chapter three: no injury's too big, no team's too small
Eastern Conference Finals, Game 1: BUCKS VS. HAWKS (June 23, 2021)
Chase, Marshall and Zuma watched the ending of Game 7 between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks, and they were shocked to say the least. Ben Simmons of the Sixers, the team's best player, completely choked and the Sixers lost in the final minutes to a very young yet talented Atlanta Hawks team. The Hawks had a young team, led by Trae Young, who was only 22 years old. He had a great team of shooters around them. All the pups expected this series to end in Milwaukee's favor, but Marshall was not going to be surprised if Atlanta didn't give Milwaukee a hard time. The night that Game 1 came around, the two couples were pretty excited: Game 1 was taking place in Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum. Just outside of the arena was the famous Deer District, a plaza where thousands of young fans watched the game on large screens. Marshall was a little disappointed that he couldn't go there, but he understood why: he was a PAW Patrol dog. But his job was the last thing on his mind at the moment.
"Mil-wau-kee! Mil-wau-kee! Mil-wau-kee!" Both Marshall and Everest chanted with enthusiasm.
"This series should be fun." Zuma spoke, not caring too much at all about what was gonna happen.
BUCKS 26, HAWKS 22: 1st Quarter, 12 seconds left
This game was proving to be an entertaining one (and nerve-racking) for Marshall and his friends, as they watched Trae Young for Atlanta keep the Hawks in the game with bucket after bucket. It was the Bucks' ball, and they had a good chance to cushion their lead heading into the second quarter.
Jrue Holiday with the ball. Squeezes through defenders, Holiday, OH WOW! HOLIDAY THROWS DOWN A SLAM DUNK!
"Woah! You don't see that every day!" Marshall exclaimed with surprise.
"A point guard who can dunk? That's a great asset." Skye observed.
"Dude was literally flying...how tall is he? 6'1?" Everest asked.
"Six foot three. So, he can dunk it." Chase explained.
BUCKS 65, HAWKS 63: 3nd Quarter, 9:42 left
This game was proving to be a slow, defensive battle with Atlanta's Trae Young playing like an absolute beast, hitting threes and floaters and midranges, looking like he was unguardable. The Bucks were keeping pace with the surprise Hawks, but they were not in front by much.
Giannis throws the ball to Lopez, the ball is turned over! Bogdanovich for the Hawks gets it! Throws to Trae Young on the side, big lob to John Collins for THE SLAM DUNK! What a gorgeous play by the Hawks offense!
"Can someone STOP TRAE YOUNG?!" Everest complained.
"Trae's getting all these dumb, easy shots! Someone, for the love of god, guard him!" Marshall barked at the TV.
"This is getting pretty interesting." Zuma noted as he gnawed on one of his bone chew-toys.
"Giannis, come on, man! You're the Greek Freak! Time to
do some stuff!" Chase spoke up.
HAWKS 83, BUCKS 78: 3rd Quarter, 2:40 left
The Atlanta Hawks were seizing momentum incredibly fast, thanks to what both couples called "The Trae Young Show". Trae was absolutely unstoppable so far tonight, cooking the Bucks' vaunted defense and making them look like trash.
Young with the ball, separates himself from the defense. Wide open! HE IS WIDE OPEN! HE IS SHIMMYING ON THEM! Shoots the three, YES!
"He just shimmied on us?!" Skye exclaimed with frustration.
"Oh no, he did not just do that." Everest shook her head.
"That's so disrespectful, come on!" Marshall cried disapprovingly.
"He ain't gonna get away with this!" Chase barked with anger.
"Ok, this is getting pretty cool now. Trae Young? More like ICE TRAE, hey yo!" Zuma cheered from the back of the living room.
BUCKS 100, HAWKS 98: 4th Quarter, 4:38 left
The Bucks have come back and recaptured the lead just moments ago off of Khris Middleton's mid range jump shots. And Milwaukee was hoping to capitalize on defense with Atlanta's next possession of the ball.
Young has the ball for the Hawks, tries a three! No good, rebound by the Bucks. Holiday walks up the court, LONG pass to Giannis, turns around, fouled, COUNT IT! Fouled on the dunk!
"AND ONEEEEE!"Everest and Marshall cheered as they high-pawed each other.
"THAT's what I'm talking about, Giannis!" Chase smiled.
"Come on, Bucks, let's close this game out!" Skye exclaimed.
"That was a stupid foul, man. He's a foul machine, geez. Don't even try to stop him there." Zuma complained.
HAWKS 112, BUCKS 111: 4th Quarter, 30 seconds left
Win or lose, this game was incredibly entertaining, as both teams struggled to put a stranglehold on the contest. It was constant trade of buckets by both teams, as they headed into the final stretch. Like Game 7, this game was what Marshall called a "heart-attack game" or a contest that was decided in the last few minutes. The Bucks had possession of the ball and were trying desperately to get ahead.
Khris Middleton drives on the baseline, kicks the ball out to Pat Connaughton, wide open three! No good, airball! PJ Tucker flies into the air to try and save it, Giannis tips it in the air as well! Ball flies onto the other side of the court with Trae Young getting the ball, and he is fouled! What a wild sequence of events!
"Brooooooo...that was such a bad shot…" Chase fumed quietly.
