Sweatin' with the oldies: 30-somethings abound in NBA 決勝戦
PHOENIX (AP) - Chris Paul and his 36-year-old 脚s climbed の上に the podium at the NBA 決勝戦 on Wednesday. He was asked to reminisce about things that have changed in his game during the past 16 years.
"I'm not as 運動競技の as I was then," Paul said grinning.
But what he 欠如（する）s in athleticism, he's made up for in other ways. He was fantastic in Game 1 on Tuesday night, finishing with 32 points and nine 補助装置s to lead the Suns to a 118-105 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
He is one of several 30-somethings in these プレーオフs 証明するing that older 脚s and a little savvy can still carry teams a long way. Paul is looking to lead the way again in Game 2 Thursday night.
Three of the Bucks' starting five - Jrue Holiday, P.J. Tucker and Brook Lopez - are at least 30 and a fourth, Khris Middleton, will turn 30 this summer. Backup point guard Jeff Teague recently turned 33.
Paul is the oldest player on the Suns, but rotation players Jae Crowder and Torrey Craig are also in their 30s.
不死鳥／絶品 Suns guard Chris Paul smiles at the （人が）群がる after Game 1 of basketball's NBA 決勝戦 against the Milwaukee Bucks, Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in 不死鳥／絶品. The Suns 敗北・負かすd the Bucks 118-105. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The 退役軍人s had mixed results in Game 1.
Paul was the unquestioned 星／主役にする, 狙撃 12 of 19 from the field, 含むing 4 of 7 from 3-point 範囲. Lopez was solid for the Bucks, 得点する／非難する／２０ing 17 points and making three 3-pointers.
Others struggled: Crowder 得点する／非難する／２０d just one point on a 解放する／自由な throw and was 0 of 8 from the field and 行方不明になるd all five of his 3-point 試みる／企てるs. Holiday 攻撃する，衝突する just 4 of 14 発射s.
Tucker was his usual self, 供給するing 価値のある 弁護 and toughness for the Bucks. He 追加するd seven points.
And with so much experience on that 法廷，裁判所, no one 推定する／予想するs the 近づいている games to be 平易な.
"It´s going to be a very hard series," Crowder said. "These guys played very hard. They are a good team and they have very good players. I think the physicality and the way the game was played was high-level; you 尊敬（する）・点 that."
MIND GAMES
It was absurdly loud from the moment Bucks 今後 Giannis Antetokounmpo stepped to the line for his first 解放する／自由な throw 試みる／企てる in Game 1 on Tuesday night.
It sounded like everyone of the 17,000 strong at 不死鳥／絶品 Suns 円形競技場 started counting - 叫び声をあげるing out the seconds as Antetokounmpo went through his 非常に長い 決まりきった仕事. By the end of the game, it was deafening and the （人が）群がる roared each time he 行方不明になるd.
It's hard to say if it had much of a direct 影響; Antetokounmpo was 7 of 12 from the line. He's struggled 狙撃 解放する／自由な throws the past two プレーオフ series, making just 44 of 88 (50%) against the 逮捕するs and the 強硬派s. He's made 72% from 解放する／自由な throw line in his career.
Antetokounmpo 収容する／認めるs he couldn't help but hear the countdown. He also knows it will continue during games in 不死鳥／絶品.
"Of course, 20,000 people yelling, "one, two, three, four," you notice that," Antetokounmpo said. "But as I said, like I´ve learned to embrace it. Like I know it´s not going to stop."
OLYMPICS GOT NEXT
Suns guard Devin Booker has a message for the USA basketball team: "I'll be there."
"I´ve reached out to Coach Pop," Booker said of 国家の team coach Gregg Popovich. "I reached out to (Jerry) Colangelo just recently and then I told them I saw all the guys 報告（する）／憶測d to Vegas, and the only other place I would rather be is the 決勝戦. But I would love to be there with the guys and I´ll be there soon."
The 兵たん業務 of getting from the NBA 決勝戦 to Tokyo could be tight if the series goes all seven games. Game 7 is scheduled for July 22 and the first game for USA Basketball at the Olympics is July 25. Holiday and Middleton could be in the same 状況／情勢 for the Bucks.
But Booker made it （疑いを）晴らす he's looking 今後 to the experience.
"I think it´s the most prestigious event that basketball can find," Booker said. "So to be a part of 代表するing your country I think brings you to a whole other 成層圏. Just thinking of the guys that have come before us and 代表するd our country, and I don´t think there´s anything better than winning a gold メダル."
BY THE NUMBERS
2 - Vintage shirts Booker has worn to NBA 決勝戦 news 会議／協議会s. They're from the 早期に 1990s, when the Suns had Charles Barkley, Dan Majerle, Kevin Johnson and Tom 議会s. The Suns last made the 決勝戦 in 1993.
96.2% - The Suns are usually a very good team at 解放する／自由な throws and showed it in Game 1, making 25 in 列／漕ぐ／騒動 before Jae Crowder 行方不明になるd the final 試みる／企てる of the night. It would have been a 決勝戦 記録，記録的な／記録する had Crowder knocked 負かす／撃墜する No. 26.
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不死鳥／絶品 Suns' Cameron Payne (15) shoots over Milwaukee Bucks' P.J. Tucker (17) during the first half of Game 1 of basketball's NBA 決勝戦, Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in 不死鳥／絶品. (Christian Petersen/Pool Photo 経由で AP)
Milwaukee Bucks 中心 Brook Lopez 回復するs as 不死鳥／絶品 Suns guard Chris Paul, 権利, looks on during the first half of Game 1 of basketball's NBA 決勝戦, Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in 不死鳥／絶品. (AP Photo/Matt York, Pool)
Milwaukee Bucks 今後 Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks to pass as 不死鳥／絶品 Suns 今後 Cameron Johnson (23)defends during the second half of Game 1 of basketball's NBA 決勝戦, Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in 不死鳥／絶品. (AP Photo/Matt York)
不死鳥／絶品 Suns guard Devin Booker (1) pumps his 握りこぶしs after a basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of Game 1 of basketball's NBA 決勝戦, Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in 不死鳥／絶品. (AP Photo/Matt York)
