NBA 2021 Finals: Milwaukee Bucks end 50-year drought, become the new champions

The Milwaukee Bucks pulled out a tough 105-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night to win their first NBA Championship in 50 years.

The Milwaukee Bucks are the 2021 NBA Champions, Image credit: Twitter/NBA
By Amruth Kalidas | Jul 21, 2021 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

The NBA has a new champion. The Milwaukee Bucks pulled out a tough 105-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 on Tuesday to win their first title in 50 years. The Bucks fell behind 2-0 in the series, but they never gave up. Instead, they dug deep and won four straight games to claim to the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

As he has been all postseason, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks in Game 6. The two-time MVP finished the game with one of the most impressive stats in NBA history – 50 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. As a result of his performances throughout the series, Antetokounmpo was named the Finals MVP. Khris Middleton dropped 17 points, and Bobby Portis added 16 points off of the bench.

On the other side, Phoenix, just didn’t have enough to get it done. Chris Paul paced the Suns with 26 points and five assists in Game 6. But this is as close as Paul will get to becoming an NBA champion, for now. The Suns will now enter the summer facing some questions, the city of Milwaukee will have to figure out its parade plans.

BUCKS ARE THE 2021 NBA CHAMPIONS

Giannis Antetokounmpo put together one of the best single-game performances ever in NBA Finals history in Game 6. His effort and efficiency were off the charts.

Antetokounmpo became just the seventh player in NBA history to score 50-plus points in a finals game. He also became the first player ever to record 50 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a playoff game. He accounted for 47.6 percent of Milwaukee’s points on Tuesday. That’s the fourth-highest in a Finals game in the shot-clock era. Michael Jordan and Elgin Baylor are the only players to record a higher percentage during that span. 

He was especially productive in the second half. He scored 33 of his 50 points in the second half. Over the last 50 years, only two players have scored at least 33 points in a half of a finals game. Michael Jordan and Antetokounmpo. Not bad company for the Bucks star, who put on a performance in Game 6 that won’t soon be forgotten.

Antetokounmpo’s play was the main reason that the Bucks were able to pull out a win in Game 6, but he had proper support to get the job done. One player that deserves a ton of credit for helping the Bucks to their first title in a half-century is Bobby Portis. Portis came in off the bench and provided the Bucks with a huge spark. Portis finished the game with 16 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor, including six in the fourth quarter that helped to seal the win.

CHRIS PAUL CURSED?

Over the course of his career, Chris Paul has earned a reputation as one of the league’s best point guards. However, he has also gained a reputation for losing leads in playoff series, and unfortunately, the jinx followed Paul to Phoenix. After going up 2-0 over Milwaukee in the series, the Suns dropped four straight games, marking the fourth time in his career that Paul’s team has lost a best-of-seven series after going up 2-0. He’s the first player ever to blow four such series leads.





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