A 40-point
burst from star shooting guard Devin Booker went in vain as the Milwaukee Bucks
defeated the Phoenix Suns 123-119 away from home to take a 3-2 lead in the NBA
Finals series on Saturday.

Two-time
NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo lead the scoring for the Bucks with 32 points,
nine rebounds and six assists and scored a slam dunk in the final seconds to
clinch the contest. Khris Middleton scored 29 points and Jhrue Holiday added 27
as the Bucks moved to within one win of their first NBA title since 1971.

The game
was neck-and-neck in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, when Holiday
stole the ball from Booker and passed for Antetokounmpo to make a slam dunk,
while Middleton scored a free throw the seal the win.

Also Read | Washington Wizards name Unseld Jr, son of former star player, as coach

“One
game away. We can’t get too high on the horse. We know the last game is the
hardest to win. We know they will come out and play desperate. We’ve got to do
the same thing,” Holiday said in his post-match comments.

Game six of
the series will be held on Tuesday in Milwaukee, which if the Bucks win, they
will become only the fifth team in NBA Finals history to be champions after
losing the first two games.

Also Read | Milwaukee Bucks lose Thanasis Antetokounmpo to COVID-19 protocols

If the Suns
win, they will force a game seven at Phoenix on Thursday.

The Sun
came bursting out in the first quarter, leading the Bucks 37-21 before the
visitors rallied to establish a 14-point lead. However, the home side fought
back to bring the score to 120-119 but were unable to resist the Bucks star
steal the show.

“Big
time steal by Holiday and great pass,” Antetokounmpo said. “He
trusted me, threw the ball up there. It was a great play by Holiday.”