NBA Finals: Milwaukee Bucks Take Series Lead Over Phoenix Suns

The Milwaukee Bucks managed to pull off a win on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.

The Milwaukee Bucks didn't get off to the hottest start in the 2021 NBA Finals. With two straight games on the road against the Phoenix Suns, the home team took advantage and started the championship series 2-0.

Once the series came home to Milwaukee for the Bucks, they finally got on the board with a win. Keeping up with the trend of the home team winning, the Bucks managed to pick up two-straight wins of their own, tying the series at two before Game 5.

On Saturday night, the Bucks and the Suns met after having a few days off and traveling back to Phoenix for a night. Recent history would say Phoenix should win Game 5 as they were hosting, but Milwaukee was on a mission to break the trend.

At first, they struggled to get off to an inspiring start. As Phoenix collected 37 points and shooting over 70-percent from the field in the first 12 minutes of action, the Bucks struggled to keep up as they only countered with 21 points of their own.

However, when the second quarter rolled around, the Bucks dominated and inserted themselves right back in the game. As their starting point guard Jrue Holiday led his team with 14 points in ten minutes, Milwaukee collectively put up 43 points to outscore the Suns by 19 points before heading into halftime with a three-point lead.

The momentum stayed in the Bucks' favor after a late first-half rally. As Jrue Holiday packed on another 11 points, and the Bucks shot at a high percentage as a whole throughout the entire third quarter, the Bucks put up another 36 points, keeping Devin Booker and the Suns from scoring 30 and maintaining a double-digit lead.

Although it seemed the Suns were falling apart, they fought back hard in the fourth quarter. Outscoring the Bucks by six in the final 12 minutes of Game 5, Phoenix was teasing a comeback. Suns point guard Chris Paul hit on all of his shots from the field, picking up 10 points. Meanwhile, Booker collected another 11 points as he shot efficiently from the field, draining five of his nine attempts. 

Despite allowing Devin Booker to have yet another 40-point outing, the Bucks collectively blocked the Suns from going undefeated at home in the finals series. With 32 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo, 29 points from Khris Middleton, and 27 points from Jrue Holiday, the Bucks defeated the Suns 123-119. 

Although it was a tight Saturday night showdown, the Bucks took the lead in the series for the first time as they collected three straight victories. Now, the series heads back to Milwaukee for Game 6 with the Suns facing elimination and the Bucks one win away from hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy.