chapter four: history in the making
NBA FINALS GAME 1: BUCKS VS. SUNS (July 6th, 2021)
After three days, it was finally here. The Milwaukee Bucks, after an incredible journey so far, were in the NBA's biggest and grandest stage of all. A small market team in the NBA rarely gets far, with Los Angeles and other great cities usually getting the best players (and a lot of championship rings). This was a BIG deal to Marshall. So much so that he put up a small, paw-made poster he made himself next to the TV in the living room, featuring the words "Deer District" on them.
"Wow, dude, got a little Deer District in here? That's pretty dope." Chase said, impressed with the awful penmanship of his fire dog pal.
"Marshall, I'm way better of a writer than you. You should have let me help you with that...it looks...tacky." Skye told him off.
"Yes, Skye, we know that you have the best penmanship out of all of us. It's because you got those tiny paws of yours. They can actually lift a pen with no problem." Everest sighed.
"Yeah, I made it myself. I could barely even write, so it's an accomplishment that I wrote that phrase. It took me 20 minutes to write and tape it on the wall." The dalmatian responded candidly.
"Deer District in the PAW Patrol lookout? You gotta be serious." Zuma laughed as he walked in just before the game started.
"What? I'm very excited about this Finals, man. The first for Milwaukee in 47 years!" Marshall told his friend.
"Sorry, man. It's just that the Suns are way too good. Suns in 4. I'm calling it right now. Devin Booker and CP3 are way too dominant." Zuma shrugged. The 'Suns in 4' chant was similar to the 'Bucks in 6' chant, only it was more recent and admittedly realistic.
"Wait, Giannis is playing tonight?! That's pretty surprising!" Marshall reacted with relief.
"It's only been a week! How does he just...recover from that like it's nothing?" Skye responded with awe.
"It's cause he's the Greek Freak. He can come back from that injury, thanks to his body and training." The german shepherd explained.
"I swear, if it was anybody else, they would have torn their ACL." Zuma admitted.
"Giannis is a fucking warrior. Don't know how else to say it." Everest put it bluntly.
SUNS 43, BUCKS 38: 2nd Quarter, 7 minutes left
The Bucks were not given an easy game by any means. They were in the loud Phoenix desert, where the Suns fans were ruthlessly loud supporting their team. Devin Booker for the Suns was good early, but Chris Paul was really good, hitting mid range jumpers that just wanted to go in the basket.
Devin Booker is really getting in the game now, he has the ball. Brook Lopez is guarding him! It's a mismatch! Gets an easy layup off the glass, falling away.
"Dude, Coach Bud! What are you DOING?!" Chase barked disapprovingly at the TV.
"That was the easiest bucket ever, I swear." Skye mumbled.
"You gotta be kidding me…" Everest groaned.
"You can't have BROOK guarding him! That's just ASKING for easy points." Marshall complained.
"That's just sad." Zuma said to himself.
SUNS 59, BUCKS 52: 3rd Quarter, 10:25 left
Mikal Bridges and Middleton facing each other, shot clock is down to five. Bridges passes to Paul behind the three point line, Lopez guarding him again. Paul stepback for three, it's GOOD! And a foul is called on Lopez, a chance for a 4 point play for Phoenix!
"HOW THE FUCK IS THAT A FOUL?!" Chase shouted in protest.
"These refs are TERRIBLE, bro! Dude was flopping!" Marshall whined.
"That's a BAD call." Skye said with disgust.
"HE FLOPPED! HE FLOPPED! That isn't a foul!" Everest pointed out.
"You like Chris Paul?! You want him to get a ring?!" Marshall shouted at Zuma, which he just shrugged it off.
"Suns are better. And you know it." Zuma dismissed him.
"I hope those State Farm commercials turn off his insurance soon…" Marshall sighed. Chris Paul was in several commercials, and wondered if they would somehow lead to a future Bucks win.
SUNS 74, BUCKS 62: 3rd Quarter, 5:23 left
The Bucks have been losing momentum rapidly since the second half began, as Chris Paul for the Suns has had an incredible night so far, hitting a midrange jumper after another.
Paul gets a screen, runs to the right. Then runs to the left, fades away with a jumper and it is good! He is lethal from that spot!
"Someone guard Chris Paul, man!" Chase complained.
"He gets that same midrange jumper every time...and nobody could stop him." Marshall remarked.
"Wait, how old is Chris Paul again?" Skye asked.
"I think he's 36, if I remember right. I saw one of the stats on the screen." Everest answered.
"36. Man, that is elderly for basketball age. He's that good, that old. And he still has the skill." Zuma said as he sat to watch the game with them.
"He has the skill to be the best flopper in the world." Everest joked.
"No, that's Lebron." The lab shrugged.
SUNS 83, BUCKS 68
Chris Paul has the ball up top, Bobby Portis guarding him. Puts up a three! BANG!
"CP3 is OUT HERE TONIGHT! LET'S GOOO!" Zuma shouted with joy.
"DUDE! This is ridiculous!" Skye complained.
"Hey, I completely forgot something...me and Skye have to...uhh...read romantic poetry together...yeah." Chase told his friends. Skye played along and they both left.
"I'm pretty sure that they left because THEY CAN'T HANDLE CHRIS PAUL!" Zuma boasted, clapping his paws.
