Last night was the first the Suns and Bucks played one another since game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals in which Milwaukee captured the NBA Championship. Last night game the Suns are showing the Bucks and the league that they on another course to get back to the NBA Finals.
Deandre Ayton scored 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting while Chris Paul had 17 points and matched his season high of 19 assists to lead the Phoenix Suns to a win. Mikal Bridges added 18 points and as the Suns earned a fourth straight win and their 15th in the past 16 games. Paul scored 17 to complete the 500th double-double of his career.
Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton scored 21 points apiece for Milwaukee, which had a four-game winning streak halted while losing for just the third time in 11 games. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was MVP of the Finals, had 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter.
Devin Booker had 17 points and seven assists for Phoenix but made just 6 of 19 shots from the field. Cameron Johnson added 15 points and eight rebounds as the Suns beat Milwaukee for the sixth time in the past seven regular-season meetings.
JaVale McGee scored 12 points and Jae Crowder added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Suns, who shot 56.7 percent from the field despite being just 9 of 30 from 3-point range.
Bobby Portis recorded 11 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks, who made 45.5 percent of their shots and were 10 of 38 from behind the arc. Milwaukee’s Pat Connaughton departed after fracturing the fourth metacarpal on his right hand.
Ayton slammed home a dunk off Paul’s underhand flip to cap a 10-2 burst and give the Suns a 76-61 lead with 6:37 left in the quarter.
Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:07 left and delivered a booming dunk with 4.6 seconds remaining as Phoenix took the 20-point lead into the final quarter and never look back.
