Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks NBA Finals Game 2 updates: Suns take 2-0 series lead (2024)

The Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks faced off in Game 2of the NBA Finals on Thursdaynight at Phoenix Suns Arena.

Look back at our updates onthe game, which the Suns won, 118-108.

The Suns hold a 2-0 lead in the series, which will shift to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Sunday.

More Bucks vs. Suns NBA Finals coverage:

More: Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks talking points: Dynasty in Phoenix? Bucks win guarantee?

Suns take 2-0 lead over Bucks

The Phoenix Suns have a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals after beating the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 at Phoenix Suns Arena on Thursday, 118-108.

Devin Booker led the Suns with 31 points. Mikal Bridges had 27.

GiannisAntetokounmpo had 42 points for the Bucks, going 15-for-22 from the field.

The Suns finished 20-for-40 from three-point range in the game.

The Bucks went 9-for-31.

Chris Paul added 23 for the Suns. Jrue Holiday had 17 for the Bucks.

Game 3 of the series in Milwaukee is at 5 p.m. Sunday on ABC.

Khris Middleton had just 11 points for the Bucks.

Can Suns hold off Bucks?

Milwaukee pulled within 103-97with 5:11 left and The Suns called a timeout clinging to the six-point lead with 4:32 remaining.

The Bucks are just 8-of-28 from three-point range and the Suns are 19-of-38.

They have made up some points at the free throw line, where they are 13-of-21.

The Suns are just 4-of-6 from the line.

Milwaukee has outscored the Suns in the fourth quarter, 19-15.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has 36 points, Devin Booker has 31.

Bucks trying to make push against Suns

The Bucks have pulled within six and then five on a couple of occasions in the fourth quarter, but the Suns have had an answer for each Milwaukee push.

Milwaukee pulled within five with a little more than eight minutes left in the game, but after GiannisAntetokounmpo went to the bench the Suns scored five straight to pull ahead, 98-88 with 7:41 left in the game.

Milwaukee is not going away without a fight. Can the Suns keep holding off the Bucks' charges?

Hack-an-Antetokounmpo

The Suns have not been afraid to foulGiannis Antetokounmpo when he gets close to the basket.

He's keeping the Bucks in contention with how he is faring at the free throw line.

Antetokounmpo is 11-for-18 from the line in the game, not great, but good for his standards.

Antetokounmpo has 32 points in the game after three quarters, 20of them came in the third quarter.

Devin Booker has 22 points to pace the Suns.

The Suns lead the game, 88-78.

The Suns' Torrey Craig had to be helped off the court after drawing a charge onAntetokounmpo late in the first half, potentially hurting an already thin Suns backcourt that is already missing Dario Saric.

The Bucks outscored the Suns in the third quarter, 33-32, even withAntetokounmpo's strong play.

Giannis Antetokounmpo puts on show

Giannis Antetokounmpo tried to will the Bucks back in the game early in the third quarter against the Suns, at one point scoring 13 straight for the Bucks.

He has 25 points in the game on 9-for-15 shooting, but he isn't getting much help.

Khris Middleton has just seven points for the Bucks and Brook Lopez has six. P.J. Tucker has seven.

Jrue Holiday is the only other Milwaukee player in double digits, with 10 points.

Devin Booker helped the Suns offset Antetokounmpo's strong play with 12 points of his own with four minutes left in the third quarter. The Suns lead 79-69.

Huge turnaround for Phoenix in first half

The Suns have turned a nine-point first-half deficit into an11-point lead at the end of the first half.

Mikal Bridges has 13points for Phoenix. Devin Booker has 10, Jae Crowder has nine (after scoring one point in Game 1) and Chris Paul has eight.

Khris Middleton has been quiet for the Bucks, he is 2-for-9 from the field with four points. Brook Lopezalso has four points.

Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks with 12 points.

Milwaukee is 19-of-53 shooting from the field (4-for-16 on 3's). Phoenix is 22-of-47 from the field and 11-of-24 from 3-point range.

The Suns shot just one free throw in the first half, a late completion from Deandre Ayton to finish a 3-point play.

The Bucks went 3-for-6 from the line.

The Suns outscored the Bucks in the second quarter, 30-16.

No blood, no foul

The Bucks have been called for just one foul in the game midway through the second quarter. The Suns have been called for four.

Phoenix has not attempted a free throw after attempting 26 in Game 1.

The Bucks are 2-for-4 from the free throw line after going 9-for-16 in Game 1 (make that 3-for -5 afterAntetokounmpo made 1 of 2 attempts).

