Game 2 Final Score: Suns 118, Bucks 108 | Series coverage
The Lede: Following a Game 1 loss in which Chris Paul and Devin Booker got wherever they wanted, the Bucks adjusted. Jrue Holiday hounded Paul up the court, while Milwaukee’s defense swarmed Booker’s pick-and-roll action. On the other end, Giannis Antetokounmpo helped the Bucks reassert their dominance in the paint and at the free throw line … and it didn’t matter. The attention on Phoenix’s stars allowed the Suns’ shooters to get going. Mikal Bridges scored a playoff-career high 27 points, while the Suns as a team drilled a franchise playoff record 20 3-pointers. Paul and Booker helped close out the win and combined for 54 points, part of a team effort that was enough to counter Antetokounmpo’s mammoth 42-point, 12-rebound performance.
Game 2 Coverage:
• Video Box Score | Shot charts
Analysis:
• 5 things we learned from Game 2 of The Finals
• Powell: Bucks failing to support Giannis in Finals
• Inside the Box Score: Deep stats from Game 2
NBA TV:
• What do Bucks need to do to bounce back in Game 3?
• How Phoenix answered Milwaukee’s Game 2 game plan
• Suns’ bread and butter proves more reliable in 4th quarter
• Comparing Paul and Isiah in big-game situations
• Paul on his Ayton’s development, ‘Point God’ moniker & more
• Finals Film Room: How Booker got to his spots
• Finals Film Room: Examining Giannis’ performance
• Finals Film Room: Breaking down Suns’ 3-point shooting
• Finals Film Room: What Bucks’ did defensively
Top Plays & Highlights
• Ultimate Highlight: Suns seize 2-0 Finals lead
• Full Focus: Suns’ long-range shooting sinks Bucks
• Nightly Notable: Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Play of the Day: Devin Booker
• Around the World: Broadcasters call Suns’ wild ball-movement play
• Must-See: Perfect passing sequence leads to Ayton and-1
• Must-See: Holiday denies Booker’s slam
• Booker hits seven from deep, scores 31
• Bridges breaks out for 27 points
• Giannis scores 20 of his 42 in the 3rd quarter
• Williams shares key coaching moment with Ayton
Postgame News Conferences & Interviews
• Ayton driven to always be ‘sturdy’ for Suns
• Paul credits Suns’ resilience in Game 2 win
• Monty on Booker: ‘These are the moments he lives for’
• Booker: ‘We’re prepared for this moment’
• Paul: ‘We pass up good shots to get great shots’
• Crowder: ‘It’s 0-0. We’re staying even keel.’
• Giannis: ‘We’ve been down before. We know the deal.’
• Budenholzer on Bucks stars: ‘We need all three of those guys’