"I wouldn't blame them. This game just got out of hand." Marshall admitted.
"Hey, I wonder if Skye has an extra book for us. You wanna read some after the game?" Everest asked him.
"Sure. It will be a lot more fun than this." The dally agreed wholeheartedly.
SUNS 110, BUCKS 99: 4th Quarter, 4:10 left
Milwaukee had somewhat climbed back into this game, but it was still an uphill battle for the Bucks, as they hadn't stopped Chris Paul all night.
Paul gets the ball, drives past Giannis! Paul on the drive, foul is called on Giannis, Paul layup is GOOD! COUNT IT! Chris Paul putting on a SHOW tonight!
"HA! AND ONE! LET'S GO, CP3! WHO'S THE FLOPPER NOW?!" Zuma taunted the dalmatian and husky.
"Uggghhhhh...I think chief just called...this ain't it." Marshall mumbled in disappointment, knowing that the game was basically over.
"Maybe we'll win Game 2 or something." Everest wondered aloud. The game was over shortly after, with the Phoenix Suns getting a convincing victory, led by Chris Paul who had 32 points in the contest. Game 2 was in a couple of days, and with Zuma already walking to bed happy, Marshall wondered if Giannis was truly fine after what happened just a week prior.
NBA FINALS GAME 2: BUCKS VS. SUNS (July 8th, 2021)
"C'mon Bucks, let's tie things up!" Chase said, just as the next NBA Finals game was going to start.
"This is a big one!" Marshall shouted, already feeling all the hype and excitement.
"Suns in 4. Still rolling with it. Devin Booker is gonna show UP tonight." Zuma casually predicted. Just then, the unexpected (but professional) thing happened.
"Chase, Marshall! Do you copy?" Ryder spoke into their pup tags as they lit up. Both of their eyes and ears were at their most attentive position.
"Yes, Ryder sir! What is it?" Chase asked.
"Meet me at the top of the tower. I have a very important mission for you two." The boy instructed them.
"Hey, Skye! Take my jersey!" Marshall told her, as he took it off and threw it in her direction. The cockapoo caught it and gazed at it.
"This is two sizes too big for me...but I'll still wear it." Skye told herself, as she put it on. It looked like an dress on her, as Zuma laughed at how awfully proportioned it was on her.
"Oh my god, you can barely even walk in it!" The lab chuckled.
"I don't care...hey, Eve! We're twinning!" Skye realized, as the husky was wearing the same jersey (even though hers actually fit).
"That's awesome, but...I wonder what those boys are doing up there? Must be important...I hope they're not gone for too long." Everest thought aloud. Meanwhile, the shepherd and dalmatian reached the top of the tower and ran to their assigned positions.
"Paw Patrol ready for action, Ryder sir!" The police dog proclaimed with dignity.
"Ok, boys. Like I said, I have a very important mission for you. I have been in contact with the Coastal City Police Department, and they have told me about a string of serious crimes there."
"Oh boy…" The shepherd and dalmatian gasped.
"They have reported to me that there is allegedly a serial arsonist in the vicinity. The arsonist has already set fires to 7 homes in this area over the last 2 weeks. The alleged arsonist has not been identified as of yet, but there is evidence to believe that the arsonist is not human." Ryder told them.
"Serial arsonists...one of the hardest criminals to track down." Marshall acknowledged, already set with determination to catch the crook, with Chase agreeing with him.
"The Police Department is dealing with several missing persons cases at the moment, so they requested help. There's a fire already happening at a house down there. Marshall, Chase, I want you, along with my help, to stop that fire and help search for clues as to who this arsonist actually is." Ryder said.
"Yes, Ryder sir!" Marshall and Chase dutifully replied. They both watched their owner slide down the familiar flag pole, then they glanced at each other.
"I hope that scumbag arsonist doesn't get anywhere near Adventure Bay. If it does, we'll show it who's boss. Because NOBODY'S burning down my city. ON MY WATCH!" Marshall swore with anger.
"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT, BROTHER! Let's DO THIS!" Chase shouted back. They both went down the slide to their respective trucks, and along with Ryder, sped out of Adventure bay in 2 minutes flat.
"Man, they were zooming out of there. Maybe there was a crime somewhere." Zuma pondered aloud.
3 HOURS LATER
The game had already wrapped up 15 minutes ago when Ryder, Chase and Marshall finally came back to the lookout, tired as they could be. It was 11 PM, and Ryder was barely awake.
"Alright, pups. Thirty minutes, everyone goes to bed. Night, everyone." The boy yawned as he went up to his bedroom to retire for the night.
"So, first of all, we saw you guys zooming out of there. What even happened?" Skye asked with curiosity.
"There's a serial arsonist that has committed several crimes in Coastal City, and the police department there was investigating other crimes, so we went there. There was also another fire taking place at the same time, and Marshall helped put it out. The arsonist has already burned 8 houses in 2 weeks. So, after Marshall safely put out the fire, some detectives from other departments, him and I helped search the whole city for clues. We found out through evidence that the arsonist was a dog. All those arsons are connected, and they are all in the same area. So, hopefully, no arson is gonna be committed anywhere else. We found a strand of fur of the alleged suspect and ran it through DNA, and it confirms that the dog in question is a Doberman. They are looking for the identity of the canine in question, and the detectives are taking the case from here." The police dog answered.
