[Highlight] 5 years ago Giannis with the crazy block on Ayton.
Somehow feels much longer than 5 years ago.
All time great finals series by Giannis
Giannis had arguably the greatest single playoff series in nba history. Fuck my life dude.
How did he not injure his hamstring or knee after that one play
He definitely did but he played through it. He has said his knee never felt the same after that finals
Worth it for the chip (and the hundreds of millions that resulted from that run lol)
Greek Freak
Nike was wilding out in that time with the “freak” branding and merchandise lmao
Ambrosia
Boon from Zeus
I feel that way every single time I see him land. He is way too tall and moving way too fast for those things not to just spontaneously explode.
Agreed and people in the Suns sub water it down to ‘refs let him get away with football’. As a Suns fan, you have to give credit where it’s due and Giannis showed that he was the best player in the series by far.
It was something else watching the series… watching Giannis just refuse to lose and drop 50 to close out the Suns is why I love sports.
The refs have always and will always favor greats doing their thing. Giannis whistle was as favored as any other MVPs (besides Stephs, refs hate Steph). He just had a top 5 series of all time, the best player on the court by a mile.
Recency bias pretty much dictates all NBA discourse, but that game 6 was maybe the greatest performance I’ve ever seen. Like I can’t think of any that were clearly better.
I had hope going into that game and Giannis came out hitting every single shot. Knew right away we weren’t winning. He was 17⁄19 from the FT line as a 58% FT shooter that postseason…
I thought my Bucks were cooked in game 5 with series tied 2-2 and Suns took a 21 point lead in the first quarter. By Halftime the Bucks already regained the lead.
The lead was 16 points, which is significant, but not 21.
The mental toughness it takes to just lock in like that. Mf went into the Avatar state
Giannis > Jokic all time shouldn’t be controversial
They’re very very close.
I think they’re pretty even, but I definitely don’t think Jokic clears which is probably the current consensus.
They are neck and neck, very similar careers but Giannis has been better for longer and has more all nbas, dpoy and all defensive teams
It’s close but I think Giannis’ defensive accomplishments and one of the great finals ever puts him over Jokic for now
Yes, it should. Jokic is the far more skilled player.
Plus Middleton saved Giannis ass in the playoffs multiple times.
They almost fell down 0-3 to the Nets, but thankfully Middleton dropped 35 in game 3 to help them secure a 3 point win. Giannis also had a great game 3, not saying he didn’t, but that title run was very close to extinguished if Middleton didn’t go off.
Then game 4 of the finals the Bucks were about to go down 3-1 and Middleton dropped 40, including 14 in the 4th to secure a 6 point win. Giannis had 26 for the game and 7 in the 4th.
Again the run almost ended, but Middleton went off.
A lot of title runs they never get down 0-2 or 1-2, and when they do the main guy is usually the leading scorer in the next game. I went through the last 20+ years and it was almost always the main guy.
When Raptors were down 1-2 to Sixers Kawhi was leading scorer in game 4 with 39 points. When Raptors were down 0-2 to Bucks, Kawhi was leading scorer in game 3 with 36 points.
When Warriors were down 1-2 Steph was tied with Iguodala as leading scorer.
When 2013 Heat were down 1-2 to Spurs, Lebron was leading scorer with 33.
When 2011 Mavs were down 1-2 to Heat, Dirk was leading scorer with 21.
When 2006 Heat were down 0-2 to Mavs, Wade was leading scorer with 42.
For Middleton to drop 35 in game 3 against Nets and 40 in game 4 against Suns, is far from a “we see that every playoff run” type thing. It’s actually a very rare occurrence.
What kind of take is this? Almost every title run has role players stepping up.
Right acting like Jamal Murray didn’t carry jokic in some games lol
In fact Jokic has almost entirely fallen short when Murray has been anything less than stellar in the playoffs lol
Plus if we’re going to pick apart a single championship run, we can talk about the fluke that Jokic didn’t face a single 50 win team. Regardless of how they advanced it’s just the truth that they faced teams that had fundamental issues that held them back in the regular season.
Embiitch fans still mad 😂
Where’s the lie though
It’s a thread about Giannis and the insecure sixers fan is the one who brought up Jokic in the first place
I’m not agreeing with the weird guy glazing Middleton lol
Philly would have won a championship sometime in the last decade if they had a second guy even a fraction as good as Middleton or Murray lol
Jokic Nuggets didn’t even fall behind 0-2 or 1-2 in any series like that during their championship run.
I spelled it out. It’s very rare for a second best player to be the leading scorer in these 0-2 or down 1-2 situations.
And Murray didn’t save Jokic plenty in that run?
