What Happened in Game 1 of the NBA Finals 2021? Complete Analysis and Key Moments
Let me take you back to that electric Tuesday night in July when the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks kicked off the 2021 NBA Finals. I remember settling into my couch with that familiar Finals anticipation, wondering which team would draw first blood in what promised to be a thrilling series. What unfolded over the next few hours was a masterclass from Chris Paul and the Suns that left basketball fans everywhere buzzing.
From the opening tip, you could feel Phoenix's energy radiating through the screen. Chris Paul, in his long-awaited Finals debut at 36 years young, played with the poise of someone who'd been waiting 16 years for this moment. I've followed CP3's career through all the near-misses and heartbreaking playoff exits, so watching him orchestrate that first quarter was genuinely special. He was dropping dimes, hitting mid-range jumpers, and controlling the tempo like the Point God we've known him to be. The Suns raced out to a 16-point lead in the first half, shooting an incredible 57% from the field while holding the Bucks to just 39%. Those numbers tell the story of a team that came out with championship-level focus.
Now, here's where things get interesting for basketball newcomers. While the NBA doesn't use the match point system I mentioned earlier—that's more common in volleyball and other sports where teams get three points for a 3-4 set win, two for a 5-set win, and one for a 5-set loss—the concept of building early advantage applies perfectly to Game 1. In a seven-game series, that first victory sets the tone, giving the winning team not just the 1-0 lead but crucial psychological momentum. The Suns understood this perfectly, playing with the urgency of a team that knew they couldn't afford to waste home-court advantage.
The Bucks tried to mount several comebacks throughout the game, with Giannis Antetokounmpo looking every bit the superstar despite his recent knee injury scare. I remember watching him drive to the basket in the third quarter, thinking "there's no way he should be moving like that after hyperextending his knee just two weeks ago." He finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds, but Phoenix had an answer for every Milwaukee run. Whenever the Bucks cut the lead to single digits, Devin Booker would hit a tough shot or Deandre Ayton would convert an alley-oop that brought the Phoenix crowd to its feet.
Speaking of Ayton—my goodness, what a coming-out party for the young center. He was absolutely dominant in the paint, finishing with 22 points and 19 rebounds while shooting 8 of 10 from the field. His defensive presence altered countless shots, and his chemistry with Paul in the pick-and-roll was beautiful to watch. As someone who's watched Ayton develop since his Arizona days, this performance felt like his arrival on the NBA's biggest stage.
The fourth quarter had that familiar tension where you could feel the game slipping away from Milwaukee. With about six minutes left, Paul hit a three-pointer that pushed the lead to 16, and at that moment, I turned to my friend and said "This one's over." The Suns' ball movement was crisp, their defense was disruptive, and they simply looked like the more prepared team. Milwaukee's Jrue Holiday had a particularly rough shooting night, going 4 for 14 from the field, and when your second option struggles that much against a disciplined defense like Phoenix's, winning becomes nearly impossible.
Final score: Suns 118, Bucks 105. Chris Paul finished with 32 points and 9 assists, looking every bit the veteran leader Phoenix needed him to be. The Suns shot 53% from the field compared to Milwaukee's 45%, and that efficiency differential proved decisive. What impressed me most was Phoenix's balance—they got contributions from throughout their roster, with Mikal Bridges adding solid defense and Jae Crowder hitting timely threes.
Looking back, Game 1 set the template for what would become an unpredictable, back-and-forth series. While the match point system I mentioned doesn't directly apply to basketball, the importance of starting strong in a championship series cannot be overstated. That first victory gives a team confidence, establishes their style of play, and puts pressure on the opponent to adjust. For the Suns, it was a statement win that announced they weren't just happy to be in the Finals—they were there to compete for a championship. Little did we know then how dramatically the series would shift in the coming games, but on that Tuesday night in Phoenix, Chris Paul and the Suns delivered a performance that reminded everyone why they belonged on basketball's biggest stage.