"Wow, that's pretty dangerous…" Everest shuddered.
"Oh, shit! The Bucks! I completely forgot...did they win?" Marshall remembered all of a sudden.
"No, they lost. Pretty hard, actually." Zuma replied.
"Oh...damn…" Both Chase and Marshall groaned.
"Giannis has a great game with 42 points. The rest of the Milwaukee players sucked. I mean, Jrue Holiday couldn't score a layup." Skye complained.
"The Suns were just too good. Devin Booker had 30 and he was just amazing. Too hard to stop." Everest sighed.
"It was a great game for Booker. Man, he played like KOBE out there." Zuma spoke with admiration.
"I tell you, it's really weird without you guys here to watch the game with. It was kind of...quiet. Way too quiet. You two bring so much energy...especially you, Marshall." Everest admitted.
"Yeah, we know...I'm gonna hit the bed, man. This case wore me out." Chase said, as him and Skye walked out of the lookout together.
"You guys are in a bit of a pickle. Down 2 games to none. What do you gotta say, man? Suns in 4. You guys are dead. The Suns are NBA Champions." Zuma boasted proudly to the dalmatian in front of him. He yawned and looked at the lab directly in the eye.
"These Bucks are not dead. They know adversity better than your hot-shot Phoenix team ever will. These Bucks already came back from a 2-0 deficit against the Nets. We won 2 games without Giannis against the Hawks. We've already come back from a 2-0 hole. We can do it again." Marshall told him off, as he walked out of the lookout by himself.
"He's right, you know. Milwaukee is not dead. If the Bucks come back to win the title, you're gonna look really dumb." Everest told him blatantly as she went off to her house to sleep.
I don't care. Because Giannis will NEVER win a championship. Ever. As the main star. He's just not capable. The lab thought as he went to his pup house to retire for the night.
NBA FINALS GAME 3: BUCKS VS SUNS (SUNS LEAD 2-0) (July 11th, 2021)
"This is literally the biggest game in Bucks history right here. If we don't win this game, we are done. A 3-0 lead is way too big for us to overcome." Marshall spoke up.
"I couldn't be more nervous right now, actually. Man, this is such a pain…" Chase admitted.
"Yo, we're gonna win this game. We're in Milwaukee tonight. The Deer District is gonna be here. We're here, and we're gonna fight until the end." Everest proclaimed.
"We've lost only one game at Milwaukee. In the playoffs. That just speaks for itself." Skye asserted.
"If the Bucks come back, we're in for a series…" Zuma mumbled to himself.
"Chase! Marshall! Come in! Come in!" Ryder shouted urgently through their respective pup tags.
"What is it, Ryder, sir!" Chase replied in an authoritative manner.
"The detectives have found out the identity of the dog in question! He's now on the run! There's a few cop cars and helicopters chasing him! The suspect is coming into Orchard Park! We can use you two to help capture him!" Ryder ordered his two lead dogs, as he was with other cops chasing the suspect.
"Yes sir!" Both replied dutifully as their pup tags' lights shut off.
"Orchard Park...that's where my mom is…" Marshall thought worriedly.
"My dad's there…" Chase thought aloud. The brothers then turned to each other. Filled with determination in their eyes, they stared deeply into one another.
"Let's bring this bitch to justice." Chase said, ready to go to war to protect his father if necessary.
"They ain't TOUCHING our parents." Marshall decreed.
"Chase is ON THE CASE!" The police dog bellowed as he ran out of the tower with no hesitation to his police cruiser.
"I'M FIRED UP!" Marshall screamed as he ran to his fire truck, taking off his jersey and throwing it backwards. Chase was already gone when Marshall looked back at Skye, Zuma and Everest, who wanted to see them go. "LET'S GO BUCKS!" The fire pup shouted back to them as he threw the truck into drive and sped off. The trio left at the lookout howled in support of their friends' quest to catch the arsonist. There was a game to watch for the three of them. The NBA Finals: Game 3. And their friends were not gonna see the game, yet again.
"Alright, Giannis! Win this one for Chase and Marshall!" Skye cheered.
"Let's bring home a win tonight!" Everest added with a big sense of confidence.
SUNS 25, BUCKS 23: 1st Quarter, 2:20 left
This game was as even as it gets to start off. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday had good starts, but with Devin Booker for the Suns, you could never count them out.
Booker has the ball for the Suns. Throws a pass down low for DeAndre Ayton, throws it to Cam Johnson in the corner! To Bridges! Back to Booker! Now to Crowder! Stepback for three! IT'S GOOD! WHAT GREAT BALL MOVEMENT from the Suns!
"Man, that was awesome! Love it, man!" Zuma complimented.
"That was so fast...how do you stop it?" Everest pondered to her best friend, who was wearing Marshall's jersey once again.
"Throw me into the game. I'll get a steal and throw down the dunk of the century. I'll be better than Lola Bunny ever was!" Skye proclaimed.
"Yeah, you would be the best female basketball player ever. Paws down." Everest agreed.
"Thanks." The pilot giggled.
