Giannis Antetokounmpo put the finishing touches on the Bucks’ NBA Finals Game 5 win with authority.
With Milwaukee owning a one-point lead, the Suns had a chance to notch a go-ahead bucket in the final minute of Saturday night’s game in Phoenix. Jrue Holiday stripped Devin Booker with roughly 18 seconds left in regulation. Instead of trying to dribble out some clock, the veteran point guard lobbed it up to a coasting Antetokounmpo, who slammed it home while being fouled in the process. Milwaukee went on to secure a 123-119 win, the first road victory of the best-of-seven series.
Speaking with the media after the game, Antetokounmpo was rather candid when asked why he called for the pass from Holiday, as one could argue it wasn’t the smartest decision in that situation.
“I don’t know. You know, I was so in the moment,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “I wasn’t worried about the clock, I wasn’t worried about the crowd, I wasn’t worried about nothing. I was worried about — I had the open lane, you know, throw it up. And he trusted me. Now, if we put it all down, there was like, what, 20 seconds on the clock? Yeah, if you put it all down, you go traditionally, pull it back out, give the ball to Khris (Middleton), let’s run the high pick-and-roll and they’re probably going to foul him. But sometimes when you’re so much in the moment, you just react.”
Staying present has worked for Antetokounmpo in these playoffs thus far, and we imagine he’ll be incorporating the same approach Tuesday as he tries to win his first career championship.
