National Basketball Association

NBA Finals a whole new experience for Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks

Updated Jul. 30, 2021 8:17 a.m. ET

By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer

Deandre Ayton was filled with wonderment.

Everywhere he turned, there were reminders of what was at stake, including new artwork outside of Phoenix Suns Arena featuring NBA Finals players admiring the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

"Walking into here, seeing Mr. Larry on every poster, it gave me goosebumps," Ayton said.

It stirred a childlike excitement in him so strong that for a moment he forgot he would actually be playing in Game 1 of the Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. The 22-year-old center, who has reached the pinnacle of the game in his playoff debut, had an out-of-body experience.

"I do not feel like I'm a player right now," he said. "But I am."

For both the Suns and the Bucks, reaching this point has been an unbelievable milestone. The Suns last played in the Finals 28 years ago and have never won a championship. The Bucks haven't been to the Finals for 47 years and captured their only title a half-century ago.

Between both teams, there's only one player who has been in this position before, Suns forward Jae Crowder, who, as a member of the Miami Heat, played in the 2020 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

For everyone else, this is a brand new experience.

"If there's a souvenir shop, I'll probably get my wallet and buy something," Bucks center Brook Lopez said.

Suns guard Devin Booker honored the moment by wearing a throwback shirt from 1993 after Monday's practice, a nod to the last time the team was in the championship round.

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As for Suns guard Chris Paul, being on one of the last two teams standing is, well, a bit discombobulating.

"It's weird no games being on," Paul said. "I usually watch games every day."

He is the game now.

The Suns will try to beat a tough Bucks team that has shown incredible resolve since superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a hyperextended left knee in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, winning their next two games without him.

As of late Monday, Antetokounmpo was listed on the Bucks' injury report as doubtful for Game 1, though coach Mike Budenholzer said he's trending in the right direction.

"He had a good day," Budenholzer said. "He's making good progress. But I don't have expectations either way."

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Without Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Lopez have stepped up, helping fill the 28-point, 11-rebound hole left behind by the two-time MVP.

They're prepared to do it again, if needed.

"When Giannis is out there, a lot of times we can just give him the ball and let him go to work and let him orchestrate a lot of things," Middleton said. "Without him, we have to do it by committee."

When the Suns lost Paul in the Western Conference finals for two games after he tested positive for COVID-19, they showed the same kind of grit.

Both of these teams are used to fighting through adversity. They're not from big media markets. They have one championship between them.

These NBA Finals are going to be different.

This isn't the flashy Lakers vs. Brooklyn Nets matchup that everyone expected, a showdown that would've featured the 17-time champions against one of the most stacked teams of all time.

Instead, both teams are populated with underdogs who have scratched and scraped to get to this level.

Paul was considered past his prime. Ayton was considered a questionable No. 1 draft pick. Booker and Middleton have been overlooked and underrated their entire careers. And Antetokounmpo raised eyebrows last December when he signed a five-year, $228 million contract to stay in Milwaukee, instead of jetting to a shinier team on one of the coasts.

But now they're all having the last laugh.

They're the ones who survived this injury-riddled, shortened 72-game season. They're the ones who had the mental fortitude to flourish amid a deadly pandemic, strict protocols and endless testing.

This Suns-Bucks Finals is a special treat for the basketball world, an unusual matchup in one of the most unusual years in NBA history.

We all thought we'd be watching James make his 10th NBA Finals appearance in the last 11 years. But instead, we're watching a bunch of players reach a level of success they've never achieved before.

It's refreshing.

After Ayton collected himself and remembered that he, indeed, will be starting for the Suns on Tuesday night on the biggest stage in the sport, he couldn't help but savor the moment.

"It's not easy winning in the NBA," he said.

Both teams know that all too well.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She has previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.