Suns coach Monty Williams had several reasons to be frustrated after Sunday’s 132-122 loss to Milwaukee in a repeat of last year’s NBA Finals, which the Bucks won six times.
Phoenix (51-13) was without Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Cam Johnson but led by as much as 10 points and was up a point at 121-120 with less than three minutes before there was a 12-1 run around losing 10 in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,495 at the Fiserv Forum.
His main criticism was that the Bucks won the free throw fight just as they did in winning the Finals. Milwaukee finished 23 of 29 from the line on Sunday while Phoenix made just 11 free throws (made eight).
His frustration is understandable.
Without three of their best players, the Suns struggled against Milwaukee and its Big 3, limited Giannis Antetokounmpo to just 19 points and Deandre Ayton posted a season-high 30, but they “dropped the ball,” as Jae Crowder put it, in some areas of loss.
Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s loss as Phoenix continues its three-game road trip Tuesday in Orlando (16-49), bottom of the Eastern Conference.
1. The Suns gave up 132 points.
This is too much. Way too much.
It’s the second-most points they’ve conceded this season. Portland scored 134 points in a 29-point win over the Suns.
That was in Phoenix’s third game of the season in the second straight straight.
Williams hates giving up 30-point quarters. Milwaukee reached 30 in each of the first two quarters, scored 31 in the third and went for 41 in the fourth.
Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton in fourth place scored 17 and 16 points, respectively.
This is too much. Way too much.
Middleton finished the game on 44 while Holiday scored 24. Those two equalized Antetokounmpo, who scored under 20 and was eliminated.
2. Staying on topic, no one has really come up with an answer for Antetokounmpo since he became known by his first names, but Phoenix took him to just 18 in their 131-107 home win last month and just 19 on Sunday in Milwaukee limited .
Ayton led a collective effort in guarding Antetokounmpo.
Having the two-time MVP break through for a dunk early in the game may have woken Ayton up because he defended it much better afterwards.
stayed ahead. Forced hard attempts. Played smartly, only catching two fouls.
The problem with Milwaukee is that Middleton and Holiday can also hit big numbers. Everyone remembers Booker’s epic 42-point performance in Game 4, but Middleton scored 40 in that win for the Bucks to level the series 2-2.
At 6-7, he’s taller than most wings trying to protect him. His ability to push guys back and shoot the fadeaway jumper is something Mikal Bridges, one of the league’s top defenders, didn’t have an answer to on Sunday.
Holiday prides himself on guarding the ball, but he’s shooting a career-high 50.8% from the field and 41.6% from 3.
The Bucks are unbeatable when their Big 3 roll, but they showed on Sunday they can do it against Phoenix even when their biggest has a night off.
3. rebound.
The Bucks drove the Suns on Glass Sunday, 48-27.
This is too much. Way too much.
It’s one thing for Antetokounmpo to grab 13 boards. He’s averaging 11.6 rebounds this season, but when Serge Ibaka comes off the bench to gobble up 10 while six come on the offensive glass?
rebound.
That’s the only thing Ayton said, that’s what really nagged him after the game.
Then he pointed the finger at himself for not doing the job on the boards lately.
He has missed 10 rebounds in seven straight games, including six after the All-Star break. Ayton collected just three in Friday’s win against the Knicks.
The 6-11 Big won eight on Sunday, but that’s not enough, especially against a team like Milwaukee that’s crashing the boards. The Bucks had 14 offensive rebounds Sunday.
This is too much. Way too much.
4. Ayton dedicated Sunday’s game to his son, who celebrated a birthday on Sunday.
When his little boy is old enough to go on YouTube, he can go back and see how his dad was doing on Sunday.
Ayton hit 14 of 19 shots from the field, was aggressive and found the balance between points in the paint and hits from the middle.
Six baskets came within seven feet of the basket and seven were between 11 and 18 feet. His other bucket was a 3, but that was the only one he took from out there.
One thing that stood out was that Cameron Payne found it in the pocket of a catch-and-shoot sweater. Payne has really grown in reading the game, but that’s something the Suns can do more to take advantage of Ayton’s ability to hit the jumper.
There are those who can’t stand to see Ayton make a jump shot. Payne even said he knew there were people frowning on that, but Sunday he had it going from there.
5. The Suns should take their frustration out on the Magic in a few days.
Even without Paul, Booker and Johnson not making the trip to Milwaukee, the Suns should be looking after Orlando.
If this game is close in the fourth, that’s a problem.
Next night, Phoenix will wrap up Wednesday’s road trip in Miami (43-22), which has the best record in the East.
Williams said the biggest thing they want to address is the rebound. Not only did the Bucks own the glass, but they scored 14 points for the second chance.
You also need to deal with two other areas. Defending 3 and end-of-game situations. The Bucks went 15 of 32 from deep
Too much of. Way too much.
FYI: Miami is first in the league in 3-point percentage.
The Bucks also performed better than Phoenix at the track. The Suns had two costly turnovers and allowed two offensive rebounds in Milwaukee’s 12-1 finish.
Those are two other things that should bother Williams about Sunday’s loss as well.
Do you have an opinion on the current state of the suns? You can reach Sun insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 5 Suns Takeaways Who Went Late In The Finals Rematch Showdown Against Bucks
