Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 40.0 points during two 1-point losses to Phoenix this season.

The Phoenix Suns haven’t been to The Finals since 1993 and have never won an NBA championship. The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t been here since 1974 and have just one title (1971). It’s also the first trip to The Finals for Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, though it remains unknown if Antetokounmpo will be able to play.

These may not be the teams we were expecting when the season started in December or when the playoffs started in late May. But after a grind of a season, one of them will have earned a championship.

• Finals hub | Shaun Powell’s series preview

Here are some statistical notes to get you ready for The Finals, with links to let you dive in and explore more. Game 1 is Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

Pace = Possessions per 48 minutes
OffRtg = Points scored per 100 possessions
DefRtg = Points allowed per 100 possessions
NetRtg = Point differential per 100 possessions

Phoenix Suns (51-21, 12-4)

First round: Beat L.A. Lakers in six games.
Conf. semis: Beat Denver in four games.
Conf. finals: Beat LA Clippers in six games.
Pace: 95.6 (11)
OffRtg: 113.6 (10)
DefRtg: 106.7 (2)
NetRtg: +6.9 (2)

Regular season: Team stats | Advanced splits | Player stats | Player shooting | Lineups

vs. Milwaukee: Team stats | Advanced splits | Player stats | Player shooting | Lineups

Playoffs: Team stats | Advanced splits | Player stats | Player shooting | Lineups

Suns efficiency by round

AdjO = OffRtg – opponent’s regular-season DefRtg
AdjD = DefRtg – opponent’s regular-season OffRtg

Suns playoff notes – General:

1. Have the same record at home (6-2) as they do on the road (6-2).
2. Have been the best second-quarter team in the playoffs, outscoring their opponents by 13.5 points per 100 possessions in the second period. They’re +12.0 per 100 in the first half of games and just +1.7 per 100 in the second half (much worse defensively), though they’re still 11-1 after leading at the half.
3. Phoenix is 11-0 after leading by double-digits and 2-4 after trailing by double-digits. It was 4-1 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes.

Suns postseason shot profile

%FGA = Percentage of total field goal attempts

Suns playoff notes – Offense:

1. Have seen the second biggest drop in the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range from the regular season (39.2%, 15th of 30) to the playoffs (35.4%, 12th of 16). 27.6% of their 3-point attempts, the second highest rate, have come from the corners.
2. Have attempted 21.4 pull-up 2-pointers per game, most in the playoffs. Their 45.3% on pull-up 2s ranks sixth.
3. Have scored just 0.82 points per possession on pick-and-roll ball-handler possessions, the third lowest mark in the playoffs and down from 0.98 (fourth best) in the regular season.
4. Rank 12th in ball movement (278 passes per 24 minutes of possession) and 11th in player movement (10.6 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possessions). But rank second in assist percentage (having recorded assists on 60.2% of their field goals), assist/turnover ratio (2.13), and secondary assists per game (3.4).
5. Have scored 1.28 points per possession in transition, the second best mark in the playoffs.
6. Have shot 86.2% from the free throw line, the best mark in NBA history for a team with at least 250 free throw attempts.

Suns efficiency and four factors – Offense

eFG% = (FGM + (0.5 * 3PM)) / FGA
FTA Rate = FTA/FGA
TO% = Turnovers per 100 possessions
OREB% = Percentage of available offensive rebounds obtained

Suns playoff notes – Defense:

1. In the conference semifinals, they held the Nuggets to 15.2 fewer points per 100 possessions than they scored in the first round. In the conference finals, they held the Clippers to 17.4 fewer per 100 than they scored in the conference semis.
2. Have seen the biggest drop in opponent effective field goal percentage from the regular season (53.4%, 10th) to the playoffs (49.8%, first).
3. Lead the playoffs in opponent field goal percentage in the restricted area (60.0%), opponent mid-range field goal percentage (31.9%), and opponent corner 3-point percentage (26.1%).
4. Have seen the biggest jump in the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come from the restricted area or 3-point range from the regular season (67%, seventh lowest) to the playoffs (72%, second highest).
5. Have allowed just 2.2 corner 3-pointers per game, second fewest in the playoffs.

