Before the season started, the Phoenix Suns would take a scenario involving them needing to win two straight games to secure an NBA Championship any day of the week. These Suns were never expected to be in the NBA Finals—much less expected to sweep an excellent Milwaukee Bucks squad. I think many sports pundits and fans are forgetting just how far the Suns have come in the past calendar year whenever discussing the Finals.
Moreover, the Suns were so close to overcoming nearly-insurmountable odds to become the only team to go undefeated inside the bubble last season. They probably would have faced the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in game, if only former Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert had attacked the basket instead of settling for a jump shot against Portland’s worst-ranked defense months ago. Perhaps they then could have even given the Los Angeles Lakers a run for their money in the first round.
Speaking of which, the Lakers were the only seventh seed in NBA history to be favored going into round one this year vs the Suns. Phoenix was picked to lose their series vs the Lake Show in five games, especially after they lost Game 3 in dispiriting fashion.
But nevertheless, the Suns overcame all that, and are still two games away from their first NBA title. For Game 6 though, here are three statistical feats the Suns absolutely have to achieve in order to make Milwaukee fly back to Phoenix with them for a Game 7.