Three-point fest for Phoenix

The Suns are staying in the game with their three-point shooting, going 8-for-14from 3-point range in the first quarter. They are 9-for-23from the field overall.

The Bucks are 2-for-4from 3-point range and 13-for-28on their field goal attempts.

Somehow, Phoenix only trails 29-26 at the end of the first quarter.

With the way the game started,It feels like it should be more.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and P.J. Tucker each have seven for Milwaukee, while Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder each have six for the Suns.

The Suns did not attempt a free throw in the first quarter. The Bucks only attempted two (Antetokounmpo went 1-for-2 as the crowd counted loudly).

Slow start for Suns

The Suns have made 3-of-6 three -point attempts in the early going, but they trail the Bucks 14-9 with 6:52 left in the first quarter.

Phoenix has shot just 3-for-10 from the field. Crowder hit one of the three-point field goalsand Mikal Bridges hit the other two.

A concern for Phoenix?

Deandre Ayton hasn't touched the ball.

The Bucks are destroying the Suns in the paint, with 12 of their 14 points coming inside, a big change from Game 1.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is off to a strong start with six points on 3-for-4 shooting.

The Bucks certainly look, and areplaying like a different team.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar flips coin, makes pick

In 1969, the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks had a coin flip to decide who would get the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

The Milwaukee Bucks won the flip and took Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with the No. 1 selection, while the Suns took Neal Walk at No. 2, forever linking the two franchise and prompting "What If?" questions for Phoenix Suns fans.

Abdul-Jabbar shared his pick for the NBA Finals between the Suns and Bucks shortly before Game 2, and yes, he flipped a coin.

His pick? Bucks in six.

Suns fans hope to get revenge on the Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals.

The Bucks won a title with Abdul-Jabbar in 1971.

Starting lineups

The Suns and Bucks aren't making any changes to their starting lineups for Game 2 of theNBA Finals.

The Suns are going with Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder at forward, Deandre Ayton at center and Devin Booker and Chris Paul at guard.

The Bucks are starting P.J. Tucker andGiannis Antetokounmpo at forward, Brook Lopez at center and Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday at guard.

What adjustments will come in Game 2?

How you fare in an NBA playoff series often depends on what adjustments you make from game to game.

What adjustments could we see from the Bucks in Game 2?

There has been a lot of chatter about Milwaukee potentially playingGiannis Antetokounmpo at the 5 (center position) in the game in an attempt to switch things up for the Bucks (a move perhaps in part designed to get Deandre Ayton in foul troubleand the Suns are not as deep with their big men after Dario Saric's injury in Game 1).

Milwaukee was burned on many occasions in Game 1 when their switches put Brook Lopez on Chris Paul or other Suns. Will they change that up Thursday night?

The Bucks could attempt to trap Paul and Devin Booker, putting the onus on the other Suns to hit their outside shots, something the team did not do well in Game 1 (Phoenix was 11-of-24 from 3-point range, not horrible, but this team can shoot better).

Will Jrue Holiday be more aggressive on defense, perhaps channeling the style of the Clippers' Patrick Beverley to become a nuisance for Phoenix?

The Bucks seemed to rely on jumpers at times in Game 1, not being aggressive and taking the ball to the hoop, while the Suns, and particularly Devin Booker especially in the early going, made it a habit to attack the basket.

Phoenix shot 26 free throws (and made 25 of them) as a result. Milwaukee was just 9-of-16 from the line. Will we see a more assertive Bucks team on offense to try to change that in Game 2?

The Suns have shown an ability to adjust their offense based on what the other team is giving them throughout the playoffs. They might have to adjust in Game 2 based on how the Bucks defend them early.

Just a few things to keep an eye on in the early going at Phoenix Suns Arena tonight.

Can Chris Paul keep this up?

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul has been on a roll in his last two games.

Paul has scored a combined 73 points in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Bucks and Game 6 of the Western Conference finals against the Clippers.

He was a remarkable 16-of-24 from the field for 41 points against the Clippers (and 7-of-8) from three-point range to close out the Clippers before going for 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting in Game 1 (and 4-for-7 on 3-pointers).

Devin Booker raved about Paul after Game 1. Can the point guard keep it up in Game 2 against Milwaukee?

"He's the greatest leader" Devin Booker praises Chris Paul

After a big Game 1 win in the NBA Finals Devin Booker reacts to being able to play with Chris Paul and how great a leader Paul is to this Suns team.

Arizona Republic

Pregame reading

Catch up on these stories from The Arizona Republic to prepare for Game 2 of the Suns vs. Bucks series:

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