2:19 AM ETTim BontempsESPN PHOENIX– Jrue Holiday continued his sluggish start to the NBA Finals, ending up 7-for-21 with 17 points in the Milwaukee Bucks 118-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 on Thursday night at Phoenix Suns Arena.But as this series moves back to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Sunday night, and with the Bucks now down 2-0 and 2 losses away from their season ending just except their goal, Holiday has one crucial individual still strongly in his corner: Bucks super star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored a postseason career-high 42 points in 40 minutes Thursday.” Just keep speaking to him, keep informing him to be aggressive,” Antetokounmpo said when asked what his message for Holiday would be heading into Game 3. “No matter whats going on, youve got to remain aggressive and you can not get in your sensations. Its difficult not to. You understand, NBA Finals, 20,000 people booing you and all that, its type of hard.” But at the end of the day, its not about me. Its not about him. Its not about Khris [Middleton] Its not about Coach. Its about everyone. … If theres a game that youre 3-for-12 or whatever the case might be and you can rebound the ball or get a take or do something else to assist the team win, thats what its everything about today. I believe he understands that.” I know hes going to be there when we require him the most and I do not stress over it. Hes a fantastic basketball gamer. Hes played great all year and hes going to continue to play terrific for this team.” 3hNBA Insiders5hDave McMenamin1 RelatedHoliday is now 11-for-35 through the first 2 video games of this series and has scored a combined 27 points– the very same number he ended up with in Milwaukees closeout of the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.After Game 1, Holiday said he was determined to be more aggressive. He certainly was in Game 2, taking nine shots in the very first quarter alone, however the results were not much various. Vacation finished the first half just 3-for-14 from the field, and while he shot better in the 2nd half, going 4-for-7 from the field, it still was a performance far listed below what the Bucks required to keep pace with the Suns.” I believe we had a great deal of open shots that we didnt make,” Holiday said. “I know me personally, there were a couple layups there that I usually make that kind of rimmed in and out. Had some excellent appearances.” Giannis had a great video game getting to the basket, penetrating. I seem like we did a respectable job of permeating and making plays for other people, but just got to do it a little bit better.” There wasnt much Antetokounmpo might do better. Still just nine days gotten rid of from what appeared like a terrible knee injury in Game 4 versus the Hawks– later exposed to be a hyperextended left knee that kept him out for a week and saw him return Tuesday for Game 1 of the Finals– Antetokounmpo was incredible in Game 2. He finished the game 15-for-22 from the field and 11-for-18 from the complimentary toss line– going there more frequently than the Suns did as a team– while adding 12 rebounds, four assists, a take and three blocks.The problem for the Bucks, however, was that he didnt get much help– particularly from Holiday and Middleton. In addition to Holidays 7-for-21 proving, Middleton went 5-for-16 from the field in Game 2 and has yet to try a complimentary throw in the series.Their equivalents on the Suns, Chris Paul and Devin Booker, meanwhile, outscored them 54-28. The combined 12-for-37 shooting performance from Holiday and Middleton in Game 2 was the worst by a starting backcourt in an NBA Finals game because the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant and Ron Harper went a combined 10-for-37 versus the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the 2000 Finals.Shaquille ONeals 41 points and 12 rebounds in that video game sufficed to lift the Lakers to an NBA title. Antetokounmpos efficiency, on the other hand, simply functions as a small favorable on a night when the Bucks were unable to even this best-of-seven series.” Just search for that balance,” Middleton said. “At the same time, try to play through him when he has it rolling like that. When he sees a crowd, we need to be able to assist him out.” Still, the shooting concerns for Milwaukees backcourt were just part of the issue for the Bucks in Game 2. After the Suns defied their typical standards in Game 1, both by getting 26 foul shots– the second-most Milwaukee has allowed a video game this postseason– and outscoring Milwaukee in shift, the Bucks invested the 48 hours between Games 1 and 2 consistently stating they needed to rectify both of those issues.They managed to accomplish those goals, as Milwaukee finished with a 23-14 benefit in totally free tosses attempted and a 17-7 edge in fast-break points in Game 2. But while the Bucks invested time plugging those holes, it allowed other fractures to form in Milwaukees defense.Specifically, the Suns went 20-for-40 from 3-point variety– including