"Airball times ten! Man, Trae Young getting an upset in Game 1?! I couldn't have predicted this!" Zuma said with genuine surprise.
"I couldn't have predicted this, either." Skye spoke up.
"Geez, what a bad game. Jrue gets over 30 points, but we still lose. Trae is legit gonna be a superstar one day." Marshall admitted.
"They're only gonna be up one game. We still got lots of stuff left in the tank. I know we can still win the series, though." Everest said, trying to raise the dalmatian's hopes up.
HAWKS 116, BUCKS 113: 4th Quarter, 4.6 seconds left
The final seconds of the game had turned into constant free throw shooting on both sides, and now, the Bucks had the chance to tie up the game and head to overtime. But chances were looking grim. Both couples including Zuma, who was really surprised the whole evening, watched the very last possession of the 4th quarter.
Holiday bounds to Middleton! Middleton contested, deep three for the Bucks! Off the rim! Rebound by Atlanta! The buzzer sounds, as the Atlanta Hawks take Game 1 in Milwaukee in a stunning upset!
"Woah...that was pretty crazy. Well, I'm gonna head out. Catch y'all dudes later." Zuma smiled as he walked out of the living room.
"Dude...I hate Trae Young…" Chase muttered.
"Tell that to New York Knicks fans. They'll understand." Marshall quietly replied.
"That's only the first game. We'll come back from this a better team. I know we can do it." Skye smiled as she patted Chase on the back.
"I certainly hope so." Everest replied.
Eastern Conference Finals, Game 2: BUCKS VS HAWKS (June 25th, 2021)
With Trae Young's superstar effort in Game 1 producing 48 points, he looked to be the answer for Atlanta against a mighty Bucks squad. Milwaukee was once again at home in Fiserv Forum, and the crowd was gonna get loud. Not including the PAW Patrol lookout, of course.
"Game 2! I think we're gonna crush the Hawks today! I just feel it man! Our players are super pissed, and they are gonna send a message tonight! Don't mess with Milwaukee!" Everest proclaimed.
"A rout?! I hope there is one!" Marshall replied excitedly.
"Giannis is gonna have a great game today. Watch." Chase predicted.
"Greek Freak? More like freaky bad at shooting." Zuma joked as the game started.
BUCKS 7, HAWKS 6: 1st Quarter, 8 minutes left
Even as the game was just getting started, Giannis Antetokounmpo had one message to say to everyone who was watching him tonight: Watch out for me. You're the brick wall, I'm coming right through you. Rather than using brute force, Giannis also had alternative, although rarely used, forms of scoring.
Giannis at the three point line, guarded by Trae Young. Hill takes over guarding Giannis. Giannis spins, faces up Clint Capela! Is he gonna dunk? No! He flies inside, does a finger roll, AND IT GOES IN! WHAT A PLAY BY GIANNIS!
"WOAH, WOW! HOW DOES HE DO IT?!" Marshall cheered with awe.
"Dude, I thought he was gonna dunk it!" Skye thought aloud.
"And you said Giannis had no skill." Chase told Zuma with a cocky grin.
"He can't shoot, but that was still a pretty good play. Carry on." Zuma dismissed the shepherd as he pushed him away.
BUCKS 34, HAWKS 28: 2nd Quarter, 11:45 left
Huerter throws the bullet pass in the paint, broken up by Giannis who gets the ball! Running up the court with full head of steam! Eurostep, and he scores! What a possession by Giannis, a one man transition nightmare!
"Did you see how fast Giannis was going?!" Everest asked Marshall in bewilderment over what she saw.
"Yeah, Giannis is a really quick man." Marshall grinned.
"Don't you understand how crazy that is? A 6-11, 250 pound dude with those long legs, running that fast? That would give me nightmares." Chase told the dally in awe.
"Marshall, you kinda remind me of Giannis with that speed. You are the fastest dog here after all, with those long legs and big strides when you run." Skye told Marshall with a bit of jealousy in her tone.
"It's 'cause you got those short, stubby legs. You can't run!" Zuma laughed.
"I can't run, but I can break your ankles. Remember the last time we played basketball? I crossed you over so hard, I made you fall." Skye roasted the chocolate lab with a confident yet savage smile, getting cheers from her other friends.
BUCKS 43, HAWKS 35: 2nd Quarter, 8:50 left
Khris Middleton has the ball. Does a little move to the left, now passes to Bryn Forbes on the outside. Forbes with a move inside, Forbes on a floater! Hawks will inbound, it is STOLEN BY BOBBY PORTIS!
"Oh, yeah, Bobby!" Chase cheered.
"Let's go, dude! Get the bucket!" Skye shouted.
Bobby Portis posts up on Clint Capela, and Bobby Portis scores! What a sequence of events here for the Bucks!
"BOBBYYYYY!" Marshall and Chase screamed as they flexed their muscles in sheer adrenaline, ending their celebration with a chest bump.
"LET'S GOOOO!" Skye cried out with joy.
"BOBBY BUCKETS!" Everest exclaimed as the girls high-pawed each other.
"And that...my friends...is playoff basketball. Scrappy, hard nosed hustle basketball shit." Zuma chuckled to himself.
BUCKS 53, HAWKS 41: 2nd Quarter, 5:20 left
The Bucks have been on a great scoring run so far, scoring 12 consecutive points, and the fun in the second quarter was just getting started.
