The Milwaukee Bucks secured a big win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. They won the 2021 NBA Finals rematch by a score of 132-122 thanks to a season-high 44 points from Khris Middleton and big contributions from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday.
Middleton and Holiday have been perfect co-stars for Antetokounmpo. The Bucks tandem achieved something very rare in the win over the Suns. Each player scored at least 15 points in the fourth quarter—a feat that only two tandems have ever done in the last 25 years.
Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are the 3rd pair of teammates over the last 25 seasons to each score more than 15 points in the 4th quarter of a game.
They join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in 2020 and Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom in 2011. pic.twitter.com/UbNgibICOP
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 6, 2022
The tandems of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Kobe Byrant and Shaquille O'Neal, and Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant each won championships together and will go down in history as some of the top tandems ever. Yet, they never accomplished what the Bucks stars did.
Middleton took over against the Suns, tallying 16 points in the final period, while Holiday scored 17 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. Having stars who can take over like this is a recipe for success. With Antetokounmpo's level of dominance being flanked by two clutch performers, it will be very tough to stop the Bucks in the postseason.
The Bucks, who have won nine of their last 13 games, are beginning to secure a top seed in the Eastern Conference. They're looking like a very strong conference contender and should get even better if Brook Lopez, who is finally making progress on his back injury, can get back in time for the playoffs.