Suns efficiency and four factors – Defense

Suns playoff notes – Lineups:

1. Starting lineup – Paul, Booker, Bridges, Crowder and Ayton – has played 257 total minutes, most in the playoffs. It has outscored its opponents by 8.7 points per 100 possessions, a mark which ranks eighth among 13 lineups that have played at least 75 minutes. It ranks eighth offensively (113.6 points scored per 100 possessions) and seventh defensively (104.8 allowed per 100) among those 13 lineups.
2. The lineup with Cameron Payne in Chris Paul’s place has outscored opponents by 8.2 points per 100 possessions and recorded assists on 64.3% of its field goals, the highest rate among those 13 lineups. It also ranks first in opponent effective field goal percentage (46.7%), but 12th in opponent free throw rate (32.7 attempts per 100 shots from the field).
3. Have outscored their opponents by 8.2 points per 100 possessions in 381 total minutes with Paul and Booker on the floor together, by 6.6 per 100 in 267 minutes with Booker on the floor without Paul, and by 14.1 per 100 in 79 total minutes with Paul on the floor without Booker.
4. Best on-court point differential per 100 possessions among two-man combinations that have played at least 100 minutes: Payne and Crowder (+16.8). Worst mark: Johnson and Ayton (-3.0).
5. Torrey Craig is tied (with Giannis Antetokounmpo) for the best on-off DefRtg differential among rotation players in The Finals, with the Suns having allowed 5.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor (101.2) than they have with him off the floor (106.5).

Suns playoff notes – Individuals:

