The Milwaukee Bucks have officially won the 2021 NBA Championships, marking the team’s first Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in 50 years. This is only the second time in franchise history that the Bucks have taken home the championship title.
The Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton-led team capped off their successful season run with a victory over the Phoenix Suns, 105-98 on Tuesday’s Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The Bucks’ 26-year-old behemoth, also known as the Greek Freak, scored a career and playoff-high of 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks on the home court in Milwaukee. The championships marked the rise of Antetokounmpo who also won the year’s Most Valuable Player Award.
The Greek native has now won a championship with the team that drafted him and in his eight-season in the NBA. The win fills a large gap in his already stacked resume that sees the player as a five-time All-Star and a Defensive Player of the Year winner. The previous two seasons saw the Bucks finish as the top contenders in the Eastern Conference. However, they were consistently eliminated in the playoffs before the finals, that is until this year.
This regular season, the Bucks finished third in the ECF behind the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers. Earlier this season, the Bucks took a gamble and acquired P.J. Tucker from Houston Rockets to beef up their own defensive and offensive strategy.
The Suns initially lead the 2021 NBA Finals best-of-seven series with a 2-0 lead. However, the Bucks came back winning the next four games, resulting in “Bucks in six” win. This was the Bucks’ first NBA finals appearance since 1974 and the Suns’ third appearance in the finals, with the most recent being in 1993. The changes the Bucks have made over the course of the past few seasons have evidently paid off. In a post-game interview after Milwaukee’s victory in Game 4, Giannis said, “I got to move on. I got to keep making winning plays. I got to keep competing. I got to keep finding ways to help my team be great.”
Giannis stayed true to his words and as a result, brought home the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy to Milwaukee Bucks.
Check out some of the reaction tweets below.
The @Bucks are the 2020-21 NBA Champions! #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/lMNgoe8tal
— NBA (@NBA) July 21, 2021
BUCKS IN SIX FOREVER. pic.twitter.com/yIox9YzxLG
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 21, 2021
The Milwaukee Bucks are CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!! pic.twitter.com/yB73gbUJyk
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 21, 2021
50. pic.twitter.com/uEaxf6YQQI
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 21, 2021
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?! pic.twitter.com/1KHGxz3udZ
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 21, 2021
The smile says it all.
NBA CHAMPION, @Khris22m! ? pic.twitter.com/WKeeek7iQM
— NBA (@NBA) July 21, 2021
The @Bucks receive the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy for the 2nd time in franchise history and the 1st time in 50 years! pic.twitter.com/FIBXRbv1W5
— NBA (@NBA) July 21, 2021
Aye! Enjoyed watching greatness out there tonight. GREATNESS! @Giannis_An34 congrats bro
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) July 21, 2021
Salute & Congrats @Giannis_An34!! You earned that shit!! ?? ?. ??✊?❤️?
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 21, 2021
Congrats to Giannis and the Bucks he’s def as humble as they come!! Much respect!!
— Miles Bridges (@MilesBridges) July 21, 2021
Nothing but respect for the Milwaukee Bucks franchise, the city of Milwaukee and those loud ass fans. Incredible playoff run fellas!
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) July 21, 2021
CHALLENGE COMPLETED!!! pic.twitter.com/E4yDVspErM
— Shiv. Rest in Peace, Kobe ?? (@sbhatia01) July 21, 2021
In other sports news, Los Angeles Rams Cam Akers is injured, set to miss 2021 NFL season.
