Suns’ stellar shooting night sets record for wrong reasons
Jul 18, 2021, 11:07 AM | Updated: Jul 19, 2021, 12:41 pm
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
In most scenarios, a basketball team that shoots 55% from the field and 60% from the three point line on their home floor will be victorious.
Sadly, the NBA Finals are not like most scenarios.
The Phoenix Suns became the first NBA team in history to lose in the playoffs while shooting at such high percentages in Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Suns are the first team in NBA history to lose a playoff game shooting 55% from the field and 60% from three. pic.twitter.com/X8AOhcPbuR
— StatMuse (@statmuse) July 18, 2021
Led by Devin Booker’s 40 points on 17-for-33 shooting, the Suns were unable to keep pace with the Bucks in the second and third quarters when they were outscored 79-53.
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Every starter for the Suns shot better than 50% from both the field and three point line, but Milwaukee stayed equally on target making 57% of their shots, including 50% of their three point attempts.
Suns wings Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges missed only one shot each and both players were perfect from the three point line, shooting a combined 5-for-5 from behind the arc.
However, the duo only hoisted a combined nine shots through the entire game as 60 of the team’s 87 shot attempts came from Booker, Chris Paul or Deandre Ayton.
Putting up 119 points against Milwaukee’s defense proves the Suns have the firepower to hang with the Bucks.
Phoenix now has to prove they can make the defensive adjustments to hold Milwaukee in check.
