Tune-In Tidbits: 2021 NBA Finals, Game 3
The Bucks are 3-0 in Game 3s this postseason, while the Suns are 1-2.
• Through the first two games of the series, the Suns have generated 12 more wide-open shots than the Bucks (48-36), and have shot a higher percentage on those wide-open looks (74.0-62.5 eFG%). Mikal Bridges leads all players in the series with 11 wide-open attempts and has knocked down five of them, including three 3-pointers.
• Milwaukee has the best home record in the postseason at 7-1, with an average point differential of 13.4 points per game. A common theory is that players shoot the ball better at home; for the Bucks this theory has not held up in the playoffs so far. As a team, the Bucks shoot just 0.4% better overall at home than they do on the road; they are 4.5% worse from 3-point range, but 2.1% better at the free throw line. Two players that do shoot much better at home are Khris Middleton (+7.1%) and Jrue Holiday (+8.2%). Both players could use a boost as they shot just 40.5% and 31.4%, respectively, in the first two games in Phoenix.
Milwaukee Bucks – Home vs. Road FG%, 2021 Playoffs
| PLAYERS | HOME | ROAD | DIFFERENCE |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 51.2% | 60.3% | -9.1% |
| Khris Middleton | 47.5% | 40.4% | 7.1% |
| Jrue Holiday | 45.7% | 37.5% | 8.2% |
| Brook Lopez | 52.9% | 57.5% | -4.6% |
| Bryn Forbes | 41.3% | 42.2% | -0.9% |
| Pat Connaughton | 41.0% | 50.0% | -9.0% |
| Bobby Portis | 49.1% | 46.2% | 2.9% |
| P.J. Tucker | 36.7% | 39.0% | -2.3% |
| Jeff Teague | 42.9% | 31.6% | 11.3% |
• Chris Paul has been in possession of the ball for nearly twice as long as any other player in this series. Paul has possessed the ball for 21 of his 79 minutes played (26.6%). No other player has had the ball for more than 11 minutes in this series: Jrue Holiday (11 minutes, 13.9% of total), Devin Booker and Khris Middleton (11 minutes, 12.8% of total), Giannis Antetokounmpo (9 minutes, 12.0% of total).
• Phoenix’s starting five of Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton have shared the court for 52 minutes through the first two games of The Finals and outscored the Bucks by 27 points in those minutes. This five-man lineup is shooting 50% from the field, 45.2% from three and 87.5% from the free throw line, while dishing out 29 assists to only eight turnovers.
• In Game 2, Chris Paul passed Kobe Bryant (1,040) for 10th place in career playoff assists. Paul now has 1,041 playoff assists in his career and needs only eight assists in Game 3 to pass Scottie Pippen for 9th place on the all-time list. Depending on the length of this series, Paul could climb to as high as seventh – passing Steve Nash (1,061) and Larry Bird (1,062) in the process. Paul is averaging 8.7 assists for the playoffs.