"True...You have the best ball-handling skills out of all of us." Zuma laughed.
"Oh, god...please tell me it was a basketball-related joke." Skye groaned.
"It was both." Zuma asserted.
"I don't know who's worse with sexual humor...Zuma or Marshall." The cockapoo sighed.
"It's Zuma...he makes those jokes to anyone who listens and doesn't have comedic timing at all." Everest told her best friend.
SUNS 38, BUCKS 37: 2nd Quarter, 6:50 left
Lopez shooting from three! Airball, Tucker saves it, bounce pass to GIANNIS WHO SLAMS IT HOME!
"There we go, GIANNIS!" Skye cheered.
"I feel we can win! I just feel it!" Everest smiled.
"This isn't fun without Chase and Marshall...who am I supposed to talk trash to if the Bucks are losing? It's not the same talking to you girls." Zuma sighed in disappointment.
"They're probably chasing the criminal right now or something. Hope they're ok." Skye said with a bit of worry in her voice.
"Skye, they'll be fine. I mean, it's a lone arsonist versus a LOT of cops and firefighters. What's the worst thing that could happen?" Everest reasoned.
"The arsonist gets arrested?" Skye asked in a puppy-hood-like manner.
"Exactly." The husky replied with confidence, as she put her large paw around her tiny shoulders.
BUCKS 53, SUNS 45: 2nd Quarter, 2:27 left
Booker has the ball down low for Phoenix inside, BLOCKED FROM BEHIND! Holiday to Middleton! Middleton back to Holiday! Holiday to PORTIS! PORTIS THROWS IT DOWN! OH MY, THE SHOWTIME BUCKS HAVE CAME TO PLAY!
"YESSSSSS! LET'S GOOOO!" Both girls cheered as they both jumped up and down, celebrating with one another.
"THAT'S HOW WE DO IT!" Everest shouted with happiness.
"Again, good ball movement." Zuma mumbled to himself.
Suns get the ball back, shoot it rather quickly, rebound by the Bucks! Middleton gets the ball and walks the action up the court! The crowd is chanting! Middleton to Portis, wide open from three! BANG! IT'S GOOD!
"BOBBYYY!" Skye and Everest squealed in excitement, jumping and flipping around like crazed puppies.
"NOBODY CAN STOP US NOW!" The cockapoo shouted as she hugged her best friend.
"You're right, best friend! Milwaukee is the BEST!" Everest grinned.
"The stuff momentum does for a team...it's devastating to the victim…" Zuma sighed slowly.
BUCKS 69, SUNS 56: 3rd Quarter, 7:57 left
Suns get the rebound, Chris Paul has it! Tosses it to Cam Johnson, Johnson, OH! OH MY GOD! JOHNSON DUNKS ON PJ TUCKER! FOUL CALLED ON TUCKER! CAM JOHNSON SOARS AND SCORES!
"DAMNNNN, CAM! HE CAUGHT A BODY! SHIIIIT, THAT WAS AWESOME!" Zuma shouted, pumping his fist in celebration.
"Oohhhhh, mannnn...I hope PJ's ok...wow, that was crazy…" Skye admitted.
"Yeah, just imagine if Giannis did that to some poor soul...that would not be a good place to be." Everest thought aloud.
"THAT'S A POSTER IF I EVER SEEN ONE! SUNS IN 5, LET'S GO!" Zuma exclaimed, clapping his paws in approval.
BUCKS 87, SUNS 76: 3rd Quarter, 1:38 left
Bucks are rolling right now, Jrue Holiday has the ball! He stops before the three point line! Wide open for three! BANG! Jrue Holiday has been hot, hot, HOT in the third quarter!
"From WAY DOWNTOWN!" Skye cheered.
"LET'S GO!" Everest shouted.
"If Jrue gets hot, Suns are doomed…" Zuma mumbled to himself, thinking that the 'Suns in 4' prediction he had was basically dead.
BUCKS 95, SUNS 76: 3rd Quarter, 20 seconds left
The Bucks were absolutely rolling now, scoring at will on the poor Phoenix Suns, and the crowd at Fiserv Forum was loud as ever, roaring every time a Bucks player made a great play. The Deer District, a place that was also steadily increasing in audience size outside the stadium, was rocking. Skye and Everest back at the lookout were enjoying every minute of what looks to be a convincing victory, and it was all about to get that much sweeter. The door for the lookout tower opened, and it revealed Ryder, Chase, and Marshall: all with relieved smiles on their faces. The two male canines ran to watch the game, and looked at the score in surprise.
"Wait, we're up by 19?!" Chase and Marshall gasped in surprise.
"Yeah, Jrue and Giannis are getting really hot down there." Everest spoke quickly as the last possession of the third quarter began, with the Bucks holding the ball.
The crowd is standing and on their feet. Giannis takes a few dribbles, tosses to Pat Connaughton! Wide open for three! BANG!
"OOOOHHHHH! LET'S GOOOO!" The quartet exploded into celebration. The game was all but over, as the Bucks rapidly built a lead that was almost impossible to overcome.
"I love a happy ending to a day like this…" Ryder spoke, smiling to himself as he took the elevator back up the lookout tower.
