Who Will Win The 2021 NBA Finals?

Who Will Win The 2021 NBA Finals? | Sports Takes & News | TooAthletic.com

The Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns are ready to square off in this year’s 2021 NBA Finals. While the matchup may not be what the media predicted or what the networks would have requested, this NBA Finals matchup offers something for old-school and modern basketball fans. It also offers a chance to see if a beloved veteran player or one of the league’s brightest stars will capture a ring in their first trip to the Finals. Because despite not having the marquee names the NBA may want, this championship series is full of drama and story lines for all hoops fans to enjoy.

One word that comes to mind is validation when looking at this 2021 NBA Finals series. First, for the Phoenix Suns, the validation of the long career of guard Chris Paul, who at 36, has finally reached the NBA Finals. 

On the other side of the court is Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 26-year-old two-time MVP and current defensive player of the year some feel is stealing awards away from more worthy players. While Paul has stayed fairly healthy throughout the regular season and playoffs, “The Greek Freak” did suffer a hyperextended knee in the Eastern Conference Finals.

It appears in the hours leading up to the start of the 2021 NBA Finals series that the bookmakers and bettors are favoring the wily vet over the injured superstar, as Paul and his Phoenix Suns are favorites to win Game 1 as well as the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Perhaps because of the uncertainty behind a potential return of Antetokounmpo, five out of every six bets being played on Game One is on Phoenix, though the ATS bets are much closer to 50/50, meaning there’s a belief the Bucks will keep it close without pulling off the upset. So what do they need to do to even out the perceived disadvantage?

As in their series against the Brooklyn Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks have proven to be a defensive powerhouse even without Antetokounmpo in the lineup. It is this ability that help keeps them in most games, and has often proven to be the difference between going home early and making it to the Finals. This may cause a problem for the guard centric offensive of the Phoenix Suns, who rely on Devin Booker and Chris Paul to score and create baskets for their teammates; because if one or both of these stars are kept under wraps, it might be a short series for the West champs. The Bucks will also need to bring their A-game to the NBA Finals since, while they are the top ranked defensive team, allowing only 105 points-per-game, the Suns are second, allowing 106.7.

I am not someone who has the soft spot in my basketball heart for Chris Paul as many others do. Yes, the “Point God” has been around a long time and posted some remarkable stats; but there’s a reason why his teams never made it to the Finals before now … because Paul is good, not great. Since I believe if Giannis Antetokounmpo steps on the court during the 2021 NBA Finals and can perform even at three-quarters speed the Bucks are a superior team to the Suns, my only question is how healthy is he and how well will he play?

Milwaukee has been the best team with the best player in the NBA for the past two seasons on paper, with only a pandemic holding them back last year … but this year they have finally arrived at the NBA Finals and are ready to claim the throne.

Give me Milwaukee to win game one, and to also win the series in seven games to earn their first NBA championship since 1975.  

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The post Who Will Win The 2021 NBA Finals? appeared first on TOOATHLETIC TAKES.

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By: Rafael Thomas
Title: Who Will Win The 2021 NBA Finals?
Sourced From: tooathletic.com/who-will-win-the-2021-nba-finals/
Published Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2021 18:00:21 +0000

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