big problem on the road in Milwaukee. The Suns have 10 players in the rotation while sitting the last 6 players out of the series. Why am I reporting this? Here’s my answer. The Suns reserves are young and inexperienced, but they have talent. Head Coach Monty Williams should use PG Jevon Carter from West Virginia in the latter parts of the 3rd and 4th quarters. He can score and play solid defense.
Milwaukee Bucks (46-26) NBA Finals (0-2)
It wasn’t that long ago that Guard Khris Middleton went off on the Atlanta Hawks to get to these Finals. He and Guard Jrue Holiday carried the Bucks while Giannis Antetokounmpo was out in the last two games of that series. The two time MVP played in the first games of this series and played pretty well. Giannis’ aggressive play has taken the ball out of the hands of Middleton and Holiday. The offense has been stagnant for the most part and the Bucks are not playing with a sense of urgency. They have to come out and push the ball like it’s Game 7 and they are down by 13 points with 2 minutes left. That’s the only way they can beat Phoenix in Game 3. The Bucks should shake up the roster with playing Thanasis Antetokounmpo. Why? He’s very disruptive. He won’t get you a ton of buckets but he plays tough on the defensive end and that’s what they need right now.
Prediction
After everyone has taken the Suns in the first two games of the NBA Finals, the sporting world is taking the Bucks at home. ESPN is giving the Bucks a 55% chance of winning. The over/under is 222, so take the over in this one. I’m taking the Bucks by 11!
Final Score
Bucks – 125
Suns – 114
NBA Finals Schedule – All Times Central – All Games on ABC
Game 1 – 7/6 – Phoenix Suns 118 – Milwaukee Bucks 105
Game 2 – 7/8 – Phoenix Suns 118 – Milwaukee Bucks 108
Game 3 – 7/11 – 7 p.m. – Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI
Game 4 – 7/14 – 8 p.m. – Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI
Game 5* – 7/17 – 8 p.m. – Phoenix Suns Arena – Phoenix, AZ
Game 6* – 7/20 – 8 p.m. – Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI
Game 7* – 7/22 – 8 p.m. – Phoenix Suns Arena – Phoenix, AZ
*If necessary
