More than six months after their clash in the Finals, which turned to the advantage of Milwaukee, the Suns and the Bucks found themselves tonight in Arizona. And, unlike last summer, it was the locals who largely got the better of the defending champions (131-107).
A real show of force, from a collective point of view (seven players with 10 points or more), from the best team in the league, which pressed the accelerator just before half-time, to not no longer be caught up afterwards. Strong men from Phoenix, Deandre Ayton (27 points, 7 rebounds) and Chris Paul (17 points, 19 assists) cut through the poor defense of Wisconsin throughout the evening.
A Bucks team logically dominated and fell on stronger than it, which suffered a setback there after its four successes in a row. Mike Budenholzer’s “Big Three” did try to resist and rebel, but there was just nothing to be done against Monty Williams’ men, victorious in 15 of their last 16 meetings!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
— Deandre Ayton and Phoenix on a ride under the billboards. Not always iNFLuential on the game of the Suns this season, the pivot has nevertheless well and truly walked on the Bucks racket today (12/14 on shots, in 27 minutes). While waiting for the last recruit, Serge Ibaka, to be in uniform, the defending champions once again suffered inside against a skilled player with his hands, with an imposing physique and served on a plate by his leader. Regularly available under the circle and able to cause the “mismatch”, the Bahamian made Milwaukee pay for his weakness in position 5 (68 points conceded in the paint).
— Milwaukee out of the way. The last time the Bucks had played in Arizona, things had gone particularly well for them, since they had snatched an anthology Game 5 to rock the Finals, last July. Except that, nearly seven months later, the defending champions took to the water at the Footprint Center. In contact for a quarter and a half, thanks to the exploits of Jrue Holiday, they then gradually let go in front of the opposing collective control. Even Giannis Antetokounmpo, well defended and who got a scare in the ankle at the start of the game, couldn’t do anything that night…
— Chris Paul, the maestro. The meetings follow one another and look alike for “CP3”, once again essential for the Suns and incidentally author of his 500th career double-double. And what better way to hit that symbolic bar than to do so in a display against the defending champions? In his usual register, both the pass and the scoring, the All-Star point guard entertained from start to finish, guiding Phoenix marvelously offensively. Although he may be approaching his 37th birthday, the “Point God” shows that he still has (very) beautiful remains and you only have to observe this performance to be convinced.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson. The pair of Suns wingers was valuable in scoring, relaying Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul. Devin Booker a little more in the hard than usual, because hampered by faults and unable to find his rhythm offensively, it was the duo Bridges / Johnson who supported the tandem Paul / Ayton as it should. At 3-pts, mid-range or in the paint, the two Phoenix players thus showed very little waste and accumulated 33 points together. All in discretion and all in efficiency, therefore.
⛔ Pat Connaughton and Jordan Nwora. Too expensive (14 ball losses) and corrected collectively (18 assists to 35), the Bucks also suffered because of the insufficient contribution of their bench. Illustration with the failed performances of the Connaughton / Nwora pair, who watered the whole evening (2/14 on cumulative shots, including 1/11 at 3-pts). And when the two main threats of the “second unit” of Milwaukee are so clumsy and inoffensive, it is inevitably very difficult to hope for anything other than a defeat. Especially against such an opponent.
THE FOLLOWING
Phoenix (45-10) : Orlando reception, on the night of Saturday to Sunday (03:00).
Milwaukee (35-22) : reception of Portland, on the night of Monday to Tuesday (02:00).
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
