It's official – the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks are facing off in the 2021 NBA Finals. Who would have predicted that before the season started?
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were indeed considered title contenders, but they had just as many doubters after two failed postseason runs after league-best NBA records. The Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets felt like the sexier picks, especially considering they had more internal changes compared to the Bucks who mostly stood pat. And yet it was their stability that won out in the end.
Chris Paul and the Suns were considered a fringe playoff contender before the season started. Yes, they were adding Chris Paul to form an All-Star backcourt with Devin Booker, but the team had been a bottom-feeder for a number of years. Just making the playoffs would have been a win. An NBA Finals? Downright ridiculous.
This Finals series isn't one with the league's glamor franchises like the Los Angeles Lakers or Boston Celtics, nor does it have the usual marquee names like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, or Kevin Durant. However, the Suns-Bucks NBA Finals presents some intriguing aspects that the NBA has sorely needed for quite some time. Here are three (3) reasons why the Suns vs. Bucks is a godsend for the league:
3 reasons Suns-Bucks Finals is exactly what the NBA needs
#3 – Chris Paul's shot at glory
The biggest storyline for the Suns-Bucks NBA Finals is arguably going to revolve around Chris Paul. The point guard has played in 16 grueling NBA seasons, with each one equally being a grind to generate some postseason success, but to no avail. Despite a Hall of Fame resume that needs no argument for a first-ballot spot, Chris Paul seemed destined to join the list of NBA stars who could never win it all.
And yet here he is, four games away from a championship ring during his age-36 season. Paul feels like the last of a dying breed of floor generals that emphasizes game management and distribution rather than scoring. Capping off his career with a late title would forever cement CP3's legacy as one of the best point guards in NBA history, and one of the all-time greatest period.
#2 – Giannis can start building his all-time resume
As one Hall of Fame career nears its end like Chris Paul's, another could just be starting to hit its stride, just like Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks superstar has indeed won two MVP trophies, but the narrative surrounding him has him boxed as a regular season player who can't finish games when they matter most. With two playmaking guards supporting him during late-game situations, the Greek Freak is in a prime position in these Suns-Bucks Finals to start collecting some team-wide silverware.
Despite already dominating the league, Giannis is just 26. If he wins a championship this early in his career, that puts him on an elite trajectory if he can replicate the success even further down the line. Both LeBron James and Michael Jordan won their first rings at 27 years old. Although obviously Antetokounmpo is no GOAT contender just yet, winning it all just as he enters his prime automatically skyrockets his all-time profile.
#1 – Small market success vs. Super teams
In a league that's been ruled by super teams throughout basically the entire decade, here are two home-grown, small market teams competing for a championship. This Suns-Bucks NBA Finals is living proof that every team in the league does have a chance to win it all.
The Bucks have built around Giannis Antetokounmpo for eight seasons now, ever since he was a skinny 19-year-old who was still finding his footing in the NBA. They've made shrewd moves and made alterations to his supporting cast, never landing a huge fish, but putting together a team that's proven to be enough to make the NBA Finals. Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are indeed All-Star caliber players, but they aren't the franchise-changing talents that everybody's after. The Bucks knew which buttons to press, and they've succeeded thus far.
The Suns, meanwhile, have pulled off a textbook rebuild from the ground up. They drafted Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Mikal Bridges to serve as a strong young core to build around. Then once their prospects developed enough, the Suns swung big for a star player in Chris Paul. Safe to say their recipe for success was a good one.
The upcoming Suns-Bucks NBA Finals won't net the monster ratings that it deserves, but what it means for the rest of the league will definitely shine through.
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