The NBA Finals are finally here as the Milwaukee Bucks are set to take on the Phoenix Suns to see who is going to be the NBA champions.
This Suns team are the current favorites to win it all.
Favorites do not always win, but the Bucks have an uphill battle to beat the Suns.
The Bucks have battled throughout the postseason.
They had to take down the powerful Brooklyn Nets team with Kevin Durant scoring at will.
Then it was the Atlanta Hawks and their miracle run to the Conference Finals.
Now, it is time to take on the Suns.
The Suns have been on a roll as of late and look to have it culminate with a title.
How do the Bucks beat a team like this?
This is how it could be done.
3. Khris Middleton Has To Be Consistent
The closer of the Bucks during the postseason has been their two-time All-Star, Khris Middleton.
He has had great games sprinkled out through the playoffs in high leverage moments.
One of those games was in the series-clinching win against the Hawks.
The bright lights have not scared off Middleton thus far.
Khris Middleton steps up when most needed.
G6 vs BKN: 38 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST
G7 vs BKN: 23 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST
G5 vs ATL: 26 PTS, 13 REB, 8 AST
G6 vs ATL: 32 PTS, 4 REB, 7 AST pic.twitter.com/SscMiwoeN0— StatMuse (@statmuse) July 4, 2021
However, he has had a few duds.
There have been games where he has scored 15 points, or less, in these playoffs.
The NBA Finals is not the time to be inconsistent.
Middleton does not need to go nuclear every game, but there should be a consistency with his play in order for the Bucks to win it all.
2. Hope That Giannis Is Healthy
The best player in this series should be Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, he got injured in Game 4 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Giannis went down and was helped off the court with an apparent left leg injury. pic.twitter.com/fTWyfiaWeg
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 30, 2021
The last two games of that series saw the Bucks without their superstar player.
There is a chance he can be ready for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Even if he plays, the Bucks need him to be healthy.
The Suns are a great team.
The Bucks need their best player to be able to keep up.
Hopefully, he can play and at least be close to 100 percent.
There is some doubt of that happening.
Antetokounmpo’s health is the biggest storyline heading into the Finals.
His health can determine the winner of this series.
1. Take It To The Paint
The offensive point of attack for the Bucks is usually shooting threes.
However, their best way of scoring in the last two series has been dominating the paint.
They tend to sometimes steer away from what works.
That is why the Hawks series took so long.
Their infatuation for shooting threes has been the biggest problem for them.
When they decide to score inside, it is hard for them to be defeated.
Bucks 36, Hawks 22 after 1 here in Milwaukee. Pretty simple story here: the Bucks had 28 points in the paint in the first quarter. They had 44 in all of Game 4.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) July 2, 2021
Even without Antetokounmpo, they are still able to score in the paint with Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis.
Middleton and Jrue Holiday might be technically guards, but they are still able to score inside.
The Bucks need to focus on what their strengths are and not fall in love with shooting threes.
If they do that, then watch out for the Bucks to beat the Suns.
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