"So...did you guys get the arsonist? Did you? Did you?" Skye asked the dalmatian and german shepherd in anticipation, hoping that the saga of missing games due to a criminal was over for the duo.
"Ladies...and gentlemen...I see you, Zuma. Over there, wallowing in misery as the Suns are losing...we got him." Chase said, banging his chest with pride.
"That's awesome! How did you guys catch him?" Everest asked them.
"So, the criminal was headed to Orchard Park...where his dad and my mom live. Once we got the call, we headed over there as quickly as we could. The police departments didn't bring one thing that I had: a tranquilizer gun. I ran out into the city, and Ryder actually sent me a photo of the suspect. It was a doberman for sure. We had to wait for a while to catch him, as they didn't know if the doberman was going into the city or not. I saw him running full speed past the city's fire station and headed to the police headquarters, holding a set of explosives in his mouth. I barked for my tranquilizer gun, fired the weapon and hit him straight in the back. Perfect shot, if I say so myself. He fell unconscious in a matter of minutes. The street and all of us had to evacuate the area, because the explosives were actually live. So, the bomb squad was called in, and they safely defused it. I took the honor of arresting the bastard, and he's now in police custody. When I asked the sheriff of the Orchard Park PD about what charges he could possibly be facing, he said it would probably be 8 counts of arson/burning buildings, 12 counts of damaging property and 1 charge of building a bomb. So, yeah. He's probably gonna go to the pound for a LONG TIME." Chase explained with a small smile on his face.
"Cool story, my big, handsome officer." Skye said in a flirtatious tone. The game wrapped up fairly quickly afterwards, with the Bucks winning by 20 points. Giannis had another incredible performance, getting 41 points and 13 rebounds as Milwaukee won their first game of the Finals. The 'Suns in 4' phrase was officially gone, and Milwaukee had new life, thanks to several great performances from Jrue Holiday and Middleton. The Bucks were underdogs, and they were not going down without a fight.
NBA FINALS GAME 4: BUCKS VS. SUNS (SUNS LEAD 2-1) (July 14th, 2021)
Just like Game 3 before it, Game 4 was a hugely important game. If the Bucks could win tonight, they would swing the series to 2 games apiece. If they lost, the Suns' lead would increase to 3 games to 1. A 3-1 series lead is not impossible to overcome, but with a team like Milwaukee competing against Phoenix, it was NOT going to be an easy task. Game 4 was a MUST-WIN game. And excitement was really in the air tonight, as the small 'Deer District' in the PAW Patrol tower was already pretty vibrant.
"Game 4, man...let's get another win here…" Everest said to herself.
"I wonder if Giannis is gonna get 40 points again." Skye wondered aloud.
"I don't think Giannis is gonna get 40 again...if Khris Middleton gets 40 points, that would be SOMETHING." Chase pondered as the game tipped off.
"Khris getting 40 points in a Finals Game?! You're trippin, shepherd…" Zuma laughed.
SUNS 89, BUCKS 84: 4th Quarter, 8:31 left
This game was WELL worth the hype, because it was tight all the way through. The game looked like it was headed for another tight finish, as Marshall started to sweat.
"Dude, I've been through heart-attack games before, but this...the NBA Finals...this hits different…" Marshall sighed.
Crowder on the inbound pass for Phoenix. Pass is knocked away by GIANNIS! WIDE OPEN COURT! HE SOARS AND SCORES!
"LET'S GO, MAN! KEEP THIS ONE CLOSE, DUDE!" Marshall exclaimed with relief.
"That was a super clutch play..." Skye noted.
"I never noticed this, but Giannis has SUPER long arms...no wonder they call him the Greek Freak." Everest said.
SUNS 95, BUCKS 92: 4th Quarter, 3:48 left
Another fabulous, heart-clenching finish was headed directly to Game 4. This was a neck and neck battle, both teams trading buckets at a rapid pace. Devin Booker was in massive foul trouble, with 5 fouls on his name. If he got another foul, he was out of the game. The referees were terrible all game, giving Pheonix a lot of good calls. It all came to a head on the next play.
Chris Paul on the drive, kicks it out to Booker, STOLEN BY GIANNIS! Pass to Holiday! LOTS OF CONTACT, NO FOUL! Giannis gets the BALL AND SCORES! THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BOOKER'S SIXTH FOUL! BUCKS ARE DOWN BY ONE! The reviews showed the play was an OBVIOUS foul that was simply not called.
"DUDE, WHERE'S THE FUCKING FOUL?!" Chase shouted in dismay.
"BUCKS VERSUS REFS! I'm calling BULLSHIT on that one! He was GRABBING HIM!" Marshall protested vehemently.
"These refs are GARBAGE, WHAT THE FUCK?" Skye asked, bewildered that there was no foul called.
"These refs are OUT TO GET US. SERIOUSLY." Everest groaned.
"Dude, y'all guys are mad for no reason. You guys still scored." Zuma scoffed.
"If that isn't a foul, I don't know what a foul is anymore…" Marshall grumbled.
Suns get the ball back, three point shot is no good, rebounded by the Bucks. This possession is BIG for Milwaukee. Down by one! Khris charges up the court! Throws it down to Connaughton, wide open in the corner! For 3! BANG! PAT CONNAUGHTON FROM DOWNTOWN! THE BUCKS ARE UP BY 2!