Holiday with the ball. Passes a short one to Khris Middleton, dribbles to the right. Finds Brook Lopez in the paint, he jumps and SLAMS IT ON CAPELLA! What a dunk!
"DAMN!" Chase shouted with surprise and happiness.
"Yeah, dude! Flex on them!" Everest cheered as she flexed her muscles, causing Skye to laugh.
"Yoooo, I love it when Brook does that. He just SLAMS it like that, man. He jumps out of the gym and throws it down...a 33 year old dude...he's so hard to stop." Marshall smiled.
BUCKS 66, HAWKS 40: 2nd Quarter, 2:31 left
The second quarter couldn't have gone any better for the Milwaukee Bucks, as they were proving to be unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball. Milwaukee was raining three pointers like a flood, and the barrage didn't seem like it was gonna stop anytime soon.
Khris Middleton with the ball, throws it to Holiday! Holiday for three, he's got it! The Bucks lead by 29! The Fiserv Forum crowd is absolutely loving every second of it!
"Oh, yeah! Let's GO!" Marshall shouted as he started shimmying: like Trae Young did in Game 1.
"You keep shimmying, bro! Rub it in Trae's face! You DON'T shimmy unless it's the home crowd!" Chase egged the dalmatian with glee.
"See? I told you he was a good dancer." Everest grinned, poking the cockapoo gently.
"In freestyle, yes. He's very good, I'll admit. In Pup-Pup Boogie, he's shown some potential, but he will never win against me. Few have ever done that." Skye told the husky blatantly.
"Game's over, I'm gonna help Rocky with some inventions and stuff." Zuma proclaimed as he left the living room.
"Bye! Oh, and practice your shimmy for him! Thanks!" Marshall gleefully told the lab, causing the others to laugh.
"I'll teach him alright." The chocolate lab smiled as he left the tower without another word.
BUCKS 74, HAWKS 45: 2nd Quarter, 17 seconds left
The rout was well underway, with Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Bucks all dominating Game 2. The second quarter of basketball here tonight was just insanity from Marshall's standpoint, and it was just about to get even better.
Holiday with the ball here. Holiday puts a move on John Collins, drives to the basket. Holiday on the drive, does a reverse and he is fouled, the ball will...go in! COUNT IT!
"It's over! It's over, ladies and gentlemen!" The dalmatian grinned.
"Alright then. I guess it is over, then. Me and Skye are gonna head out and do something more interesting." Chase told him.
"What are you gonna do?" Both Everest and Marshall asked.
"We do this thing together...it's really dumb and embarrassing but we think it's cool at the same time...we read romantic poetry to each other. We've done it for about a month now...twice a week. I get a new poetry book for us every time from the library in the next town over and we just read to each other. It's very fun. You guys should definitely give it a shot." Skye told the couple, as the cockapoo and shepherd walked out.
"Yeah...maybe we should try it one of these days." Marshall said with a shrug.
"If it's laced with romance, I think it should work." Everest wondered aloud. As for the basketball game itself, the contest wasn't even close. The Bucks ended up winning, thanks to 47 combined points between Giannis and Jrue Holiday. Both the dalmatian and husky were in good spirits: The Bucks tied the series at 1 game apiece and were headed to Atlanta for Game 3 with momentum.
Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3: BUCKS VS. HAWKS (June 27th, 2021)
With the series now heading to Atlanta, Georgia for the next two games, this series was gonna get a bit harder for Milwaukee. But nothing can change the spirit of Marshall and Everest, as the world's biggest canine Bucks fans got ready for Game 3, face to face with excitement.
"Game 3! Who do you think is gonna have a big game?" Everest asked him gleefully.
"My money is on Khash Money!" Marshall smiled.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Trae Young had a good game. He's gonna bounce back." Chase thought aloud.
"The game's in Atlanta, of course Trae is gonna be good." Skye scoffed.
HAWKS 7, BUCKS 2: 1st Quarter 9:19 left
Game 3 was DEFINITELY not gonna be like Game 2, unfortunately. Trae Young, like Chase predicted, was having a good game. But even the german shepherd couldn't have guessed that the 22 year old player was having THIS GOOD start.
Trae Young on the ball, runs around midcourt. Pulls up from the LOGO on MIDCOURT! HE GOT IT! What a start by the Atlanta Hawks, and Phillips Arena is going crazy!
"Oh my god...here we go with Game 1 again…" Everest groaned.
"Chase, you literally cursed the Bucks by saying that Trae would have a good game! If we lose, I'm blaming it on you." Marshall scoffed.
"Blaming it on me?! I was just being realistic, man, chill." Chase laughed off the superstitious suggestion.
"I don't know, Marshall tends to get kind of superstitiousy." Skye joked.
"Damn...I gotta learn to keep my mouth shut." Chase mumbled to himself.
HAWKS 40,BUCKS 33: 2nd Quarter, 7:58 left
"Marshall, come in, Marshall. I have a job for you." Ryder spoke to the dalmatian through his pup tag.
"Shoot...a streak has been broken…" Marshall grumbled to himself. Ever since the Bucks have started playing in the playoffs a month ago, the PAW Patrol were not needed for any rescue of any kind during a game. So Marshall wasn't exactly pleased with getting called up in the middle of a game, but the job came first. "What is it, Ryder?" The fire pup asked.