No, when did the Nuggets go down 1-2 or 0-2 in their 2023 run?
Him overcoming the free throw counting from the crowds was pretty epic too.
That Bucks run was so fun
i have such fond memories of these playoffs, maybe cause it was just coming off of covid but i just remember every single game and series was absolutely electric. Feel like i’ve become pro Bucks simply for this year
It really was so much fun. Can’t believe it’s been five years already
Only 45 to go until our next one 😭
Especially in the round before it or maybe two rounds where Giannis was injured a couple of games, and the rest of the team just took care of business anyway
It was the Eastern Finals vs. Atlanta, he hyper extended his knee. He missed the last two games of that series, and admitted later he should have sat at least one in the Phoenix series, because his knee still wasn’t right.
Still dropped like 20-17 that first game. Dude is a basketball juggernaut
Middleton is a legend. Insanely underrated player. Sad about all the injuries that plagued him the last few years.
haha, I was just going to say, this might have been the most fun finals in a long time. I found myself rooting hard for the bucks, and how giannis just dominated both ends was so fun to watch
Obviously biased as hell, but I feel like that’s been the most fun overall run for a championship team since…the 2016 Cavs at least (maybe longer depending on how you weight the Finals vs. the rest of the playoffs). It was fucking nerve-racking at the time, but it really had everything. Utter domination against a hated rival to start off, crazy ass semifinals matchup that literally couldn’t have gone more down to the wire than it did, the despair of Giannis’s injury into the hope of him coming back way faster than expected (plus Khris and Brook stepping up to seal the Conference Finals in his absence), and then obviously the Finals speaks for itself.
“For a Championship Team” yes but Pacers Run last year was the craziest shit I’ve ever seen.
Coach Bud always waited until game 3 to make proper adjustments. This caused us to go down 0-2 vs the Suns and 0-2 vs the Nets. It’s honestly a Miracle we were able to claw out those massive holes twice in the same playoff run.
Never forget the Suns were up 2-0 and then the league brought in Foster for 2 of the last 4 games to kill CP3’s legacy again.
Not saying the Bucks didn’t deserve it, but I think Scott Foster should be acknowledged in the ring
Oh fuck off lmao. Go watch the games
I watched the games and I’m a student of nba history, you can’t call out biased reffing without acknowledging the beneficiaries
The suns were 2nd last in the league in free throw attempts in the regular season and led the league in FGAs from 10-16 feet while the bucks were in the top half in FTAs and dominated inside the paint with Giannis. There was no path for the suns to win the free throw battle in that series.
CP was playing with a hand injury and Jrue ate his lunch. The suns played single coverage on Giannis and once the bucks fully bought in to Giannis at the 5 it was a wrap. Booker was the only Sun that played well after game 2. The better team won
Lol what legacy?
Scott Foster had lots of calls by Tim Donaghy so wouldn’t be surprised and he had beef with Chris Paul…
Yeah gotta acknowledge that Giannis hurt Kyrie and a ref helped the bucks with hurting trae also,pretty wild.
Man, that Finals run was something special. After a year of COVID lock downs, getting to be in the Deer District watching the Bucks with 50k other fans was absolutely incredible.
And that block swung the entire series. Bucks would have gone down 3-1 if they lost game 4, and Giannis went superhuman.
This block and the Jrue snatch off Booker into a Giannis oop are two of my favorite plays of all time
The Block
The Steal
And the Valley Oop
Which is funny, because the Suns had a game-winning alley-oop on an inbounds to Ayton with like 0.8 left on the clock earlier that playoffs that they had started calling the Valley Oop. Then a better one came along in no time.
Hello darkness my old friend
Not exactly the same thing but the warriors came back down 3-1 to the Thunder during the 2016 run only to be remembered for a 3-1 choke in the finals.
Same brother.
Chris Paul had a cheap foul on the alley oop too. It was beautiful
hmm. Giannis earlier did the same to Booker here and imo more blatant one than what Paul did. in the context of the game, Paul was even justified considered he only had few seconds from trying to win a championship and hack a giannis was a solid plan
link for giannis cheap shot at booker in case you forgot https://youtu.be/SYVrSzni58U?si=BncS40Asdcsw6Tol
Didn’t like that play either. Anytime a defender hits a guy late when they’re in the air it’s bad business
That 50 pt game and him going 17 for 19 on free throws was magnificent
_Fifty_
(half sprite, half lemonade)
I order half sprite half lemonade EVERY single time I’m at CFA because of this man.
