MILWAUKEE’S last NBA Finals appearance was in 1974, while it was in 1993 that Phoenix last appeared in the Finals, and both teams have only two appearances in the season-ending finale before this year.
The Bucks have a title to show when they won it in 1971 with Lew Alcindor (Kareem Adbul-Jabbar) and Oscar Robertson. Three years after, they again went to the Finals but lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games.
The Suns have never won a championship in their two previous Finals appearances. In 1976, the Celtics won their 13th league title at the expense of Phoenix in six games. In 1993, starring regular season’s Most Valuable Player Charles Barkley, they faced the Chicago Bulls for the championship but lost in six games thus, giving Chicago their three-peat. Eleven teams are without a title in the NBA, and Phoenix is one of them.
I’m neither a fan of both teams, but I would like the Suns to win the league title because of Chris Paul. At 36-years old, he has slowed down, but during his prime, he was a great playmaker and an elite defender. His smarts had brought Phoenix to the Finals.
CP3’s resume is impressive – 2006 Rookie of the Year, an 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selections, and nine-time All-Defensive team. He had led the league in steals six times and assists four times. The only thing missing is a championship, and after 16 seasons, this is his first time to appear in an NBA Finals.
Before the Finals series, the odds were down for Milwaukee with franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo iffy with a knee injury. But he got back, played, and was unguardable, especially in Game 3, where the Bucks are on a must-win game.
Kris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker, Robin Lopez, and Bobby Portis are the back-ups for Giannis and so far and contributed. Devin Booker, Cam Johnson, Cameron Payne, Jae Crowder, and much-improved DeAndre Ayton have proven equal to tasks. The reserves could tip the balance, and I think Phoenix has a deeper bench.
Regardless of who wins the Larry O’Brien trophy, a new and entirely unfamiliar contender will be crowned as the 2021 NBA champions, ending decades of title drought./PN