"Marshall, there is a fire in Orchard Park 10 minutes from here. The fire department is kind of low on trained dalmatains for this job, so we need your expertise in putting out this fire. I'll send the location of the adress to the GPS in your fire truck, but then again, your nose is very keen to smoke." Ryder commanded his fire dog.
"I'm fired up!" Marshall called out. He then turned around to see Giannis dunk the basketball and his friends cheering. They'll be fine without me. I won't be long. I hope. The dally thought as he ran out of the lookout, started his truck and drove out into the night.
HAWKS 85, BUCKS 82: 3rd Quarter, 1 Minute Left
Marshall, after a long time being gone, finally came back as the game was getting interesting, with Zuma deciding to join in on the watch party as the game was tight.
"Yo, Marshall's back!" Chase smiled, as Everest ran to the dalmatian, licking him affectionately.
"No offense, but you taste and smell like ash." Everest admitted.
"Well, the fire was pretty heavy in Orchard Park, and the fire pups there were shorthanded, so Ryder called me up for assistance. The fire was really hot...and by the wits of our teeth, we stopped the fire just before it could spread further. I'll visit Katie tomorrow morning to get the smell situation taken care of, don't worry." Marshall explained to his pals.
"Well, you haven't missed much, really. It's been a close game, and Giannis hit a three." Skye told him.
"Giannis hit a three? That's a surprise." Marshall laughed.
Trae Young on the right side, passes to nobody in particular, it's a turnover, Bucks ball. Bryn Forbes, wide open three, no good, and Giannis is fouled. And Trae Young looks to be shaken up.
"Bruh, another injury in the playoffs? This ain't even real, man." Zuma said with a worried expression. The replays showed Trae Young's injury in more detail. Apparently, he hurt his ankle after stepping on a referee's foot by accident.
"Wow...that's just unfortunate, dude." Marshall remarked.
"I hope he's ok, man. He's been so good in the playoffs. And he's only 22 years old." Zuma spoke up.
"He's only 22?! Jeez, that's young." Everest gasped.
"You can't make this stuff up with the injuries, man. They've happened with almost every team this year." Zuma remarked. The 2021 NBA Playoffs have been different, with all sorts of injuries happening in the playoffs. Anthony Davis for the Lakers, Chris Paul for the Suns, Jamal Murray for the Nuggets and several other stars missed considerable time.
HAWKS 91, BUCKS 88: 4th Quarter, 9:36 left
Even without Trae due to his ankle injury, the Hawks were playing inspired basketball. The Bucks were keeping it close, but Milwaukee just missed a good chance to cut into their lead. Marshall, as always, was starting to get a bit tensed up, not speaking much and purely watching the action.
Middleton drives the ball down the paint, and the ball is stolen by Atlanta. Lou Williams for the Hawks has the ball now, lobs it up to Okeya Okongwu who THROWS IT DOWN! What a pass from Sweet Lou!
"That was a pretty sweet pass, man! Liking the ball movement!" Zuma commented.
"Come on, Bucks! Play good defense for once!" Everest proclaimed in frustration.
"Khris Middleton! Feed this guy the ball, he'll get us out of this mess." Skye barked at the TV.
"It's Khash Money time." Chase spoke to himself as the Bucks got possession of the ball.
"Atlanta better watch out and shut up, 'cause Khris is gonna do it for 'em of they don't stop." Marshall foretold. Little did they know how right they would be about Khris.
BUCKS AND HAWKS TIED AT 98, 4th Quarter, 5:20 left
Ever since the PAW Patrol have predicted that Khris Middleton would start playing well, it seems he somehow listened. Because he wasn't just playing well. Khris Middleton was on absolute FIRE right now, taking over the game with midrange jumpers and three point shots left and right. The Bucks had serious momentum, and both couples were seriously excited.
Connaughton to the bucket, throws it to Tucker in the corner! Tucker to Middleton! Middleton for three! HE HITS AGAIN!
"KHASH MONEYYYYY!" Skye exclaimed with glee.
"Khris Middleton is a FUCKING BEAST." Chase grinned.
"Marshall! Your water cannon! Khris is on fire!" Everest cheered.
"Nah, I want him to get, I don't know, three-degree burns!" Marshall laughed.
"Oh my god...the puns...please help me..." Zuma cringed.
BUCKS 110, HAWKS 102: 4th Quarter, 1:09 left
The Bucks are looking to close this game out here with a bucket. Middleton, dribbles to the freethrow line, midrange is GOOD! Khris Middleton has done wonders tonight!
"And there...is...your...dagger." Chase said dramatically as he high-pawed Marshall.
"We're going up 2-1! Let's go!" Marshall smiled.
"Two more and the Bucks take the series, right?" Skye asked.
"Yep. Game's over now, so...I'm a bit tired...why don't we do our postgame ritual now before I forget?" Everest asked the dally, which he obliged. As the clock was winding down and the game was coming to an end, the husky and dalmatian ran to the cliff together and howled for thirty seconds-much shorter than usual, but a win was a win. Khris Middleton scored 38 points and was on fire in the 4th, scoring 20 of his points alone during that period. The dogs all retired for the night, with the exception of Zuma. He couldn't stop shaking the feeling that something bad was going to happen in Game 4 for some...odd reason.
