MILWAUKEE, WI – Thanks to a heroic 50-point effort from Giannis Antetounkupo, Cream City is Champion City for the first time since 1971 in a 105-98 Game 6 win over the Phoenix Suns.
The first player in nearly 50 years to score 50-plus points, ten rebounds and two-plus blocks in the NBA Finals, “The Greek Freak” lived up to his moniker in finishing with 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in one of the truly iconic performances of all-time, in being named NBA Finals MVP.
The two-time NBA Most valuable Player hailing from Athens, Greece, proved to be as indomitable as the Greek gods of legend as he joined the likes of Michael Jordan, Jerry West as one of the few players to score 50 points in an NBA Finals game, tied for sixth in NBA history.
In front of a packed and loud sellout crowd in the Fiserv Forum, and an estimated 65,000 outside in “The Deer District”, Antetokounmpo looked and played as dominant as any ancient Athenian ever could have in vanquishing a young and determined Suns team led by Devin Booker and one of the truly great point guards ever in Chris Paul.
In becoming the fifth team to win a title after trailing 2-0 in the NBA Finals joining the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, 2006 Miami Heat, the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers and the 1969 Boston Celtics, Khris Middleton added 17 points, point guard Jrue Holiday added 12 points, Brook Lopez added ten points and backup center Bobby Portis added 16 clutch points off the bench.
For Phoenix, the forementioned Paul added 26 points to lead the Suns, Booker added 19 points and Jae Crowder added 15 points.