1. Deandre Ayton has an effective field goal percentage of 70.6%, the third best mark among 88 players with at least 50 field goal attempts. His 79.6% in the restricted area ranks second among 46 players with at least 25 restricted-area attempts.
2. Ayton also ranks third in the playoffs with 11.8 rebounds per game and ranks second with 11 double-doubles.
3. Ayton leads the playoffs with 12.3 points per game off paint touches (catches in the paint). He’s scored 1.59 points per possession as a roll man, the best mark among 12 players with at least 20 roll-man possessions. Dario Saric has the second worst mark (0.85 points per possession).
4. Ayton has scored just 0.59 points per possession on post-ups, the worst mark among 10 players with at least 25 post-up possessions, according to Synergy tracking.
5. Opponents have shot just 54.3% at the rim when Ayton has been there to protect it. That’s the third best rim protection mark among 19 players who’ve defended at least 50 shots at the rim.
6. Devin Booker leads the playoffs with 107 mid-range field goal attempts. His 41.1% from mid-range is down from 48.6% in the regular season and ranks ninth among 17 players with at least 35 attempts.
7. Booker has an effective field goal percentage of 47.6% on (205) pull-up jumpers, a mark which ranks 14th among 28 players who’ve attempted at least 50.
8. Booker has shot 105-for-115 (91.3%) from the free throw line, the best mark among nine players with at least 75 attempts. Antetokounmpo has the worst mark (53.7%).
9. Booker ranks second in clutch usage rate, having used 44.8% of the Suns’ possessions (via field goal attempts, turnovers and trips to the line) when he’s been on the floor with the score within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime. He’s 2-for-5 on clutch field goal attempts and 5-for-5 on clutch free throws, with one assist and all five of the Suns’ clutch turnovers.
10. Booker has seen the third biggest jump in rebounds per game from the regular season (4.2) to the playoffs (6.4) among 178 players who’ve played in at least four playoff games.
11. Mikal Bridges ranks second in the playoffs with 41 corner 3-point attempts. He’s shot 7-for-13 (54%) from the left corner and 7-for-28 (25%) from the right corner.
12. Torrey Craig has averaged 4.40 miles per hour, second fastest among 68 players who’ve played at least 200 total minutes.
13. Craig has shot just 44.8% in the paint, but has an effective field goal percentage of 61.3% on shots from outside the paint. That’s the third biggest out-vs.-in differential among 61 players with at least 25 field goal attempts both inside and outside.
14. Jae Crowder has taken 77.4% of his shots (103/133) from 3-point range, the third highest rate among 88 players with at least 50 field goal attempts in the playoffs. His 5.4 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts per game rank fourth and his 39.1% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers ranks 26th among 47 players who’ve attempted at least 25.
15. Crowder has averaged just 1.27 seconds per touch, the second lowest mark among 77 players with at least 250 touches.
16. Crowder is the only player who’s played at least 10 minutes of clutch time (51 players total) without a single clutch field goal attempt.
17. Cameron Johnson has an effective field goal percentage of 66.0%, up from 54.1% in the regular season. That’s the second biggest jump among 88 players with at least 50 field goal attempts in the playoffs. Ayton has seen the sixth biggest jump (from 62.9% to 70.6%).
18. Johnson has also seen the fourth biggest jump in free throw rate (from 12.2 to 33.3 attempts per 100 shots from the field) among those 88 players.
19. Johnson leads the playoffs with 15 corner 3-pointers (on only 27 attempts). Bridges is tied for second with 14 (on 41 attempts).
20. Bridges (17-for-34) and Johnson (17-for-31) are two of five players who’ve shot 50% or better on at least 25 wide-open 3-pointers.
21. Chris Paul has an assist/turnover ratio of 5.55, the third best mark among 41 players with at least 25 total assists (Booker has the second worst mark – 1.23). Paul has accounted for 53.5% of the Suns’ assists while he’s been on the floor, the third highest rate among 68 players who’ve played at least 200 minutes.
22. Paul has averaged 6.48 seconds per touch, the second highest mark among 77 players with at least 250 touches.
23. Paul has taken 73% of his shots, the highest rate among 88 players with at least 50 field goal attempts, between the restricted area and the 3-point line. His 46.2% on non-restricted-area 2-point shots ranks 19th among 53 players who’ve attempted at least 25.
24. Paul (10.1) and Booker (9.0) rank eighth and ninth in pick-and-roll ball-handler possessions per game. Their 0.94 and 0.88 points per possession as pick-and-roll ball-handlers rank 16th and 18th among 22 players with at least 50 total possessions.
25. Cameron Payne has a usage rate of 24.5%, up from 19.3% in the regular season. That’s the biggest jump among 91 players who’ve played at least 150 minutes in the playoffs.
26. Payne has shot 16-for-26 (61.5%) on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, the best mark among 47 players who’ve attempted at least 25. He’s shot 4-for-27 (14.8%) on pull-up 3-pointers, the worst mark among 21 players who’ve attempted at least 25.
27. Payne has an overall effective field goal percentage of just 48.0%, the worst mark among 46 players with at least 100 field goal attempts and down from 57.6% in the regular season. That’s the third biggest drop among those same 46 players. Bridges has seen the fifth biggest drop (from 64.3% to 56.0%).
28. Payne has scored just 0.67 points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, the worst mark among 22 players with at least 50 ball-handler possessions
29. Saric has averaged 6.3 assists per 36 minutes, fourth most among 125 players who’ve played at least 100 minutes.

Milwaukee Bucks (46-26, 12-5)

First round: Beat Miami in four games.
Conf. semis: Beat Brooklyn in seven games.
Conf. finals: Beat Atlanta in six games.
Pace: 97.6 (6)
OffRtg: 111.2 (11)
DefRtg: 105.0 (1)
NetRtg: +6.2 (4)

Regular season: Team stats | Advanced splits | Player stats | Player shooting | Lineups

vs. Phoenix: Team stats | Advanced splits | Player stats | Player shooting | Lineups

Playoffs: Team stats | Advanced splits | Player stats | Player shooting | Lineups

Bucks efficiency by round

AdjO = OffRtg – opponent’s regular-season DefRtg
AdjD = DefRtg – opponent’s regular-season OffRtg

Bucks playoff notes – General:

1. Have seen the biggest drop in pace from the regular season (102.8 possessions per 48 minutes, second) to the playoffs (97.6, sixth).
2. Have been the best first-quarter team in the playoffs, outscored their opponents by 15.0 points per 100 possessions in the opening 12 minutes.
3. Lead the playoffs in both fast break points differential (+5.2 per game) and points in the paint differential (+12.1 per game). And 15.2% of their points, the playoffs’ highest rate, have been second-chance points.
4. Lead the playoffs in total rebounding percentage (53.1%).
5. Have been involved in each of the three 2021 playoff games that have been decided by more than 30 points, a 39-point loss and two 34-point wins.
6. 10-1 after leading by double-digits. Only team with a winning record (4-3) after trailing by double-digits. 4-2 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes.