"OH MY GOD!" Chase cried with joy.
"Broooo, LET'S GO!" Marshall exclaimed with pride.
"You guys are bandwagon fans, come on…" Zuma mumbled. That was the last straw. Ever since the playoffs began almost 2 months ago, the couples, including Marshall in particular, had to deal with Giannis' criticism almost every game from Zuma himself. Some of it was warranted, but they couldn't take it anymore.
"Says you. You're only rooting for the Suns because you don't want us to win. When the Nets lost, you've never talked about them since. You switch team to team when they lose, and that's the sad part of all this, man." Chase told off the lab.
"Well, I'm still a fan of the Lakers. Full-time. That was the first team I ever watched." Zuma shot back.
"Well, stick with them. Through the good times and the bad. Those are real fans, though." Marshall told the lab directly, shutting down the argument in seconds.
BUCKS 101, SUNS 99: 4th Quarter, 1:23 left
Marshall, Everest, Chase and Skye were waiting and watching nervously, standing on hind legs in anticipation, with Zuma watching off to the side. Khris Middleton just hit a huge midrange shot to put the Bucks up by 2 points. This was the biggest moment of the game. The Suns have possession of the ball, and could score here to tie the game and possibly steal momentum. This was the most tense basketball any of the pups have seen thus far: and it was about to get crazy.
Booker, with Tucker guarding him. They are running the pick and roll! Booker throws it up for Ayton, SHOT BLOCKED BY ANTETOKOUNMPO! WHAT A BLOCK FROM GIANNIS!
"That was Lebron right there!" Chase shouted.
"That's true." Zuma admitted.
"GIANNIS, YOU'RE THE MAN!" Everest exclaimed.
"OHHHH YEAHH, GET THAT SHIT OUTTA HERE!" Marshall rejoiced as the block happened.
"OH MY GOD, WHAT A BLOCK!" Skye exploded.
BUCKS 101, SUNS 99: 4th Quarter, 40 seconds left
After arguably the biggest block in NBA Finals history, the Bucks got the ball back and missed on a short jumper. The game was still up in the air as the Suns got the ball back, with Chris Paul controlling the pace and running up the court.
Chris Paul, tries to weave past Giannis, FALLS DOWN AND LOSES THE BALL!
"Go go go go!" Both couples shouted frantically, hoping that the Bucks would turn the turnover into points to increase the lead.
Devin Booker is the only defender down there, it's 3 v. 1! Holiday to Middleton, lots of contact! Shot is up, MIDDLETON BANKS IT HOME! TIMEOUT PHOENIX! THIS BUILDING IS SHAKING!
"YEAHHHHH!" Chase exploded with joy.
"KHASH MONEYYYY!" Skye cheered, as she and the german shepherd embraced one another.
"LET'S GOOOOOOOO!" Marshall screamed with ecstasy, as he started running around the lookout with wild energy, with Everest, predictably, bellowing with ecstasy along with him. The Fiserv Forum crowd was going wild. The Deer District was shown on the footage of the broadcast, and it was exploding with joy, as thousands of young fans outside the stadium were living the high life.
"Dude, Chris Paul choked…." Zuma whispered in shock. Turning the ball over, which Paul has done quite a bit this NBA Finals, was not like him at all. The game ended shortly after, and as the game ended, the mood among the four was incredibly high, to say the least. The Bucks has somehow came back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the series at 2 wins apiece. The four ran outside and howled with joy, as they realized that they were only 2 wins away from watching the Milwaukee Bucks take home something that was elusive for the last 50 years: an NBA Championship. These three days would be a pain to sit and wait through, but it would be all worth it.
"See, Zuma? I told you that Khris would score 40 points!" Chase boasted.
"Well, Devin Booker scored 40 points too. He's gonna do it again next game." Zuma scoffed.
NBA FINALS GAME 5: BUCKS VS. SUNS (SERIES TIED) (July 17th, 2021)
This was the most important game in Milwaukee Bucks history, as far as Marshall was concerned. Game 5 was not gonna be easy by any stretch, as the Bucks were going to be playing in Phoenix, where the Bucks have not won a game since the NBA Finals started. Game 6 was going to be played in Milwaukee, and if Game 7 were to occur, it would be back in Phoenix. Already rattled by the near-loss to Brooklyn in the 2nd round (which Game 7 was in Brooklyn), Marshall couldn't imagine the possible heartbreak of losing Game 7 in the Finals. So, if the Bucks won Game 5, the Bucks were going to be heavy favorites to win the championship in Game 6 due to Milwaukee's unrivaled home-court advantage. It was Everest and Marshall's second weekend at the cabin that the two had just recently completed, and Everest had a great idea for the both of them: watch Game 5 together. By themselves. It would be a fun experience. When they told Chase and Skye about the plan, they were completely cool with it. Marshall was already pacing the wooden floors of the living room cabin, nervous and excited about what was to come.
"Dude, can you imagine if the Bucks win tonight and Game 6? That would be crazy…" The dally thought aloud.
"Isn't this great? You and I alone in the mountains...in our awesome, cozy cabin...watching the NBA Finals. By ourselves. With a big screen TV above the fireplace, with a lot of room to run around. It's perfect." Everest smiled as she hugged her beloved.
