Milwaukee Bucks edges Phoenix Suns to grab 3-2 NBA Finals lead

Milwaukee Bucks took control of the NBA Finals with a 123-119 win over Phoenix Suns in the fifth game of the NBA Finals.

Milwaukee Bucks' P.J. Tucker, from left, celebrates with Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Pat Connaughton during the second half of the NBA Finals contest on Saturday. - AP

Milwaukee Bucks took control of the NBA Finals with a 123-119 victory over the host Phoenix Suns on Saturday to move a win away from ending one lengthy championship drought and extending another.

After dropping the first two games of the series the Bucks have roared back to life and after hanging on in a wild Game Five finish, now lead the best-of-seven NBA Finals 3-2.

Milwaukee is now one win away from clinching its first NBA championship in 50 years, while Phoenix remains two wins away from its first title in the team's 53-year existence.

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The Suns were trailing by a point with 20 seconds left when Milwaukee guard Jrue Holiday ripped the ball from Devin Booker's hands and sent an alley-oop pass to Giannis Antetokounmpo for a dunk that sealed the Bucks' win.

Antetokounmpo, whose brother and team-mate Thanasis was ruled out of the game due to the NBA's health and safety protocols, had a team-high 32 points but he missed a number of late free throws that left the door open for Phoenix.

Booker scored a game-high 40 points for a Suns team that led by 16 points after the first quarter before the Bucks clawed their way back and withstood a late Phoenix charge.

Giannis continues his stellar #NBAFinals with 32 PTS, 9 REB and 6 AST in Game 5! #ThatsGame@Bucks lead 3-2.. Game 6 of the #NBAFinals presented by YouTube TV is Tuesday at 9 PM ET on ABC. pic.twitter.com/JYPV9kzJ5k

— NBA (@NBA) July 18, 2021

 

Phoenix initially looked like a completely different team than the one that just lost two road games, making a fast start in front of a raucous crowd that included four-times NBA champion LeBron James. It led 37-21 after the first quarter.

But the Bucks responded in stellar fashion in a lopsided second quarter. Powered by Holiday, they scored 43 points to claw back and take a 64-61 into the half.

The Bucks did not take their foot off the gas and it was two-times league MVP Antetokounmpo who overcame his sluggish start to put Milwaukee ahead 100-90 going into what proved to be a wild fourth quarter.

Teams that win Game Five of an NBA finals that was tied 2-2 have gone on to win 72 percent of the time.

The Bucks host Game Six on Tuesday. A decisive seventh game, if necessary, would be in Phoenix on Thursday.