Booker going 7-for-12, with 3 of those makes coming at vital points in the 4th quarter when the Bucks were threatening to get themselves back into the game.” I believe a bit of overhelping,” Middleton said, when asked to diagnose what enabled Phoenix to get complimentary so frequently from deep.” [Paul] and Book, they had the ability to get into the pick-and-roll play and get in the middle. Draw a crowd to helps sometimes. Often we overhelp and sometimes they strike hard shots. They did a good job of spreading out the flooring, getting to the middle and then drive-and-kick and find the shooters.” Meanwhile, as Milwaukee scrambled to try to stop Phoenix in the 4th quarter, consisting of scaling down and playing guard Pat Connaughton rather of center Brook Lopez in an effort to both juice the offense and create more pressure defensively, the Bucks failed to get a couple of crucial protective rebounds.The most agonizing of those minutes came when the Bucks were routing by 6 with under five minutes to go and, after Phoenix got two offending rebounds to extend an ownership, Paul buried a 3-pointer in the corner to press Phoenixs lead back to nine.Milwaukee never ever got that close once again.” Thats the great part about the playoffs,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer stated, when inquired about the choice to play small and take Lopez off the floor. “Sometimes you need to play smaller sized, more shooting, things of that nature, and it can harm you in other areas. Its like that give-and-take game.” I thought Brook had good minutes. I thought Brook assisted us. That small group, weve done it in other series, other games. Theyve got to rebound. Everybodys got to get involved. Youve got to be able to do both.” The Bucks havent had the ability to do enough in Games 1 or 2 to get a win in this series. But despite the chances being against them down 2-0 heading back to Milwaukee, the Bucks took solace in the reality that they remained in this very same position simply a few weeks ago when they dropped the opening 2 games on the road versus the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference semifinals.Milwaukee went on to win that series in seven games. And, as the Bucks head house, Antetokounmpo was positive he and his colleagues would be able to figure out a way to turn this series around.” I think no matter what we say, we understand what the deal is,” Antetokounmpo stated. “Its as easy as that. Weve got to go back home and do our job. They did their task. Weve got to do our task.” Weve been here prior to and we were able to finish the job. Ideally we can put ourselves in position and we can think in one another and we can play together and we can have enjoyable. We can complete and we can dive on the floor, we can make shots, put ourselves in a position to win the game.” But, like, we know what the deal is, man. We got to return home and protect home.”

2:19 AM ETTim BontempsESPN PHOENIX– Jrue Holiday continued his slow start to the NBA Finals, finishing 7-for-21 with 17 points in the Milwaukee Bucks 118-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 on Thursday night at Phoenix Suns Arena.But as this series shifts back to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Sunday night, and with the Bucks now down 2-0 and 2 losses away from their season ending just brief of their objective, Holiday has one essential person still firmly in his corner: Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored a postseason career-high 42 points in 40 minutes Thursday.” 3hNBA Insiders5hDave McMenamin1 RelatedHoliday is now 11-for-35 through the first two video games of this series and has scored a combined 27 points– the exact same number he finished with in Milwaukees closeout of the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.After Game 1, Holiday said he was identified to be more aggressive. Still simply nine days gotten rid of from what looked like a disastrous knee injury in Game 4 against the Hawks– later exposed to be a hyperextended left knee that kept him out for a week and saw him return Tuesday for Game 1 of the Finals– Antetokounmpo was incredible in Game 2. The combined 12-for-37 shooting efficiency from Holiday and Middleton in Game 2 was the worst by a beginning backcourt in an NBA Finals game because the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant and Ron Harper went a combined 10-for-37 against the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the 2000 Finals.Shaquille ONeals 41 points and 12 rebounds in that video game were good enough to lift the Lakers to an NBA title. After the Suns defied their typical norms in Game 1, both by getting 26 foul shots– the second-most Milwaukee has actually allowed in a video game this postseason– and outscoring Milwaukee in transition, the Bucks invested the 48 hours in between Games 1 and 2 consistently saying they required to correct both of those issues.They handled to achieve those goals, as Milwaukee finished with a 23-14 advantage in complimentary throws attempted and a 17-7 edge in fast-break points in Game 2.