"Yeah, totally. Just imagine...you...me... half a dozen little husky-dalmatian puppies running around in excitement when Giannis throws down a slam dunk." Marshall joked.
"Oh, stop it!" The husky giggled, playfully pushing him away.
"What? I love thinking about it sometimes…" The dalmatian sighed happily as he kissed her beloved on the forehead. Back at the lookout, the police dog and pilot were just as excited about Game 5: but it felt...off.
"You know, Chase? It just doesn't...feel right. With Everest and Marshall being gone. I miss them...they're super fun to watch games with. They bring all the energy in the world." Skye sighed with a hint of disappointment.
"Skye, I think this is a great idea. They get some independence and stuff. They'll miss us too. But it was their weekend to hang out there. Eve and Marsh wouldn't waste that opportunity. You know...if we win Game 5...everybody is gonna be here for Game 6. Everybody is gonna watch Milwaukee win the big one...how good does that feel?"
"That would be the best feeling ever." Skye told him with a twinkle in her eyes, as Game 5 finally began.
SUNS 29, BUCKS 16: 1st Quarter, 3:17 left
So far, things were NOT going well for the Bucks. At ALL. Phoenix was mad about losing 2 straight games, and they were going for Milwaukee's throat to start it off, with consecutive buckets falling like rain.
Booker with the ball. Puts up a midrange jumper, no good. Crowder tips it back to Mikal Bridges behind the 3 point line! Fakes, now at the line! Bridges for three! GOOD! Suns lead by 16!
"Oh my goddddd….." Everest groaned as she laid on the floor. "We're gonna lose…"
"Keep your head up, baby. It's the Bucks. We still got this. There's a LOT of time left." Marshall said as he hoisted her up from the floor. Back at the lookout, things were very quiet.
"Dude, maybe them going to the cabin for this game was not a good idea." Chase whispered to the pilot.
"Agreed. But we can't do anything now." Skye told him sadly.
SUNS 42, BUCKS 39: 2nd Quarter, 7:48 left
Since the second quarter ended, the Bucks, led by Jrue Holiday on offense, have been red-hot, keeping the offense of Phoenix in check while scoring in rapid-fire secession.
Chris Paul shoots the midrange jumper, no good, rebounded by Lopez. Hands it to Holiday. Long outlet pass to Pat Connaughton. Pat for three! IT'S GOOD! The Bucks have ROARED BACK to tie the game!
"WE DID IT! WE CAME BACK!" Everest cried as she jumped for joy.
"I told you! These are the Bucks, man! They REFUSE to die!" Marshall said emphatically. The mood in the lookout too, had changed from depression to elation.
"CONNIE! THAT'S HOW WE DO IT!" Chase shouted as he high pawed his girlfriend.
"AND WE WERE DOWN BY 16! Checkmate, Phoenix!" Skye grinned.
"Better win Game 5 at home...I hope…" Zuma whispered to himself, feeling a sense of dread. If the Suns lost Game 5, the series would be all but over for Phoenix, as they would head back to Milwaukee. With Milwaukee's amazing home court advantage, it would be almost impossible to win there without a big upset.
BUCKS 108, SUNS 100: 4th Quarter, 7:45 left
The Bucks have rolled in the third quarter, but the Suns have kept it close. Phoenix has just hit a string of threes to keep the game in single digits, but Giannis Antetokounmpo was not having it. He was playing out of his damn mind. Both couples, despite being in different places, felt the same way: anxiety and anticipation.
Giannis has been absolutely magnificent here in Game 5. Giannis dribbles around in the paint, shoots it HIGH OFF THE GLASS and in! Top of the backboard and it goes through!
"Dude, that was a sweet shot." Chase marveled in awe.
"That was pretty cool, not gonna lie. I mean, all Giannis does is swish around down low, getting around defenders for the best layups. He's not even human." Skye spoke, impressed by what she saw. These Suns had one more gear to kick, and they were gonna go into HIGH-Devin Booker-Takeover-NBA2K 99 RATING Takeover mode. And it was a deadly mode.
BUCKS 117, SUNS 107: 4th Quarter, 3:20 left
Devin Booker and Chris Paul were a great duo for Phoenix, and they were finally getting things rolling again, and at a great time as well.
Paul gets a screen at midcourt, and now he is WIDE OPEN. For three, HE GOT IT! The Bucks' lead has trimmed to single digits once again!
The whole mood of the game had changed drastically. From being sure that the Bucks were going to win into yet another tight game.
"Oh no...here we go again." Chase groaned in agony.
"I can't even imagine what they're going through right now." Skye spoke with anxiety, thinking about her two friends in the mountains.
"Bruh, I don't even know if my heart can take another game like this." Marshall said with a small, forced laugh.
"Me neither. But we could still pull this one out. I hope so." Everest sighed with disappointment. Things would only get worse.
BUCKS 120, SUNS 114: 4th Quarter, 1:30 left
Paul guarded tightly by Connaughton. Booker rounds the screen set by Ayton, guarded by Tucker. Here's the three from Booker, BANG! DEVIN BOOKER FROM DOWNTOWN!
"Devin Booker has my respect. He's pretty damn clutch." Skye admitted as she watched her love's ears drop.
