*THE SUNS PLAYED CLOSE TO ZERO DEFENSE AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER: In the first quarter, the Suns held the Bucks to 21 points on nine of 21 shooting (42.8 percent) to take a 16-point lead. Over the final three quarters, the Bucks scored 102 points on 50 of 87 shooting (57.4 percent).

        *THE SUNS IMPROVED THEIR BALL PROTECTION AND WERE NOT MANHANDLED ON THE GLASS: The Suns turned it over just nine times and outscored the Bucks 14-12 on second-chance points and 52-46 in the paint.

        *JRUE HOLLIDAY WAS THE BEST PLAYER AT BOTH ENDS: He finished with 27 points, 13 assists, four rebounds, three steals (capped by the game clinching strip of Devin Booker), one block and just two turnovers in 42 minutes.

        *MONTY WILLIAMS, WITH GOOD REASON, HAS LOST FAITH IN HIS BENCH: Torrey Craig, Cam Johnson and Cam Payne played just 46 minutes and were a combined minus 30 in point differential. Johnson, in 22 minutes, was an almost impossible minus 19.

        *CHRIS PAUL LOOKED MORE LIKE HIMSELF: He made nine of 15 shots overall, including three of three from behind the arc, plus 11 assists and just one turnover.

        *THE ROAD TEAM FINALLY WON: Now the Suns must win on the road in their first elimination game of this post-season against a Bucks team that is a league best 10-1 at home in the post-season and have the best home record (regular and post) since the start of 2019-20 season.