SUNS SEEK CRUCIAL WIN

Now we’re the desperate team

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns like to believe they’re a resilient bunch.

Now is one of their few chances this season to prove it. The Suns will be facing an elimination game for the first time in this postseason when they travel to Milwaukee for Game 6 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals on Tuesday night.

Phoenix won the first two games of the series before the Bucks rallied to win the next three, including Saturday night’s thrilling 123-119 victory in Game 5.

It’s the first time since January that the Suns have lost three straight games.

Down 3-2 in the NBA Finals is never an ideal situation, especially with the Suns facing Game 6 on the road. But Phoenix center Deandre Ayton said there’s nothing left to do but embrace the current scenario.

“Tables are turned now,” Ayton said.

“Now we’re the desperate team. We had our chances of being up and trying to finish the job, now we’re in the same position that they were in. They’re up and now we got to go get it. That’s why it’s a little bit more fun.”

Tables are turned now.

The Suns missed a great opportunity to take control of the series in Game 5.

They jumped out a 37-21 lead in the first quarter but fell apart on defense in the second and third, giving up 79 points over the two quarters.

The Suns nearly pulled off an improbable comeback after trailing by 10 in the final minutes, but Bucks point guard Jrue Holiday ripped the ball out of Booker’s hands and threw a spectacular alley-oop to Giannis Antetokounmpo in the final seconds to secure Milwaukee’s win.

It was a play that looked a lot like several for the Suns offense: Hand the ball to Booker and hope he does something awesome. There were a lot of times that he did and he finished with 40 points. The numbers say that the Suns had a very good offensive performance in Game 5: They shot 55 percent from the field, 68 percent on three-pointers and 91 percent on free throws.