Eastern Conference Finals, Game 4: BUCKS VS HAWKS (June 29th, 2021)
With the Bucks leading the series 2 games to 1, it was theirs to lose. They had all the momentum, and better yet for Marshall, Trae Young was not playing tonight, thanks to the injury he suffered the game before, which was his right foot.
"If we win this game tonight, the series is basically over." Everest said.
"Yeah, ditto. We could win Game 5 in Milwaukee and advance to the finals with the home crowd. That would be awesome, wouldn't it?" Marshall excitedly asked.
"Bucks are gonna go to the NBA Finals, why do I care?" Zuma groaned.
"Yo, relax, Zuma. You're a fan of the Lakers, right? You were happy when they won the championship last year, right?" Chase asked the chocolate lab.
"Yeah, why?" Zuma asked dumbly.
"Your team has all the glitz and glamour and MANY titles. How much titles do the Bucks have? One." The shepherd pointed out.
"It's cuz they suck." Zuma remarked coldly.
"It's because they're a small market team, dude. Just let Marsh, Eve and the rest of us have our moment, is what I'm saying." Chase reminded him as the game started.
HAWKS 12, BUCKS 5, 1st Quarter, 6:43 left
The Bucks were NOT doing great to start things off in Game 4, and the Hawks continued to assault them with great shooting from the 3 point line: something that has been a consistent problem in the postseason for Milawukee.
Lou Williams, guarded by Middleton. Williams for the three, got it! The Hawks fans are loving this.
"Here we go again…" Everest groaned with realization that this game was gonna be a long and grinding one.
"Well, we've come back from big deficits before, so what's the worst that can happen?" Marshall asked, consoling his girlfriend in the process.
"Someone could get hurt. Big possibility, it's a risky sport." Skye pointed out.
HAWKS 60, BUCKS 52: Third Quarter, 7:20 left
The Bucks were trailing by 8 points, but they still had a chance. There was one catch: even without Trae Young, the Hawks were playing some heavily inspired basketball, going all out without their superstar.
Hawks have possession of the ball. Lou Williams has it, gets around Middleton, throws a lob for Clint Capela who throws it DOWN! And...oh no...someone is shaken up. Giannis is on the floor, grabbing his left knee. Oh no.
"No...no...oh god, please no…" Marshall whimpered quietly as he saw Giannis writhing in pain. This injury looked BAD. All the color of his face seemed to disappear.
"Not Giannis…" Everest whined. It was clear from the TV broadcast that Giannis was in excruciating pain, as his teammates checked on him.
"Dude, Zuma, get in here, bro!" Chase shouted to the lab across the tower.
"Wait, what happened?" Zuma asked as he rushed into the lookout, only to see his friends in stunned silence.
"Giannis...got hurt…" Skye told him blatantly.
"What? Oh my god...the injury curse hit the Bucks too? That's just awful." Zuma said in shock. All five dogs couldn't believe what they were seeing. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2 time MVP and leader of the Bucks, was not getting up. The replays began to show what happened in more detail. Giannis was going up for a rebound when he landed horribly on his right knee and fell down afterwards. The second time they replayed the moment was the worst.
"Oh my god!" All five dogs reacted with horror, seeing him land, as his knee bent in a gruesome way.
"That's not how human legs are supposed to bend." Chase stuttered.
"You know the human body, Marsh. What do you think happened?" Everest asked him.
"He really hyperextended and buckled his knee when he landed. There is a high chance it's worse. He could have torn something too. An ACL, a muscle, who knows? It looks really bad." Marshall explained.
"I can't watch it again…" Skye whimpered as she turned away. As Giannis still laid on the court, the dogs looked at each other in silence.
"Marshall...I'm sorry for you, man." Zuma confessed to the dally, giving him a bro-hug in the process. For the first time, the chocolate lab felt bad for him when they watched the playoffs together. None of the dogs expected that Giannis would suffer a horrific looking injury, and it hit them all hard.
"It's ok, man." Marshall whispered. Just then, with the help of his teammates, Giannis got up off the floor. Thankfully, he was walking upright, with the assistance of his teammates walking him to the locker room. All five pups, especially Marshall, knew that Giannis' season could be over, and without their superstar, the Bucks could lose the series to the Hawks, ending their season. Giannis was still in excruciating pain as he gingerly walked back inside the tunnel with his teammate and brother, Thanasis. Eventually, Giannis walked under his own power, with a significant limp as the cameras panned back to the game itself.
"That's scary shit, man." Chase admitted.
"I think the Bucks are gonna lose this game, to be honest...we have no chance to come back." Marshall whimpered softly. Zuma, Chase and Skye left the room, only with Marshall and Everest alone to watch the rest of the game.
HAWKS 74, BUCKS 54: 3rd Quarter, 3:25 left
The game was well out of hand at this point, with the Hawks hitting three-point bombs like Stephen Curry. Every shot was going in, and there was nothing that Milawukee could do about it.
Bogdon Bogdanovic for Atlanta gets the ball. Does a fake, runs unto the midrange area. Runs back behind the three point line. Steps back and shoots for three, and he got it!
