The Milwaukee Bucks knotted their series with the Phoenix Suns after a thrilling 109-103 victory in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Khris Middleton led the Bucks, who now head to Phoenix for Game 5 with the series tied at two games apiece.
Middleton was simply unstoppable in this contest, scoring a total of 40 points, including a critical 10-point stretch in the closing stages that turned a 99-97 deficit for Milwaukee into a 107-101 lead. He shot 15-of-33 from the field in Game 4 and also had six rebounds and four assists.
Giannis Antetokounmpo once again played a major part in the Bucks' victory, recording 26 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists. However, it was his play on the defensive end that was the difference as he produced a fantastic block on Deandre Ayton in the closing minutes that could have tied the game for Phoenix late on.
Phoenix starts strong behind Booker's heroics
The Phoenix Suns started Game 4 strongly after a subpar showing in Game 3. They raced to a quick 10-4 lead after going on an 8-0 blast that forced Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer to call an early timeout. After scoring just 10 points in Game 3, Devin Booker looked to be more aggressive in this contest, recording eight points in the first quarter to lead all Phoenix scorers at that point.
The Bucks were fortunate to enter the second quarter down by just three points at 23-20 as two of their main stars struggled in the opening period. Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared to be tentative, scoring just four points in the first quarter with four rebounds after dominating in Games 2 and 3.
Jrue Holiday again started horribly from the field, missing his first five field-goal attempts. The Bucks as a team finished the first quarter shooting 32 percent from the floor and only 20 percent from deep.
The second quarter was a back-and-forth affair as both teams traded leads and runs. The Bucks finally tasted the lead after going on a 17-8 run that turned a 25-20 deficit into a 37-33 advantage. The Suns battled back, though, and led 52-47 in the final minute. However, Milwaukee finished the quarter strong, scoring the last five points to end the half with the game all tied at 52 points apiece.
Booker led all scorers at the break with 20 points while Khris Middleton paced the Bucks with 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Antetokounmpo looked far from impressive in the first half, recording just 12 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
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Booker's 42-point performance wasted
The slugfest continued in the third quarter as both teams' stars started to take over. The Bucks had no answer for Booker, who scored ten quick points in the third quarter to give Phoenix a 65-60 lead. However, the Bucks got a major break when Booker was called for his fourth foul with 5:53 remaining in the third.
That enabled Milwaukee to inch closer in the contest as they tied the game at 73-all. Booker wouldn't be denied, however, as he helped the Suns end the third quarter with a 9-3 run to give Phoenix an 82-76 lead. Booker scored six points during that stretch as he finished the third period with an 18-point tally.
Unfortunately for the Suns, Booker got his fifth foul quickly in the fourth quarter. He sat on the bench as a result and lost his rhythm when he returned for the Suns. He scored just four points in the final period, finishing the game with 42 points on 17-of-28 shooting.
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