Yeah the suns won convincingly in the first two games and this completely swung the series. I loved watching the Bucks during this run. I live in Brooklyn and went to one of the Nets-Bucks playoff games and it was awesome seeing Giannis and KD go at it
Got bronchitis in the deer district that series. It was worth it, for the weeks I was coughing after
I got covid during the game 6 😄
The way that crowd grew game to game was so awesome. Felt like the watch parties at different bars were slowly merging together
It was also pretty fortunate (other than the reasons why of course) that this was the year that the season got pushed back a bit into the summer.
Milwaukee stays chilly and unpredictable basically until June, but we got to be in full summer mode for most of this run because everything was shifted back a month or so.
Not today please.
I WAS having a good day - Mikal come back plz
Ironically, Mikal didn’t show up in the Finals that year.
Just smile that Dominayton is a thing of the past now.
two-way players are just so much cooler and more fun to me, and I feel like it’s becoming cool again to be able to clamp up. Happy about that
It’s always been cool lol Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, Garnett etc etc.
All the top guys were two way stars
Payton was the first person I thought of
For sure. Having players like Antetaekemunompo, shai, and wembanannas is great, you’re never bored watching them.
Flair checks out
Hey at least shai is spelled correctly
Can’t disrespect my goat like that
Giannis really had the greatest finals performance of all time
Nah MJ 1993 and other series clear Giannis 2021.
Which funny enough was ALSO the Phoenix Suns hahahahahahaha….. Fuck.
Game 4 of the finals the Bucks were about to go down 3-1 and Middleton dropped 40, including 14 in the 4th to secure a 6 point win. Giannis had 26 for the game and 7 in the 4th.
There were 6 games with 40+ in that Finals, Khris had 1, Booker had 2 and Giannis had 3 (including the 50 piece) - can’t say Book didn’t give his all, dude was exceptional for Suns
e: me dumb
Giannis actually had 3 40+ point games in the finals. Games 2, 3, and 6.
Oops my bad! Feel like an idiot now, especially because I was there for two of them lmao
[deleted]
Who you got buddy? Who’s beating 35/13/5 on 62% and elite defense, including an 0-2 comeback and 50 nugget to win the series? I’ll wait
I’m not the original one commenting, but I’m still taking LeBron’s 3-1 comeback against the Warriors as the greatest final performance I’ve watched.
It feels unfair to only say LeBron when Kyrie was so vital too though
I agree he was vital and they probably don’t win without him. But watching them go down 3-1 and Klay making that joke about Bron then watching what the Cavs did in the next 3 elimination games was why I still favor that series more than Giannis’s.
Also Jrue was no slouch in that series either (still my favorite Pelican/see my flair lol).
MJ’s 1993 finals he averaged 41 points 8.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game for the series -https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1993-nba-finals-bulls-vs-suns.html
This 4 game stretch is insane:
Game 2 - 42/12/9
Game 3 - 44/9/6
Game 4 - 55/8/4
Game 5 - 44/7/7
If someone had a finals like MJ had then, now, people would lose their minds.
MJ’s lowest scoring game those finals was 31 points. Giannis had 20 and 26 point games.
I would argue Tim Duncans run against the Nets was better, no disrespect to Giannis as I loved his Finals performance
Duncan : 44 MPG, 24/17/5/1/5 on 49/0/68 shooting
Giannis : 38 MPG 35/13/5/1/2 on 62/20/66 shooting
The pace was so much slower in 2003.
In the 2003 finals, the Spurs and Nets scored an average of 87.8 and 82.0 points per game, respectively.
In the 2021 finals, the Bucks and Sun scored an average of 111.7 and 109.3 points per game.
IOW, there was +30% higher scoring in the 2021 finals compared to 2003. Trying to compare individual player scoring stats needs to account for pacing.
Back when Ayton was actually a solid player and still had a bright future.
It was a Contract Year for him. He had to lock in😭
Monty hated his guts and wanted to trade him for Myles Turner
Crazy he averaged 18⁄10 with no effort. Thought he could have developed into a really good C but turns out he was just a CP3 merchant.
One of the greatest series in the history of the game by Giannis, The Block, The Lob, 50 piece in the close out game. Doesn’t get enough credit for his performance in this series. Especially when you consider he was coming off of what many people, including myself thought was going to be a season ending injury. He’s my GOAT
I don’t know why, but I see people round these parts try to discredit that run constantly. And it always was dumb. The things Giannis did that run was the stuff of legends.
Not to mention Middleton, Lopez, and Holiday all having great playoff performances as well. Truly a whole team championship. I love that team so much
“The Brook Lopez game” against Atlanta where he just decided to completely take over and started yamming everything w/Giannis out will always make me smile :)
KD’s toe on the line living rent-free in people’s heads. It’s like when people say Ray Allen saved Lebron’s career when there was a whole ass game 7 after and he played out of his mind before
It wasn’t just KD’s toe though. It was Harden and Kyrie getting hurt. Nets lead 2-1 in the series.