It was at that point that Marshall gave up all hope. He was chewing a dog toy to confront himself, and he took out all of his anger on it, standing on his hind legs and throwing it like a quarterback across the room, landing in the kitchen far away.
"Fuck…" The dally groaned, sitting back down and getting a deep breath, finally regaining his composure.
"One of these days…" Everest mumbled. They knew the game was all over, and since there was nothing else to do (it was a Tuesday) they decided to stick it and out and watch the rest of the game.
HAWKS 91, BUCKS 75: 4th Quarter, 7:09 left
Kevin Huerter throws a pass underneath to Capela. Capela, surrounded by Brook Lopez, turns and shoots! Behind the backboard, AND HE HITS! OH MY GOODNESS, OVER THE BACKBOARD! WHAT A SHOT!
"Woah, that was some H.O.R.S.E. shit going on there." Zuma said, cracking a grin as he walked past the husky and dalmatian.
"Sure was, dude." Marshall laughed.
"I will admit, that was a good shot." Everest admitted. The rest of the game was uneventful, as the Hawks ended up winning by 22 points. Only one thing was on their minds at that point: is Giannis ok? Both could only hold their collective breath in anxiety until they found out.
Eastern Conference Finals, Game 5: Bucks Vs Hawks (July 1st, 2021)
Without a doubt, this was a massive sigh of relief. Both couples and Zuma found out that Giannis' horrible looking injury, awful as it sounded, had no structural damage in his leg. The five dogs were eased by this news, as Trae Young was still on the sidelines recovering from his injury. Game 5 was going to be a pivotal one, being in Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. If the Bucks wanted to win the Eastern Conference Finals,this game would be a good start. As the game neared, Marshall felt excited and nervous. He was hyped for the reason that the Bucks were playing, but worried about how the Bucks would do without Giannis, as he was ruled out for tonight's game.
"Yo, Jrue better have a good game tonight." Marshall stated.
"Who knows? With Giannis being hurt, Bobby Portis is gonna be playing in his spot. He could have a good game." Everest added.
"I like Bobby P. That dude is cool. He's got that crazy dog mentality. Huge hustle guy, very competitive." The dalmatian elaborated.
"Yeah, it's obvious. You and Marshall go nuts every time he scores." Skye laughed.
"I got my money on Brook. He's gonna get lots of opportunities to score tonight." Chase responded as the game tipped off.
BUCKS 7, HAWKS 2: 1st Quarter, 10:02 left
Indeed, Marshall seemed to predict the future, as Jrue Holiday was already having a good game so far, hitting a few running layups. The Bucks had possession again, and had a huge chance to add their lead to start the game.
Bobby Portis on the corner, goes into the paint and passes to Tucker in the other corner. Throws to Jrue on the right wing! Jrue for three, HE HITS IT!
"Let's GO!" Everest cheered.
"The Holidays have come in early!" Marshall joked, clapping his paws.
"If Holiday does good, we're gonna win. Guaranteed." Skye asserted with confidence.
BUCKS 18, HAWKS 7: 1st Quarter, 6:56 left
Hawks just barely beat the shot clock, but missed the 3-pointer. Clint Capela gets the ball, only to be stolen by Lopez! Hands it to Holiday! Throws it to Portis wide open on the run! PORTIS THROWS DOWN THE SLAM!
"BOBBYYYYY!" Both Chase and Marshall shouted, flexing their short, dog sized arms.
"Let's go, BOBBY P!" Skye cheered.
"There you are, doing it again! I love it." Everest giggled.
"You're gonna be doing it with us pretty soon, I JUST FEEL IT!" Marshall shouted with glee.
BUCKS 22, HAWKS 10: 1st Quarter, 5:34 left
Holiday with the ball, gets a good screen from Portis. Runs around the paint, throws up a floater-OH, WOW! A SENSATIONAL SLAM BY LOPEZ!
"WOAH!" Both couples exclaimed in surprise, standing on their hind legs in shock.
"LET'S GO, BROOK!" Marshall cheered.
"Did you see THAT?!" Everest exclaimed, flabbergasted.
"He jumped so high…he jumped right out of the building!" Skye excitedly said with a flip to follow.
"I love it when he just comes out of nowhere and THROWS IT DOWN like that." Chase grinned.
BUCKS 28, HAWKS 10, 1st Quarter
Everything was seemingly going right for the Milwaukee Bucks at the moment. They were just super hot to start the game, with Lopez, Portis, Middleton and Holiday all getting big points in Giannis' absence. And it would continue for the foreseeable future.
Holiday has the ball on the right wing. Runs on the baseline, Lopez running in the paint wide open, and HE SLAMS IT HOME! What a beautiful pass from Holiday!
"OH, YEAHH!" Everest and Skye bellowed with excitement, high pawing each other.
"SPLASH MOUNTAIN? More like a CANNONBALL MOUNTAIN!" Marshall smirked.
"BROOK IS AWESOME. WHO DOESN'T LIKE HIM?" Chase asked, with nobody answering. "Exactly." The shepherd smiled.
BUCKS 40, HAWKS 28, 2nd Quarter, 9:40 left
Bucks have the ball. Middleton up the baseline, throws it to Tucker. Passes it to Jeff Teague, who runs and spins into the paint. Throws it to Portis, wide open for 3 in the corner. Bounces off the rim, and bounces BACK INTO THE NET!
