The Phoenix Suns defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 118-108, in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Thursday to take the 2-0 series win. The Suns will have a chance to win their third game of the finals on Sunday, July 11 as they’ll play visitors to the Bucks in Milwaukee, WI. Even though the game is still more than a day away, Bovada has already released odds on the matchup.
Here’s a look at Bovada’s odds for Sunday’s NBA action between the Suns and Bucks.
NBA Finals Odds: Phoenix Suns vs Milwaukee Bucks Game 3
Odds via Bovada as of Friday, July 9
- Series: PHX leads 2-0
- Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
- Moneyline: Suns (+145) vs Bucks (-165)
- Point Spread: Suns: +3.5 (-105), Bucks: -3.5 (-115)
- Total: 220.0 — Over (-110), Under (-110)
Suns Enter as Underdogs
Despite being up 2-0 in the NBA Finals, the Suns will enter Game 3 as the +145 underdogs. Nevertheless, no odds are guaranteed and as long as Phoenix continues to play as it has, there shouldn’t be much to worry about.
Devin Booker led the way for the Suns, finishing Game 2 with 31 points on a .480 field goal percentage. Most importantly, Booker made up for his poor 3-point shooting in the opening contest by hitting 58.3% of his shots from beyond the arc on Thursday. Veteran point guard Chris Paul finished the matchup with 23 points and 8 assists, further cementing himself as the NBA Finals MVP favorite. That’s not even to mention how Phoenix also got a surprise game-changing performance from Mikal Bridges, who ended the night with 27 points and 7 rebounds.
One thing that the Suns need to improve on in Game 3 is not allowing the Bucks to have a chance to get back into the game. Phoenix outscored Milwaukee 56-45 at halftime, however, it was the Bucks who outscored the Suns 63-62 in the second half. Obviously, it doesn’t matter since Phoenix walked away with the win, but that doesn’t mean that shouldn’t be a concern going forward. The Bucks are going to be hungry for a win in Game 3 and the Suns need to be prepared for anything and everything
Can the Bucks Cut the Series Deficit?
When the Bucks began the 2020-21 NBA Finals, they probably didn’t envision themselves being down 2-0 to begin the series. However, there’s no changing the past, which means they have to focus on each game individually. The good news after the Game 2 loss is that there is at least one thing to be happy with. While people questioned how healthy he was, Giannis Antetokounmpo silenced all doubters with a 42-point, 12-rebound double-double. He also recorded 3 blocks and was the only Bucks player to finish with a positive plus/minus rating (+3).
Aside from Antetokounmpo’s performance, there wasn’t much else to be thrilled with. Khris Middleton continues to be inconsistent into the NBA Finals. After scoring 29 points in Game 1, Middleton finished Thursday’s contest with just 11 and shot an abysmal 31.3% from the field and 16.7% from the 3-point line. Considering how a guy like Pat Connaughton had 14 points coming off of the bench, the Bucks need more from their No. 2 player.
As a team, the Bucks continued to shoot poorly on their 3-pointers. Milwaukee made just 29.0% of its shots from beyond the arc, which isn’t good enough to beat a team like the Suns in the NBA Finals. Even if Antetokounmpo is dominating the pain, the Bucks need their perimeter shooters to open things up. Yes, the Suns’ terrific defense has played a major role in halting Milwaukee’s offense. However, the Bucks are making just 31.7% of their 3-points this offseason — the third-worst rating of all 16 teams that qualified for the playoffs. Unless something changes in that regard, the Bucks are in danger of going down 3-0 this Sunday.
