The Phoenix Suns defeated Milwaukee Bucks 118-105 to win the first game of the NBA Finals. It was Chris Paul aka CP3 who led the way for the Suns by marking his finals debut with 32 points. 

“I just kept trying to be aggressive and my guys got going. It’s trust. We’ve played like this all season. We just have to stay locked in,” Paul said.

Also read: After beating cancer, Polish fencer Magdalena Piekarska hopes for Olympic gold

The 36-year-old delivered clutch scoring and added nine assists while Devin Booker added 27 points and 22-year-old Bahamas big man Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 19 rebounds in dominating the Bucks.

Two-time MVP and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who returned after an injury, scored eight points, five rebounds and two assists in the first quarter, making a solid start after being a game-time decision. Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points, 17 rebounds and four assists in the 35 minutes he played. 

Also read: We deserve to be here: Italy coach Roberto Mancini on reaching the Euro 2020 final

“There was a lot of energy coming into this game. We got one. We’ve got to get another one,” Paul, the backcourt maestro, said. 

The Suns, in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993, seek their first league title while the Bucks, in their first finals since 1974, won their only crown 50 years ago.

“We’ll look at the film,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We’ll get smarter. We’ll get better for game two.”

Milwaukee started Greek star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had missed two games with a hyperextended left knee, and he contributed 20 points and 17 rebounds in 35 minutes.

But even with 29 points from Khris Middleton, it wasn’t enough against Paul and a swifter, more defensively aggressive Suns squad.

Also read: Euro 2020: Major talking points from Italy’s victory over Spain in semis

Paul, with the second-most games of any NBA player making his finals debut, went 12-of-19 from the floor, 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and 4-of-4 fron the free throw line.

Paul went 6-of-7 for 16 points in the third quarter, when the Suns stretched the lead as large as 20 points.

Antetokounmpo scored off a rebound to pull Milwaukee within 101-94 in the fourth quarter, but a steal and hoop by Paul helped keep the Bucks at bay.

Ayton became the first player with 15 points and 15 rebounds in his NBA Finals debut since Tim Duncan in 1999.

The Suns went 25-of-26 from the free throw line, missing only the last to keep them from an NBA Finals record.

The Suns, who haven’t lost in 11 playoff games when leading by 10 or more, opened a 65-52 lead early in the third quarter.

Phoenix led 30-26 after the first quarter and 57-49 at halftime. Booker had 16 points in the first half and Paul added 11, six of them in a 10-4 run to give the Suns a 45-38 edge.

Phoenix will try to grab a 2-0 edge when the best-of-seven showdown continues Thursday.