Middleton's 40 points help Bucks beat Suns, even up Finals 2-2

Khris Middleton finished with a team-high 40 points, six rebounds, and four assists to help the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns 109-103 in Game 4.

After dropping the first two games of the series in Phoenix, the Bucks battled back on their home court to even up the NBA Finals at 2-2.

Giannis Antetokounmpo added 26 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists for Milwaukee, while Jrue Holiday struggled offensively with 13 points on 4-of-20 shooting, along with seven assists and seven rebounds.

"Going down the stretch, we kept believing in ourselves. We kept executing," Antetokounmpo said following the hard-fought win. "We wanted this bad, and the team showed it tonight. But we got to keep getting better."

With Milwaukee leading by two points with 1:15 remaining, Antetokounmpo made the play of the game with an incredibly athletic block that thwarted Deandre Ayton's dunk attempt.

"Hustle play. I thought I was going to get dunked on, to be honest," Antetokounmpo said of his highlight-reel rejection.

Devin Booker dealt with foul trouble, but he still managed to finish with a game-high 42 points during the loss. The star guard benefitted from a clear non-call after appearing to commit his sixth foul when wrapping up Holiday with under 3:38 remaining in the contest. Referee James Capers later acknowledged he made an incorrect call on the play.

Booker piled up 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting in the third quarter and entered the fourth with 38 points. The 24-year-old now has 542 points so far this postseason, which is the most ever in a player's first playoff run.

Chris Paul struggled in Game 4 with an uncharacteristic five turnovers, 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting, and seven assists. Ayton tallied a game-high 17 rebounds but only recorded six points.

The Bucks shot 40.2% from the field and 24.1% from 3-point range, while the Suns finished a more efficient 51.3% on field goals and 30.4% on long-range attempts.

Game 5 is on Saturday in Phoenix.