"BOBBYYY!" Both couples shouted at the same time, all of them standing on their hind legs and flexing their muscles.
"Now you're getting it!" Chase grinned, as he high pawed his friends.
"That was so cool. Bobby's a fuckin BEAST!" Everest said.
"Next time Bobby hits a three, all four of us are gonna go completely bonkers. Nobody else is gonna understand." Marshall told them, and they all agreed, since Bobby Portis was such a good shooter. They didn't know when to do it, though.
BUCKS 111, HAWKS 98: 4th Quarter, 3:30 left
The Bucks were well on their way to another victory, one that would put the Bucks up 3-2 in the series. With one more win, the Bucks would earn a spot in the NBA Finals. It was a big deal for a team that hasn't been to the Finals in 47 years, so the four pups were enjoying every moment of the journey while they could. Bobby Portis was having an incredible night for the Bucks, having 19 points so far in Giannis' absence. He instantly became a fan favorite thanks to this performance. Rocky, Rubble and Ryder were just coming back from a mission across the state, where several power lines were cut thanks to trees hitting them due to a storm. They came into the lookout at just the right time. Zuma was busy having a late night snack, watching the game from afar.
"Watching the game again?" Ryder asked the lab.
"Yeah. This dude, Bobby Portis, is having a great night. Those four have fallen in love with him...you should see it when he hits a shot, man. They go crazy." Zuma chuckled.
Middleton dribbles around a screen set by Lopez. Middleton throws to Bobby Portis in the corner, WIDE OPEN. For three, HE GOT IT!
"BOBBYYY!" Both couples screamed with joy, jumping all around and running around the room like a bunch of crazed puppies, much to the others' amusement.
"Bobby P is the GOAT!" Marshall proclaimed.
"What the hell does that mean?" Rocky asked him.
"Greatest of All Time!" Everest added.
"Bucks in 6!" Chase cried.
"Holy shit, you're right...they are going bananas." Rubble laughed.
"I can't imagine them if the Bucks win the Eastern Conference...they would be partying pretty hard." Zuma predicted with a grin. Minutes later, Bobby Portis was taken out of the game, and at the same time, the Fiserv Forum crowd started chanting his name with fervor. The chanting caught on to the two couples, who cheered him on.
"Bob-by! Bob-by! Bob-by! Bob-by! Bob-by!" The four chanted with pride, not caring what the others had to say. Ryder, Rocky and Rubble were utterly speechless.
"Sports fans tend to be a little passionate about things." Ryder figured.
"You think?!" Zuma blurted out laughing. The game was over a few minutes later, with the Bucks getting a very important victory. Brook Lopez had 33 points, Khris had 26, Jrue had 25 points. But nobody was talking about them. Bobby Portis, who had 22 points, became a household name, thanks to his hustle, effort and hard-nosed playstyle. When Marshall and Everest ran out into the night to do their now-patented howling celebration after every win, one thought was in their minds. One more win, and it's off the NBA Finals. No Giannis, no problem.
Eastern Conference Finals, Game 6: Bucks Vs. Hawks (July 3rd, 2021)
This game was gonna be big, for all the right reasons. One more win, and the Bucks were headed to the NBA Finals. They just had to get one more win in front of that noisy, obnoxious Atlanta crowd, who had been a thorn in the Bucks' side.
"Bucks can already punch their ticket to the NBA Finals, man." Zuma said, licking some water from his bowl.
"One more win, baby! Here we go!" Everest grinned.
"Let's finish the job, boys!" Marshall smiled.
"I'm calling Middleton getting 30 points!" Skye predicted.
"I don't wanna have a Game 7...but at the same time...it is in Milwaukee, though." Chase told himself.
"I'd rather win it right now! We have all the momentum, man!" Marshall told his shepherd friend.
BUCKS 28, HAWKS 19: 1st Quarter, 40 seconds left
As usual, the Bucks were having a great start to the game, but the Hawks were still in contention. Trae Young was back for Atlanta, but he was not the same, barely even shooting the ball to start, and he trusted other shooters, like Bogdan Bogdonovich and Danilo Gallanari to keep pace with Milwaukee, and so far, it was working.
Gallanari has the ball for Atlanta. Lopez, guarding him, Gallanari steps back for three, and he hits it!
"I don't wanna sound like a scumbag, but Gallanari looks like a very punchable face to me." Marshall pointed out.
"Yeah, he kinda does. Looks like a punk, even though he probably isn't one." Skye agreed.
"Gallanari looks like a scum, but Khris Middleton has horse teeth." Zuma said with a laugh.
"You better watch your mouth." Chase grumbled to the lab.
"Just jokin, man." Zuma smiled.
"He's not wrong with the horse teeth on Middleton, though." Everest said.
"Yeah, he is right about that one." Marshall admitted.
BUCKS 49, HAWKS 45: 2nd Quarter, 10:30 left
Jrue pump-fakes, looks back to Middleton, wiiiide open in the corner for three! Nothing but net as he swishes the ball through the hoop.
"Bro, this is why Atlanta is not going to the Finals. They leave Middleton wide open on that three."
"Why would he do that? He's our best shooter." Chase laughed.
"That was way too easy." Everest said.
"Where's Trae Young when you need him?" Marshall joked.
