Phoenix came out on fire at home in Game 5, leading by 16 after the first quarter, but Milwaukee responded in the second, going into the half with a three point cushion. The Bucks jumped out to a comfortable lead in the third, but the Suns came storming back at the end. Down by only one, Devin Booker had the ball stripped out of his hands by Jrue Holiday, who went down the court and lobbed it to Giannis for the eventual game-sealing, greatest alley-oop of all-time. Book finished with 40 points and the Greek Freak tallied 32.
THE GREATEST ALLEY-OOP OF ALL-TIME COULD DEFINE THE BUCKS CHAMPIONSHIP
COLORS KEY | FULL BUCKS OUTLOOK
Up by one with only about 20 seconds remaining, Jrue Holiday picked Devin Booker’s pocket and started dribbling the other way. Instead of playing it safe and holding onto the ball to take the foul, he saw Giannis streaking down the court. He lobbed the ball up to his athletic teammate, who finished the tough oop through contact for the game-winning bucket. This play was the greatest alley-oop of all-time, considering the high-leverage circumstances.
Not only was Holiday’s vision and the Greek Freak’s athleticism outstanding, but the severity of the moment is what rose it above the rest. It was a pivotal Game 5 on the road in the NBA Finals, and it put the Bucks one win away from their first Finals win since 1974. It very well could go down as their season-defining play, and no alley-oop will likely come close to being this significant for years and years to come.
JRUE TO GIANNIS. WOW. 😱 pic.twitter.com/1R8RH3pONC
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 18, 2021
MIDDLETON. BIG AND-1. 😤 pic.twitter.com/48qqUtWlSz
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 18, 2021
29 points from @Khris22m in Game 5.. including 20 in the 2nd half to lead the @Bucks to a 3-2 #NBAFinals lead! #ThatsGame
Game 6: Tuesday, 9 PM ET, ABC pic.twitter.com/PseQSE3uc1
— NBA (@NBA) July 18, 2021
Giannis continues his stellar #NBAFinals with 32 PTS, 9 REB and 6 AST in Game 5! #ThatsGame @Bucks lead 3-2.. Game 6 of the #NBAFinals presented by YouTube TV is Tuesday at 9 PM ET on ABC. pic.twitter.com/JYPV9kzJ5k
— NBA (@NBA) July 18, 2021
Defense ➡️ Offense
Jrue Holiday is doing it all 😤 pic.twitter.com/71sp2nW0Ei
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 18, 2021
JRUE HOLIDAY COMES UP HUGE.
27 points, 13 assists, 3 steals for @Jrue_Holiday11.. including his CLUTCH steal & lob late to put the @Bucks up 3-2 in the #NBAFinals! #ThatsGame
Game 6: Tuesday, 9 PM ET, ABC pic.twitter.com/PmcV9G70Pk
— NBA (@NBA) July 18, 2021
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