Milwaukee Bucks fight back to beat Suns, level NBA Finals series
THE MILWAUKEE Bucks staged a late fightback against Phoenix Suns to rally from nine points down in the fourth quarter and clinch Game 4 109103 at Fiserv Forum Wednesday night.
With the win, the Bucks leveled the NBA Finals best-of-seven series at 2-2.
The teams were tied at the half but small forward Khris Middleton pushed the Bucks over the top, tallying 40 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Milwaukee had looked in deep trouble after losing the opening two games of the series in Phoenix but never counted themselves out.
“Just staying strong, staying with it,” Middleton said. “Telling myself you’re always in the game no matter what the score until that clock runs out.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo did not match his plus-40 points efforts from the previous two games but still came up big for the Bucks with 26 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, and put on a strong defensive effort that included a critical block late in the fourth quarter.
“It wasn’t a pretty game but (we were) able to keep that composure, keep calm and we had wide-open shots that we missed that we usually make but going down the stretch we kept believing in ourselves, we kept executing, we kept setting screens, we kept getting stops, we kept running,” said the 26-year-old Greek forward and two-time league MVP.
Suns guard Devin Booker had 42 points but got little backup from his teammates, none of whom were able to crack double-digits in the first half.
The series now shifts back to Phoenix for Game 5 tomorrow.