- Email Hunter with your thoughts or tweet @HunterFelt
- Teams tied at 2-2 as series heads to Phoenix
1.43am BST
“Nobody cares about your story unless you win it.” – Chris Paul
Okay, that’s a more succinct version of what I was trying to say about Giannis’s Block back in the preamble. It’s all about who ends up in the final score, trying to write these stories before the final countdown is an exercise in blind faith.
1.36am BST
Predictions
Alright, I’m officially out of the running, having predicted Phoenix-in-Five before the start of the series because, well, we’re going at least six here. That’s just basic math.
1.34am BST
In any case, if we’re going to talk about one musical artist during tonight’s game it would be the Diabolical One. In preparation for Game 5, Footprint Center has blasted the late Biz Markie’s immortal “Just A Friend” before the game action.
A little @BizMarkie at the NBA Finals. R.I.P. pic.twitter.com/3FaMdPzkhX
1.28am BST
Distract him with Bob Dylan rankings!!!
Sadly, only Bill Walton has the clout to ramble about Bob Dylan when he’s supposed to be talking basketball.
1.25am BST
Outside Reality Rears Its Ugly Dead
Antetokounmpo is out thanks to the NBA’s Safety and Health Protocols! Er, that’s Thanasis Antetokounmpo and not Giannis, freaked you out there for a second, right? In any case, not great news for Milwaukee.
Bucks’ Thanasis Antetokounmpo has entered health and safety protocols and is listed out for Game 5 of the NBA Finals vs. Suns.
NBA official James Williams will serve in the role of the umpire for tonight’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals, replacing Sean Wright, who is unable to officiate due to the league’s health and safety protocols.
1.15am BST
Preamble
Sometimes when writing these liveblogs, you’re so fixated on getting the details right (who’s currently winning, the current score, the players who just scored, which player is red hot and who can’t buy a shot, etc.) that the key moments of the game don’t even register at the time. Looking back at Thursday’s Game 4 liveblog, it’s clear that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s game-changing block (quickly labeled “the greatest block in NBA history” by some who quite likely are getting just a little bit ahead of themselves) was just barely recorded here as “Giannis gets a huge block on the other end.”
1.00am BST
Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Andrew Lawrence on the man leading the Suns:
Time has not been kind to the Phoenix Suns. Seven days ago they appeared to be on an inexorable march toward their first championship in franchise history while slapping the Milwaukee Bucks with double-digits losses and reducing Giannis Antetokounmpo to a one-man band. But since the series migrated from Phoenix to Milwaukee, the home team hasn’t just come alive behind Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and other supporting players; the Greek has been at his freakiest – pouring in a combined 61 points (on 60% shooting), 27 rebounds and a lead-preserving block in Game 4.
Related: The Suns are in trouble but Monty Williams knows what true darkness is