Bucks postseason shot profile

%FGA = Percentage of total field goal attempts

Bucks playoff notes – Offense:

1. 17.6% of their possessions, the highest rate in the playoffs (though down from 19.4% in the regular season), have been in transition. Their 1.06 points per transition possession rank 10th.
2. Only 12.6% of their shots, the second lowest rate in the playoffs, have come in the last six seconds of the shot clock, according to Second Spectrum tracking.
3. Have the second biggest differential between their field goal percentage in the paint (60.6%, first) and their effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (45.2%, 12th). Rank 14th in 3-point percentage (31.1%), having seen the biggest drop from the regular season (38.9%, fifth).
4. Also rank 14th in free throw percentage (71.3%).
5. Rank 15th in ball movement (273 passes per 24 minutes of possession) and seventh in player movement (10.9 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possessions). Rank last with just 1.4 secondary assists per game.

Bucks efficiency and four factors – Offense

eFG% = (FGM + (0.5 * 3PM)) / FGA
FTA Rate = FTA/FGA
TO% = Turnovers per 100 possessions
OREB% = Percentage of available offensive rebounds obtained

Bucks playoff notes – Defense:

1. Have seen the biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions from the regular season (110.7, ninth) to the playoffs (105.0, first).
2. Only team that ranks in the top five in each of the four factors on defense.
3. Have allowed just 0.95 points per possession in transition, the lowest opponent mark in the postseason.
4. Rank second in opponent field goal percentage in the restricted area (60.9%) and first in the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the restricted area (21%).
5. Have allowed just 2.1 corner 3-pointers per game, fewest in the playoffs. Only 16% of their opponents’ 3-point attempts, the lowest opponent rate, have come from the corners.
6. Have allowed 11.0 fewer points per 100 possessions at home (99.2) as they have on the road (110.2).

Bucks efficiency and four factors – Defense

Bucks playoff notes – Lineups:

1. Most-used lineup – Holiday, Middleton, Antetokounmpo, Tucker and Lopez – has played 187 minutes, second most in the playoffs. It’s outscored its opponents by 8.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark which ranks seventh among 13 lineups that have played at least 75 minutes. It ranks first defensively (95.5 points allowed per 100 possessions) and 12th offensively (104.5 scored per 100) among those 13 lineups.
2. The most-used lineup has committed turnovers on just 10.2% of its possessions, the second lowest rate among those 13 lineups. It’s recorded assists on only 48.5% of its field goals, also the second lowest mark.
3. Most-used lineup that doesn’t include Giannis Antetokounmpo is the lineup – Holiday, Middleton, Tucker, Portis and Lopez – they started in Games 5 and 6 of the conference finals. It’s outscored opponents by 39 points (scoring 113 points on 82 possessions) in just 37 minutes.
4. Best on-court point differential per 100 possessions among two-man combinations that have played at least 100 minutes: Middleton and Tucker (+13.4). Worst mark: Connaughton and Lopez (-8.3).
5. The Bucks have been 12.0 points per 100 possessions better with Tucker on the floor (+11.3) than they’ve been with him off the floor (-0.7). That’s the best on-off NetRtg differential among rotation players in The Finals. Middleton has the second best differential (11.7)
6. Holiday has the best on-off OffRtg differential among rotation players in The Finals, with the Bucks having scored 15.3 more points per 100 possessions with him on the floor (112.7) than they have with him off the floor (97.4). Antetokounmpo is tied (with Torrey Craig) for the best on-off DefRtg differential, with the Bucks having allowed 5.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor (101.8) than they have with him off the floor (107.1).

