PHOENIX — As Suns star Devin Booker drove into the lane inside the final 30 seconds of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night, it felt like it was about to be a storybook moment.
“The pass was all about trust,” Antetokounmpo said.
And just like that, the Bucks went from being on the ropes to in control of the NBA Finals in a span of less than four seconds.
“Going home to our fans, going home to Milwaukee is a great opportunity for us,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
We’re going to have to compete defensively and we’re going to have to make plays, play together.
Saturday night, that was exactly what Holiday proved to be.
“I saw it in Portland, when he was in New Orleans and we got swept in the first round,” Bucks guard Pat Connaughton said.
It was a Defensive Player of the Year .
Entering Game 5, however, a Holiday offensive explosion didn’t appear to be in the cards.
I went 4-for-20 the game before and we still won, and I know I can do other things to affect the game.
He opened the game with a midrange jumper that hit nothing but net, a good sign for his confidence.
At that point, with the Bucks trailing by 5, Jeff Teague checked into the game.
As Milwaukee stormed back into the game, outscoring Phoenix 43-24 to take the lead going into halftime, it was Holiday who willed the Bucks back into it.
It did — and then some — across the second and third quarters.
After the home team had won each of the first four games of this series, the Bucks came alive on the road in Game 5 to break that trend.
“It makes everything more balanced and makes life easier for everybody,” Middleton said of the teamwide offensive attack.
“Obviously on defense, we can click.
Even with all of that, however, the Suns didn’t go down without a fight.
All of that set the Suns up with a chance to win when Booker brought it over half court with 30 seconds to go.