KD had no Harden in game 4, and only 17 minutes of Kyrie.
KD won game 5 scoring 49 and Harden going 1-10. https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202106150BRK.html
And then almost won them game 7 with no Kyrie and KD going off for 48.
“KD won game 5 scoring 49 and Harden going 1-10”
And Jeff Green and Blake Griffin combining for 44 points on 15-26. I have no doubt we don’t win if Kyrie and Harden aren’t both injured, but this is a prime example of people wilfully misremembering that series. KD didn’t solo his way to game 7 OT, he had 2.5 games without any significant help (game 6, 7, and the second half of 4 after Kyrie went down) and lost all of them because that’s how basketball works. You don’t win by yourself. Griffin and Green fucked us up in game 5 along with KD, their contribution isn’t unimportant just because they don’t have the on-paper value of Harden who was injured and bad.
And by the same token, game 7 Jrue and Middleton combined for 14⁄49 shooting and Lopez was the only Buck other than Giannis who looked halfway decent but we won anyway. Story of that game in people’s heads is still “toe on the line” though, it’s largely ignored that Giannis was as good or better than KD in that game.
And can’t forget how Joe Harris, after one of his best 3pt shooting seasons, inexplicably completely forgot how to shoot and couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn in that series - had he made even a portion of his wide open looks I think they would have gotten past us
I don’t see why. It was one of the more even series since the post Steph/KD Warriors era. That series plus GS and Boston(maybe hindsight) are the only series where it felt even, OKC/Indiana ending up in 7 doesn’t change that but 2(3) out of 8 finals being close def puts it as one of the more interesting series.
Probably because of what happened against the Nets as they were giving the Bucks belt to ass before Kyrie went down. Injuries are always apart of the game we know but it’s definitely one of the bigger “What-if’s” this decade had the Nets been fully healthy.
It’s Jokic fans
Ayton was so good that playoff run. Then Giannis tore out that young man’s soul, here we are 5 years later and I don’t think he has recovered.
Greatest individual play in the playoffs since Kawhi’s shot.
This is insane from Giannis but the OG tip-in has to be higher
I think you can’t go wrong saying any of those three is the clutch moment tbh
since
means so far at a point in time. It was the greatest individual play in the playoffs since Kawhi’s shot.
Middleton saved Giannis ass in the playoffs multiple times.
Giannis averaged 35pts, 13 boards, 5 asst, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in the finals. But let the hate flow
After falling down 0-2…. Giannis game 3 - 41pts , 13 boards, 6 asst. Funny how you left that out
Giannis game 4 - 26 pts, 14 boards, 8 asst, 3 steals, 2 blocks including the play of the game.
Yes, Giannis had a great game 3. But they are fucked if Middleton doesn’t go off in game 4.
Giannis had a great run, but no way am I calling it greatest individual play since Kawhi, when multiple series Middleton was leading scorer facing 0-3 or 1-3 deficits. Plus he didn’t even play in the last couple games of the CF, when his teammates won games 5 and 6.
Raptors were fucked if Lowry and Siakam didnt drop a game high 26 each in game 6 vs warriors. See how easy your narrative falls apart?
Game 6, when the Raptors were up 3-2, which is entirely different than facing a 0-3 or 1-3 deficit?
When Raptors were down 1-2 to Sixers Kawhi was leading scorer in game 4 with 39 points.
When Raptors were down 0-2 to Bucks, Kawhi was leading scorer in game 3 with 36 points.
When Raptors were down 1-2 to bucks Lowry lead the team with 25. Kawhi had 19.
Fair counterpoint, though it’s just one such instance in the whole playoff run. And 26 is not the sort of explosion Middleton had with 35 and 40.
Bro the “play” is specifically the block on Ayton. I wasn’t comparing their performances that series - both of which were incredible.
I thought you meant individual performance, in terms of overall play for a playoff run. Not the specific play. I think there are probably better individual plays besides this one. It’s a great one though for sure.
What a stupid comment. This dude averaged 35-13-5 and you’re pretending Khris Middleton carried him
I do not think Middleton carried him at all. I do think he saved his ass though and the run could have easily been over.
Giannis was super natural in that series
Ayton hasn’t tried to catch a lob and dunk in one motion since…
Dude I gotta clean up all the shit in my backyard from the haboob + monsoon storm last night. Not the day for this.
Say what you will about this past year and the shit show it became, I’d go through it 10000x over to experience this game and series for the first time again.