Bucks playoff notes – Individuals:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the playoffs with 12.7 rebounds per game and 13 double-doubles. He’s grabbed 26.8% of available defensive rebounds while he’s been on the floor, the third highest rate among 146 players who’ve averaged at least 10 minutes per game.
2. Antetokounmpo leads all players with 20.1 points in the paint per game, the highest playoff average for any player since Shaquille O’Neal averaged 21.6 points in the paint in 2000-01. Antetokounmpo also leads the playoffs with 49 dunks.
3. Antetokounmpo has shot 67.4% (on 224 attempts) in the paint and has an effective field goal percentage of 30.4% on (92) shots from outside the paint. That’s the biggest differential among 61 players with at least 25 field goal attempts both inside and outside. Brook Lopez (74.4% vs. 48.5%) and Bobby Portis (60.7% vs. 44.5%) have the third and seventh biggest biggest differentials, respectively.
4. Antetokounmpo ranks second in the playoffs with 99 isolation possessions, according to Synergy tracking. His 0.90 points per possession on isolations rank 15th among 22 players with at least 25 isolation possessions.
5. Antetokounmpo has a free throw rate of 38.3 attempts per 100 shots from the field, down from 52.8 in the regular season. That’s the third biggest drop among 88 players with at least 50 playoff field goal attempts.
6. Opponents have shot just 49.0% at the rim when Antetokounmpo has been there to protect it. That’s the best rim protection mark among 19 players who’ve defended at least 50 shots at the rim. Lopez has the second best mark (51.2%).
7. Pat Connaughton is one of five players (the only one still playing) with at least 25 total field goal attempts, without any of them having come from mid-range (between the paint and the 3-point line).
8. Bryn Forbes has taken 78.4% of his shots (80/102) from 3-point range, the second highest rate among 88 players with at least 50 field goal attempts in the playoffs. Connaughton has the fourth highest rate (77.2%).
9. Forbes has accounted for 45.5% of the Bucks’ 3-pointers while he’s been on the floor. That’s the highest rate among 125 players who’ve played at least 100 minutes.
10. Jrue Holiday has an effective field goal percentage of 48.0%, the second worst mark among 46 players with at least 100 field goal attempts in the playoffs, though he saw a big jump from the conference semis (41.2%) to the conference finals (54.1%).
11. Holiday has seen the second biggest jump in assists per game from the regular season (6.1) to the playoffs (8.4) among 178 players who’ve played in at least four playoff games. He has 11 clutch assists, most in the playoffs.
12. Holiday ranks fifth with 3.1 deflections per game and second with 1.4 recovered loose balls per game.
13. Lopez has shot 49-for-59 (83.1%) in the restricted area, the best mark among 46 players with at least 25 restricted-area attempts. He’s scored 0.528 points per touch, the highest mark among 77 players with at least 250 touches.
14. Lopez has taken 32.1% of his shots from 3-point range, down from 43.9% in the regular season. That’s the third biggest drop among 88 players with at least 50 field goal attempts in the playoffs. He’s shot 12-for-17 (70.6%) on corner 3-pointers, the best mark among 26 players who’ve attempted at least 15. Holiday has the worst mark (3-for-17, 17.6%).
15. Lopez ranks third in the playoffs with 1.8 blocks per game. He’s contested 305 total shots, 77 more than any other player.
16. Khris Middleton is one of three players (Paul George and Damian Lillard are the others) with multiple buckets (he’s 2-for-4) to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime. Holiday (1-for-1) also has one, while Antetokounmpo is 0-for-3 in those situations.
17. Middleton ranks third with 96 mid-range field goal attempts. His 42.7% from mid-range is down from 45.1% in the regular season and ranks seventh among 17 players with at least 35 attempts.
18. Middleton has shot 88.6% from the free throw line, the second best mark among nine players with at least 75 attempts. Antetokounmpo has the worst mark (53.7%).
19. P.J. Tucker has accounted for just 6.5% of the Bucks’ points while he’s been on the floor, the lowest rate among 68 players who’ve played at least 200 total minutes. That rate is just 2.6% in the fourth quarter.
20. Antetokounmpo (10-for-55, 18.2%), Tucker (15-for-51, 29.4%) and Holiday (32-for-107, 29.9%) are the only three players who have shot worst than 30% on at least 50 3-point attempts in the playoffs.
21. 88% of Tucker’s 3-point attempts (45/51) have come from the corners, the highest rate among 77 players with at least 25 (non-backcourt) 3-point attempts. His 13-for-45 (28.9%) on corner 3-pointers ranks 23rd among 26 players with at least 25 attempts.
22. Tucker has a free throw rate (FTA/FGA) of just 0.051 (4/78), the third lowest among 88 players with at least 50 field goal attempts. Forbes has the sixth lowest rate (0.078).
    

