When up 2-0 in the 2021 NBA Finals, Mikal Bridges claims the Phoenix Suns didn’t take the Bucks seriously.
Mikal Bridges regrets that the Phoenix Suns did not win the NBA championship in 2021, despite the fact that he currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets.
The former starting swingman for Phoenix discussed his NBA Finals experience playing against the Milwaukee Bucks, who are headed by previous two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the second episode of the Roommates Show podcast, which was released on Thursday.
Mikal Bridges regrets that the Phoenix Suns did not win the NBA championship in 2021, despite the fact that he currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets.
The former starting swingman for Phoenix discussed his NBA Finals experience playing against the Milwaukee Bucks, who are headed by previous two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the second episode of the Roommates Show podcast, which was released on Thursday.
While Phoenix was two games away from a sweep of the Eastern Conference teams and the Bucks, Bridges revealed to the podcast’s co-hosts, former Villanova teammates Josh Hart of the New York Knicks and Jalen Brunson, how the Suns took them for granted.
“I recall taking a 2-0 lead. I felt we were doing OK,” Bridges remarked. “We wanted to take home the trophy, especially since the West had such formidable teams back then. We were thinking, ‘Whatever.'”
The West had defeated the East in 15 of the previous 22 championship series going into the 2021 Finals.
Dominance leading up to the 2021 NBA Finals: In that year’s postseason, Milwaukee was the third seed from the East (46-26) and Phoenix was the second seed from the West (51-21).
Phoenix defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, the reigning champion, in the opening round. Then, with the MVP Nikola Jokic leading the way, Phoenix swept the Denver Nuggets and defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference finals.
The Suns won the first two games of the series at home against Milwaukee, making their first trip to the playoffs since 1993. The Suns were two games away from winning their first-ever world championship as a team.
The Bucks awoke from their four-game winning streak to win the championship, and the Suns never recovered.
We head to Milwaukee and we’re all like, “Pfft.” It’s light, I think. It is Eastern. Milwaukee is the location. “The West is tougher than the East, even though they obviously have hoopers and Giannis,” Bridges remarked. “We think we’re good. Go up 2-0, and we’re thinking, “Exactly.” This has been our topic of discussion. Hey, man, it’s the East. This is about to go our way. Afterward, they continued for four straight! It was simply unbelievable to me.”
Being discovered dozing off in Milwaukee
Thanks to Antetokounmpo’s incredible 50 points in Game 5, the Bucks defeated the Suns in Phoenix, and they won the next two games in Milwaukee.
“You see, bro, my mind’s a little off when we lose Game 6 because we should have won Game 6… When something like that happens to you, you try to let go of the memories. I don’t have any game rewatches. Not one of them.
