Former Phoenix Suns swingman Mikal Bridges revealed that overconfidence and an underestimation of Eastern Conference opponents contributed to the team blowing a two-game lead in the 2021 NBA Finals.
Speaking on an episode of The Roommates Show podcast hosted by New York Knicks guards Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Bridges looked back at Phoenix’s run to the championship series against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Suns raced to a 2-0 advantage before Milwaukee rallied to win four consecutive games and claim the title, capped by Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring 50 points in the Game 6 clincher.
“I remember going up 2-0. I thought we was good,” Bridges said on the podcast. “We ’bout to win the chip, especially in the West, especially then, the West all had tough teams. East, we were like, whatever.”
Phoenix had navigated a brutal Western Conference gauntlet during that postseason. The Suns defeated the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, swept the Denver Nuggets led by MVP Nikola Jokic, and eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Finals.
When the Suns turned their attention to the Bucks, who finished as the third seed in the East with a 46-26 record compared to Phoenix’s 51-21 mark in the West, the psychological edge shifted, according to Bridges’ account on the podcast.
“We go see Milwaukee, we’re over here like, ‘Pfft.’ I’m like, it’s light. It’s the East. It’s Milwaukee. I know they got Giannis and obviously they got hoopers, but the West is tougher than the East,” Bridges said. “We’re like, ‘We good.’ Go up 2-0, we’re looking like, ‘Exactly. This is what we’ve been talking about. It’s the East, bruh. We’re about to win this. And then they went on four straight! I just couldn’t believe it.'”
The Aftermath of a Missed Championship Opportunity
The 2021 Finals marked Phoenix’s first appearance in the championship series since 1993. After taking the first two games at home, the Suns stumbled on the road in Milwaukee, dropped Game 5 at home, and fell in Game 6 on the road.
Bridges admitted that the pain of the collapse remains fresh enough that he has actively avoided looking back at the footage.
“When we lost Game 6, because we should’ve won Game 6, see bro, my mind’s a little… when you lose stuff like that you try to let that memory get out your head,” Bridges said. “I haven’t rewatched no games. None of them.”
In the seasons following the defeat, the roster underwent a massive overhaul. Chris Paul and Bridges were eventually traded out of Phoenix, with Bridges landing with the Brooklyn Nets via the trade that brought Kevin Durant to the desert. The Suns later added Bradley Beal and owner Mat Ishbia bought the franchise, leaving the 2021 run as a haunting reminder of what might have been for a franchise still chasing its first title.
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