Ayton, Suns roll over Bucks in game one

DeAndre Ayton keeps on silencing his doubters. The Bahamian big man dropped in 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in the Phoenix Suns’ 118-105 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game One of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals on Tuesday night.

Playing in front of their home crowd at the Phoenix Suns Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, the Suns overwhelmed the Bucks and are now three wins away from their first NBA championship title in franchise history.

Ayton was one rebound shy of starting his first NBA Finals with a 20-20 performance. His efficiency in the 39 minutes that he played was once again high as he shot 8-for-10 from the field (80 percent) and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. This is his fourth playoff game with at least 20 points and shooting 80 percent from the field, making him the first player in NBA history to accomplish that since the shot clock era began in 1955.

Late in the game, point guard Chris Paul stole a rebound from 

Ayton, which would have been his 20th. Ayton acknowledged that after the game.

“Yeah,” Ayton said on Paul grabbing the rebound. “Book (Devin Booker) got on him. I didn’t really care. I was just happy how we all performed, to be honest.”

The 22-year-old’s 22 points and 19 rebounds marked his 12th double-double in what is his first playoff run. He now has the second most playoff double-doubles in franchise playoff history. Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has the most with 22 double-doubles in four playoff runs with the Suns.

To put it in league history perspective, Ayton is now the fourth NBA player to finish with at least 20 points, 15 rebounds and shoot 80 percent from the field in the shot clock era in an NBA Finals game. The others were Hall of Famers Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain. Ayton is also the first player to finish with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds in an NBA Finals debut since five-time NBA Champion Tim Duncan in 1999.

Paul led all scorers with 32 points on 12-for-19 shooting. Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 29 points.

There were seven lead changes and four ties in the game – they all happened midway through the first quarter. The Suns took the lead for good when Cameron Johnson made a three-pointer with 3:30 left in the first quarter, putting them up 21-20.

In the opening quarter, Ayton went to work early, showing effectiveness around the rim. He finished with six points and four rebounds in the opening quarter. Booker had 12 points as the Suns led 30-26 at the end of one.

Ayton spoke about performing the way that head coach Monty Williams and his teammates need him to for the team to succeed.

“When CP (Paul) and Book (Devin Booker) started getting to their spots out of our pick-and-rolls early, with me setting good screens and just adapting to how the Bucks was throwing defense at us, whether they were switching or going over or under, I was just really trying to get a good hit on them and they got the rest,” Ayton said.

The pick-and-roll game between Ayton and Paul has been lethal all playoffs, and even with the length of the Bucks players, the Suns were able to still wreak havoc. Paul scored 11 points in the second quarter.

The Suns went up 49-57 at the half and Ayton had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Ayton’s next basket came at the 8:05 mark of the third quarter, as the Bucks left him wide open at the free-throw line, and he scooped up an offensive rebound and threw down a two-handed slam dunk. Teammate Mikal Bridges missed a reverse layup, and Ayton grabbed the offensive board and scored, putting his team up 70-57 as the home crowd cheered him on.

At the 6:28 mark, Ayton and Paul showed off their pick-and-roll chemistry as Ayton set a screen for Paul at the elbow. No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton rolled to the basket and rose to the occasion to throw down an alley-oop dunk to put his team up by 14 points, 74-60.

The University of Arizona product later gave the Suns their largest lead of the night, 20 points, at the 2:20 mark of the third quarter. He made two free throws to put his team up 88-68.

It was an active third quarter for Ayton on the glass as he finished the quarter with eight rebounds. Coming into the game, he knew he had a tough matchup against a long Bucks frontcourt but still responded with the big performance in the post.

“I mean, them dudes are big dudes, man. That’s how they really get their offense going. I’m just trying to clean up some of that stuff, so we can get on a run and give ourselves some momentum as well, and I tried my best. Jae Crowder and T-Craig (Torrey Craig), coming in there just getting some tips or boxing out guys like PJ Tucker, that helps a lot,” Ayton said.

The Suns was in control of the game at the end of the third quarter, leading 92-76. In the fourth quarter, the Suns thwarted any attempt of a comeback by the Bucks, making key baskets down the stretch.

The Suns finished 25-for-26 at the charity stripe while the Bucks finished 9-for-16.

Game Two of the best-of-seven championship series will be played tonight at the same location. Tip-off is for 9 o’clock, live on the ABC Network.

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