Giannis scores 50, Bucks close out Suns in 6 for 1st NBA title since 1971

The Milwaukee Bucks, behind an all-time performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo, closed out the Phoenix Suns, 105-98, in Game 6 on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) to win the franchise’s first NBA championship since 1971.

Antetokounmpo posted 50 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks to lead his team. He scored 33 of those in the second half, including 20 in a huge third quarter.

Khris Middleton added 17 points, including four clutch points in the final minute of the game, while Bobby Portis came up with 16 points, including six crucial points in the fourth, off the Milwaukee bench. Jrue Holiday, meanwhile, finished with 12 points and a game-high 11 assists alongside four steals.

The Bucks lost the first two games of the series before rattling off four straight wins to clinch the NBA Finals series, 4-2.

Chris Paul led the Suns with 26 points while Devin Booker finished with 19, but only shot 8-for-22 from the field to reach his number.

With Phoenix's Booker and Deaandre Ayton struggling with their shot early, the Bucks established themselves in the first quarter with a 15-7 start to the game.

They went on a big 11-2 run behind Antetokounmpo to close the opening period ahead, 29-16. The two-time NBA MVP scored 10 points in the first quarter while Booker and Ayton combined to shoot 2-for-11 from the field

Cameron Payne and Cameron Johnson then gave the Suns a huge lift off the bench as they scored the first eight out of 10 unanswered Phoenix points that got them back to within three, 29-26.

After Portis scored a couple of points to restore order for Milwaukee, 33-26, the Phoenix starters bounced back strong as Booker, Ayton, Paul and Mikal Bridges teamed up for a 9-0 run that put the Suns in the lead for the first time in the game, 35-33.

Antetokounmpo tried his best to keep his team in it, scoring the next seven Bucks points, but the Suns still entered the break with a 47-42 advantage.

Paul led the Suns with 13 at the half while Antetokoumpo had 17 points to lead all scorers.

The Bucks’ two-time MVP came out of the break strong though as he scored 14 of the Bucks’ first 18 points to lead Milwaukee back into the lead, first at 56-55 and again at 60-59. Paul gave the Suns the lead back at 61-60 with a jumper before Brook Lopez came alive, scoring three consecutive baskets as the Bucks took a 66-61 lead. Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points in the third to put his total up to 37 after three.

A couple of late scores from Booker and Frank Kamisky, though, allowed the Suns comeback and tie the game at 77-apiece heading into the final period.

The game was still tied at 82-all before the Bucks went on an 8-2 run, six of those from Antetokounmpo, to take a 90-84 lead. The Greek superstar continued to pour it on as he gave his team a lead of as high as eight points, 100-92, with 2:43 remaining.

But the Suns refused to go away as Booker scored on a layup and Jae Crowder hit a pair of free throws to make it a four-point game, 100-96.

But Middleton came up huge, hitting a clutch jumper with 57 seconds left to make it 102-96 advantage for Milwaukee.

Booker then missed a shot and Antetokounmpo collated an important rebound, which led to two more free throws for Middleton to seal the game, 104-96.

—JMB, GMA News