    ---

Regular season matchup

Suns won, 2-0

• Feb. 10 @ Phoenix – Suns 126, Bucks 125
• Apr. 19 @ Milwaukee – Suns 129, Bucks 128 (OT)

Pace: 100.0 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes
Phoenix OffRtg: 120.5 (7th vs. Milwaukee)
Milwaukee OffRtg: 119.0 (5th vs. Phoenix)

Total points scored, season series

Matchup notes:

1. Jrue Holiday and P.J. Tucker (not with the Bucks yet) didn’t play in the first game. Phoenix reserves Cameron Payne and Dario Saric also didn’t play in the first game. Torrey Craig played in the first game with the Bucks (registering a minus-13 in 15 minutes) and in the second game with the Suns.
2. The Bucks led the first game by as many as 16 points and by 12 late in the third quarter. They led the second game by nine early in the fourth.
3. The Suns won both games by a single point, with the final margin being determined by a Devin Booker free throw both times. In the first game, Booker put the Suns ahead with a free throw with 33 seconds left and Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a pull-up 20-footer at the buzzer. In the second game, Booker’s game-winning free throw came after Tucker fouled him with 0.3 seconds left in overtime. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the final 4:02 of the extra period, dealing with a cramp.
4. Over the two games, the Suns scored 31 points on 29 clutch possessions, with Bridges making two 3-pointers in the overtime. The Bucks scored 24 points on 28 clutch possessions, with Khris Middleton taking 10 of their 21 clutch shots.
5. 44% of the Suns’ shots, the highest rate for any Milwaukee opponent, came between the restricted area and the 3-point line. They shot 50.6% on those non-restricted-area 2-pointers.
6. The Bucks committed just 10.4 turnovers per 100 possessions, the second lowest rate for any team against the Suns this season.
7. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 40.0 points per game was the highest average among 268 players who played at least two games against the Suns this season. His 21.0 points per game in the restricted area were the most any player averaged against Phoenix. His 47 points on Feb. 10 was the highest scoring game for any player against the Suns this season. His 21 free throw attempts on Feb. 10 were tied for the second most for any player in any game this season. Deandre Ayton was his primary defender.
8. Mikal Bridges shot 14-for-18 (78%) and Ayton shot 15-for-21 (71.4%). Those were the two best marks among 180 players with at least 15 field goal attempts against the Bucks. Bridges was one of four players to make five or more corner 3-pointers against Milwaukee. The Bucks had just five corner 3-pointers total.
9. Chris Paul was one of three players to average double-digit assists in two or more games against the Bucks.
10. Devin Booker took only eight (17.8%) of his 45 shots from 3-point range. That was his second lowest rate vs. any opponent this season. Khris Middleton was his primary defender.
11. The Bucks were a plus-14 (scoring 126.6 points per 100 possessions) in Brook Lopez’s 64 minutes on the floor and were outscored by 16 points (scoring just 98.7 per 100) in his 37 minutes on the bench.
12. The Suns’ starting lineup played just 19 total minutes over the two games (it averaged 13.6 per game in the regular season). It was a plus-4 in those 19 minutes, holding the Bucks to just 39 points on 43 defensive possessions (90.7 per 100).

* * *

John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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