NBA FINALS: BUCKS VS. SUNS

July 17, 2021

DeAndre Ayton

Mikal Bridges

Phoenix Suns

Game 5: Postgame

Milwaukee Bucks - 123, Phoenix Suns - 119

Q. Wanted to know what you feel like was the difference tonight, why the game turned out the way it did you feel?

DEANDRE AYTON: It felt a little on and off. We was playing hard in some spurts and when it got to a point where we still in this thing and long stretch of the game we kind of picked it back up. But games like this you can't really take no plays off.

Q. Mikal, a quick follow, you guys got it down to one, what do you feel like was the key in getting that, because they were up 14 in the fourth and you got it down to one. What was the key or keys getting it down to that close?

MIKAL BRIDGES: Playing our way. We were just defending, finding each other, we was just playing Suns basketball.

Q. After the really hot start in the first quarter just what do you feel like shifted maybe in the second to let them kind of get back in the game and take the lead?

MIKAL BRIDGES: We just made it easy for them. We wasn't -- we took our foot off the gas and, credit to them, they stayed poised, we made that run, they didn't react, they just stayed with it and took the lead. But we relaxed and that's what hurt us.

Q. It wasn't the entire game obviously but it seemed like there were a lot of possessions, especially when things were going bad, where everyone was just kind of waiting for Devin to do something, that the offense kind of got stagnant. What did you see out there, how tough has it been to get into the point-five kind of offense and have the Bucks done something to kind of disrupt that, I guess?

MIKAL BRIDGES: They don't -- they're doing a great job just, you know, guarding. They got guys out there that can guard and just making it tough. Just speed us up sometimes and they -- just credit to them, they're doing a great job.

Q. The game kind of ended on that offensive rebound on the Giannis free throw late. Just from your perspective how did that ball kind of bounce to them?

DEANDRE AYTON: That was a horrible miss. It was just an athletic play, you know, he tipped it behind him knowing that his teammates are there. It was a bad miss.

Q. Mikal, it's been almost six months since you guys lost three in a row as a team. Obviously, that hasn't been what you guys have been about. What's it going to take -- for both of you, Deandre too -- what's it going to take not to make it four?

DEANDRE AYTON: Everything. Just being relentless, man. You can't really shy away from what really got us here, we just have to stay consistent. We just have to regroup and just make sure we keying on togetherness when things don't go our way.

Q. Seeing how Chris and Devin came in and seeing you two guys now, I sense a focus of, okay, we got to get this Game 6. What was maybe -- you don't need to discuss what exactly was said in the locker room, but what was the mood like in the locker room? Was that already fast forwarding to Milwaukee or were guys still bothered by what happened tonight?

MIKAL BRIDGES: We're ready, man, we're ready for next game. If you sulk about it, it's, the blink of an eye the season is going to be over. So, we'll learn from it, coach is going to show clips and what we have to do better, but we know what we have to do. But we're ready, man, just do or die. We lose it's over. So, we got to go out there and play our way and go get Game 6.

DEANDRE AYTON: Yeah, I like it. Tables are turned now. Now we're the desperate team. We had our chances of being up and trying to finish the job, now we're in the same position that they were in. They're up and now we got to go get it. That's why it's a little bit more fun.