Most fun I’ve ever had as a sports fan
must you make me start my day with this
The epitome of Giannis right there. Pure effort and talent to save the game. God I love this play.
I still hold it as the greatest block of all time. I know everyone says it’s the chase down block in game 7 but this also was a pivotal finals block and he SWITCHED FROM DEFENDING TO BLOCKING TO ALLEY OOP MID AIR, peak Greek freak
Lil pee pee Ayton
Imagine the timeline if the Suns had won
From that play on to this present day was when Ayton’s game fell off a cliff
If LeBron goes to the Heat, Bam Giannis LeBron with all time playoff blocks.
I’m not so sure Ayton is finishing that anyhow. Great effort by Giannis though.
Still the best finals of the decade imo. This year’s was great having 5 close games but it got repetitive with them all being the same formula
Also shows how thin the margins are in the NBA. That pass is just a little too high and slow, and it gives Giannis just enough time to recover.
The little sneaky, subtle injury that fukked the Suns was losing Dario Saric for that series.
The block itself wasn’t incredible: Ayton caught it between the tips of his fingers, so it was easy for Giannis to poke it away.
The amazing thing is how quickly Giannis reacted to the lob, turned, rotated over, elevated, and found the ball. Being able to defend an attacker on one side of the rim while still being capable of rotating to help on the other side requires generational-level defensive athleticism.
In basketball, this is sometimes described as a defender being “two people:” they’re able to cover so much defensive responsibility it’s like having an extra man on the court.
If that was anyone else guarding the P&R that lob would’ve gone through or at least been a foul. Giannis steps up enough to not let booker be comfortable to pull up and forced the lob and somehow someway he recovers instantly and jumps off one leg reaches halfway up the backboard to block the lob. Defensively the greatest block I’ve seen from dpoy Giannis.
Probably the most hype play I ever watched live. I absolutely popped off.
I did not expect things to unravel so quickly.
Riding this finals run’s high for the rest of my life
Crazy how much changed after game 2 of this series. The media was anointing Chris Paul and Devin Booker, Ayton was on the verge of a 5 year max contract, the Suns had a young core, the doom pieces started for the Bucks. Then both of these teams made horrendous front office decisions, never made it out of the second round, and don’t have a lot to look forward to just a few years later. Boston/Dallas could be in a similar spot depending how the Celtics rebound from last year.
Who gives a fuck, we won the chip baby!!!
I mean, yeah. It makes it all worth it.
Tbf Middleton was never fully healthy for the playoffs after this and Jrue was never good enough to be the #2 so their hand was kinda forced
This block basically ended ayton, booker, the suns, everything
Seeing how bums Ayton is makes this less impressive
Still one of the greatest moments I watched live as a neutral
I miss Jeff Van Gundy on the call.
what does second cousins mean
That playoffs made me think Bagley better get his shit together because this draft is about to be legendary with the talent in the first 5 pick aside from him.
If you look closely, you can actually pinpoint the exact moment Ayton decides trying isn’t worth it anymore
Should not have traded Holiday man
that looks like a really difficult finish for Ayton even without the block
Such amazing defensive effort!
2 weeks before that we all thought he had a torn ACL. An astonishing run overall
This is why I hate r/nba.
Giannis’ run is genuinely tied with Dirk for the best I’ve ever seen. Dirk happened when I was a kid and barely knew anything about basketball. Watching Giannis win as a grown man enjoying the sport was just different. Only other ring that gets close is Curry vs the Celtics. So good.
I dont think I’ve ever seen Ayton do a forceful dunk, dude needs to practice on an eye height basket.
Would be nice if he can repeat that in a heat jersey
Helps that is was the ultra non-agressive DeAndre Ayton.
I have to watch this again??? I mean if you insist🙄
Not impressive. It’s just Ayton.
2nd greatest defensive play of all time behind 2016 Bron.
I think people argue context to put the LeBron block ahead of this one (and I’m not going to argue with them), but people also should remember Giannis legitimately was playing on a hobbled leg where no one knew if it would give out at any moment.
Considering the degree of difficulty on this play, I’d give top spot to Giannis.
He hedges and cuts off the drive for Booker, and still recovers in time to meet Ayton at the rim. Legit a perfect defensive play in a monster moment
Jordan stripping Malone better be your #3
Nah, it‘s not even top 5⁄10, if you‘re honest
Had to undercut Kyrie to win this chip….still sick to my stomach on that terrible close out in a wide open lay. Nets had them dead in the water
I used to hate watching highlights from this series but I don’t anymore for some reason
Im Sure the Suns came back to win the series after this play
Insane block
Even worse lob from Booker