The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Deandre Ayton’s postseason double digit scoring streak ended at 13 games and the Phoenix Suns squandered a nine-point fourth quarter en route to a game four loss in the NBA Finals.

Ayton finished with a game high 17 rebounds, but scored just six points on 3-9 shooting from the field as the Bucks evened the series with a 109-103 win last night at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to even the series 2-2.

Ayton also added five assists and three blocks in 39 minutes.

The Suns led 85-76 in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, but were outscored 33-21 in the final period.

The Suns have now lost back-to-back playoff games for just the second time this postseason. In the opening round they trailed 2-1 to the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, but reeled off nine straight wins to set a new franchise record. Ayton is averaging 14 points and 14 rebounds per game in the series.

He posted 22 points and 19 rebounds in his NBA Finals debut and followed with 10 points and 11 rebounds in game two - both wins for the Suns. He followed with 18 points and nine rebounds in a game three loss.

The series will shift back to Phoenix for game five at 9pm on July 17. Game six is in Milwaukee at 9pm on July 20 and the Suns will host game seven (if necessary), at 9pm on July 22.

All games will be broadcast on ABC. “I just know our approach to the game and how hard we play together, it wasn’t there,” Ayton said following the 20-point game three loss.

“It wasn’t there. I know how hard we play. I know how locked in we get, but Game 3, they were playing a little bit harder than us. We were still playing hard, but they were playing a little harder than us. I didn’t like how we didn’t make an awareness of that or grab a huddle earlier in the game before we got down really bad.”