"Maybe the referee is doing Trae's foot surgery." Skye added, causing all the pups to laugh.
"Everyone's a comedian." Ryder laughed to himself as he walked by.
BUCKS 78, HAWKS 66: 3rd Quarter, 2:35 left
Khris Middleton has been on FIRE during the third quarter, hitting lots of shots and already having 20 points in this quarter alone, and the Bucks knew what to do: keep feeding the hot hand.
Middleton runs around the screen set by Portis, shoots for three, got it! Khris Middleton has been performing a clinic on the Hawks tonight!
"Khris Middleton! Ok! One minute he's off, the next, he takes over the game like Jordan. I don't know how he does that, man. But I love it." Chase acknowledged.
"Come on, Khris! Khash Money!" Marshall grinned.
"Shooters gotta shoot!" Skye proclaimed.
"Bucks in 6! Let's do this!" Everest added with glee.
BUCKS 107, HAWKS 99: 4th Quarter, 3:50 left
Marshall, Chase, Skye and Everest were starting to sweat. The Hawks have come back from a 20 point deficit, thanks to Cam Reddish for the Hawks being nearly unstoppable, hitting 7 threes to keep the Hawks in the game. The Bucks were losing momentum. And fast.
Middleton in the corner. Throws the ball and it is STOLEN by the Hawks! Reddish has it! Throws a long pass to Capela and THE HAWKS ARE BACK IN THIS GAME! The Bucks' lead has been trimmed to 6 points!
"Oh my god, not again…" Everest groaned.
"I could sense another big finish incoming…" Chase quietly said.
"C'mon, man...I don't like these tight finishes…" Marshall mumbled.
"Please don't choke this, dude…" Skye whimpered at the TV, hoping the Bucks would somehow listen. Zuma walked in, saw the score, and did some choking sounds, pretending to choke while the Bucks were losing the lead. But not for long. Because the Milwaukee Bucks never got discouraged in these moments.
The Hawks have had a 21-7 run over the last 6, can the Bucks stop it? Jrue Holiday runs under the paint, jumps and does a reverse layup and it HITS! WHAT A PLAY BY HOLIDAY!
"Bro, what?! How?!" Chase gasped.
"Dude, let's go, Jrue!" Marshall cheered.
"How could Jrue make those ridiculous shots when he can't do a layup sometimes?" Skye wondered aloud.
"As long as the Bucks score points, I'm good, really." Everest figured out. "I might be late to say this, but that was a crazy shot."
BUCKS 113, HAWKS 106: 4th Quarter, 1:08 left
Time was rapidly running out for the Hawks, as they were now on the defensive, trying their guts out to stop the Bucks from scoring. One more bucket, and the Bucks would presumably win this game. A three would be even better.
Holiday could end this game right here. Holiday to Middleton on the left wing, bounce pass to PJ Tucker in the corner! For three!
"PJ Tucker?" All four pups asked at the same time, hoping that the non-shooter would make a big play in the clutch.
PJ TUCKER HITS THE THREE! BUCKS UP BY 10! And that is the dagger that sinks Atlanta, as the Bucks will ride to the NBA Finals off that one!
Both couples started whooping and hollering after that shot, knowing that the game was basically over. They were celebrating with each other, hugs and high-paws all around. The Bucks had somehow beat the Hawks twice in a row: without Giannis Antetokoumpo, their superstar. The four pups counted down the final seconds, and as soon as the buzzer sounded, celebration was in the air. The Bucks were celebrating on the Atlanta court. The Deer District back in Milwaukee, becoming famous after appearing frequently on national broadcasts, were going wild.
"We did it!" Chase grinned widely as he hugged his best friend.
"Eastern Conference Champs!" Skye smiled as she high pawed the husky next to her.
"Let's go! First time in 47 years, let's do this!" Everest smirked.
"NBA Finals, here we come!" Marshall shouted with ecstasy. Only one foe was in their way from an NBA Championship: Devin Booker, Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns.
"We're coming for you, Devin Booker!" Chase said confidently. Meanwhile, as they were celebrating, Zuma was sitting on the side, silently taking it all in. Suns vs. Bucks. This is gonna be fun. Just then, Ryder was working on maintenance in the garage when someone familiar called him.
"Yo, Ryder. I don't have an emergency or anything. Just wanted to call you...because I'm pretty happy right now." The man said.
"Ok, Jake...does it have something to do with basketball? Because I know all too well." Ryder chuckled.
"Yeah...the Bucks are in the NBA Finals, dude! I'm pretty hyped up, man. Oh, and what do you mean 'I know it all too well'? I thought you weren't interested in sports much." Jake told him.
"I'm not, honestly. But they're celebrating downstairs. Chase, Marshall, Skye, Everest...they're having a lot of fun down there. They've been watching Milwaukee for the entire playoffs. I'm telling you, Marshall got them all into it." Ryder responded.
"That's great, dude. I never thought the Bucks would ever make the Finals, dude. I've been watching them ever since I was your age, and it's pretty sweet to see it. I gotta get my bills paid right now, I gotta go...tell Eve and Marsh I say hi...I'm still not used to calling them that." Jake admitted.
"Will do, my friend. Take it easy, Jake." Ryder told his friend.
"Thanks, man." The mountaineer said as he hung up.