The Milwaukee Bucks battled their way to a 109-103 victory in Game 4 of the NBA Finals over the Phoenix Suns to tie the series 2-2. Khris middleton Y Devin Booker put on a show Wednesday night as the two stars exchanged baskets during the game. Booker outscored Middleton in the scoring box by beating him 42-40, but the Bucks laughed at the end.
In the wake of the back-and-forth showdown, the one thing everyone couldn’t stop talking about was the lockdown Giannis Antetokounmpo on Deandre ayton in the final quarter.
Middleton had just given the Bucks a 101-99 lead with 1 minute 28 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Booker drove to Giannis on the lane and threw a pass to the rim to a cutting Ayton, but Antetokounmpo recovered and had an encounter at the rim with the former No. 1 overall pick. Instead of a game tied with 1:14 to play, Giannis’s rejection left the Milwaukee crowd raving and the Suns never had another chance to equalize.
The 📸 PHOTO & the 🎥 PHANTOM of @ Giannis_An34‘s huge block, from the near baseline! pic.twitter.com/GmULWgu84A
– NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2021
Another PHOTO & PHANTOM look at @ Giannis_An34‘s huge rejection late in the @Bucks win! pic.twitter.com/YDRb0QcbEc
– NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2021
The best in the NBA took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the lockout and what it could mean for the rest of the series.
That block by Giannis might have won them the game
– Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 15, 2021
The championship * https://t.co/5l9jXGZo28
– Spencer Dinwiddie (@ SDinwiddie_25) July 15, 2021
That block by Giannis one of the best i ever seen
– Richaun Holmes (@ Rich_Holmes22) July 15, 2021
If the Bucks win that block is the play of the series
– Josh Hart (@joshhart) July 15, 2021
That Giannis block has gotta be up there w Lebrons block from the Finals! And def rootin a 2-2 tie and more drama in this series. Best of 3 now !! #NBAFinals
– Jeremy Lin (@ JLin7) July 15, 2021
Giannis ‘block reminded many of LeBron James’ iconic block on Andre Iguodala during Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
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Andre Iguodala takes off in transition and is rejected by LeBron James in the final minutes of Game 7 of the 2016 Finals.
The Cleveland Cavaliers held on to win the title over the Golden State Warriors in that game, but Iguodala was quick to pay tribute to James. Could Giannis’ blocking change the title odds in favor of the Bucks?
That Giannis block was crazy … @KingJames the thing is!!
– andre (@andre) July 15, 2021
They close this series and that block is legendary! https://t.co/K6Poy5FymO
– Draymond Green (@ Money23Green) July 15, 2021
Giannis’s teammates, including Pat connaughtonThey certainly appreciated the moment.
“It’s, in my opinion, the best block of all time.”
-Pat Connaughton on Giannis’ block on Deandre Ayton pic.twitter.com/dridZ2Ne8J
– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 15, 2021
“It was one of those ‘Oh wow!’ Moments,” Middleton said. “It was like, ‘Aww, man, we allow a layup’, and the next thing you know, he hits the block.
“It was an elite lockdown,” he said. Jrue Holiday. “Being able to read that he’s going to launch the airlift and go there and block it, that’s elite.”
For Giannis, it was about not being portrayed on a poster.
“To be honest, I thought I was going to get dunk on top,” he said.