"D-Book is literally Kobe Bryant 2.0. I swear, he ripped all his damn moves off the Black Mamba. Still, he's one of the best." Zuma commented.
"He IS playing like Kobe, now that I think about it." Chase pondered aloud.
"Gosh, man, NOBODY CAN STOP this dude." Marshall complained. Nobody could guess, but things got EVEN WORSE. Just moments later, after a round of commercials, Giannis was at the line for free throws. Two of them, in fact. The Greek Freak had grown infamous for his struggles at the free throw line during the playoffs: and Marshall knew this better than any dog in the world. There was a rule where you had to take 10 seconds to shoot a free throw, and opposing fans would taunt the superstar by counting LOUDLY to distract him. When he missed, the opposing fans would go crazy. He had to put up with the constant criticism about Giannis from Zuma, and this was a big talking point: Giannis had no shot. The worst possible thing happened. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed both free throws. Both couples in different locales watched in stunned silence as the Suns rebounded off the second shot. They all knew damn well that the Suns would take advantage of that opprotunity. It seemed like the moment got to Giannis.
Giannis missed them bad, Crowder of the Suns gets the rebound. Chris Paul leads the charge. Makes his move, spins by Connaughton! Layup is GOOD! IT'S A ONE POINT GAME!
"Oh shit…" Chase and Skye groaned, feeling all the depression of the world hit their shoulders. Zuma was making choking sounds in the back, mocking the Bucks for their imminent doom.
"Oh my godddddd…" Marshall sighed in agony as the Bucks called timeout.
"We still got time, Marshy. It's not the end of the world yet." Everest said, trying her damndest to keep her boyfriend's spirits up. It seemed to work, as the game came back from commercial. The Bucks had the ball now, and could extend their lead with a bucket. The duo stood on hind legs, ready to explode. Feeling the gravity of the moment, Chase and Skye also stood up at the lookout. Maybe the light at the end of the tunnel was coming.
BUCKS 120, SUNS 119. 40 seconds left, Holiday has the ball for the Bucks. Shot clock at three seconds. Holiday looks up, drives, throws it up, NO GOOD! REBOUND BY BOOKER! SUNS GET THE BALL!
All hope was lost now. Devin Booker had the game-and the series-in his hands. Chase, Marshall, Skye, Everest and Zuma knew one thing: Devin was gonna fucking score. And give the Suns the lead.
"Oh no…why..." Chase moaned in agony, as he felt the game slipping away.
"I can't watch." Skye sighed with sadness, as she turned away.
"IT'S DEVIN BOOKER TIME!" Zuma yelled, clapping his paws and expecting a big-time shot.
"Dude...Devin Booker is gonna score." Marshall spoke blatantly, as Everest nodded. Nobody would know this, but the next few seconds changed everything.
Booker with the ball, drives, gets inside, leans in, BALL IS RIPPED AWAY AND STOLEN BY JRUE HOLIDAY!
"OH MY GOD, GOOOO!" Chase cried desperately, hoping the Bucks would score.
"DEVIN, NO!" Zuma yelled in despair.
"COME ONNNN!" Skye bellowed, holding on to her boyfriend tightly.
"GO JRUE! MAKE IT HAPPEN!" Marshall shouted at the top of his lungs.
"NO WAY...I see Giannis!" Everest cheered as the ball was pushed the opposite way.
Phoenix has to foul, ANTETOKOUNMPO THROWS IT DOWN! AND A FOUL! GIANNIS ON THE ALLEY OOP FROM HOLIDAY! DEER DISTRICT IS GOING CRAZY!
"AAAAAAAHHH, LET'S GOOOOO!" Chase yelled, standing on his hind legs and banging his chest with pride.
"OH MY GOD!" Skye screamed with joy, as she flipped several times, afterwards embracing the shepherd tightly.
"Oh hell no...this can't be happening…" Zuma whined loudly as he lay on the floor, face down in defeat.
"OHHHHHHHHHH!" Both Marshall and Everest bellowed at the same time, as they started running around the living room. Delirious with joy, the husky tackled the dalmatian.
"YEAHHHH!" Everest screamed at him, happiness overflowing in spades.
"LET'S GOO!" Marshall yelled back, knowing that the NBA Finals may have been decided at that very moment. In the Bucks' favor. After arguably the best alley-oop in NBA Finals history, the Suns could not do anything with the last nine seconds on the clock. The game was over as the buzzer sounded. The Bucks were officially one win away from being NBA Champions. Zuma watched in awe as he saw Chase and Skye celebrate. He felt his brain and his whole point of view change in that very instant. Once again, he felt bad for throwing his friends under the bus by saying that Giannis would never win a championship. The Bucks' Game 5 victory all but sealed the Suns' fate, and after a few minutes, the shepherd and cockapoo were level-headed again, but still in Cloud 9 over what just took place.
"Hey, Skye...Chase...I have something I wanna tell you guys…" Zuma spoke, almost in a shameful tone.
"Yeah, dude?" The shepherd asked his brown lab friend.
"I'm...I'm sorry that I kept trashing on Giannis, man. All in front of you guys, man. I can't do it anymore...because I give up on the Suns. Milwaukee's winning the championship. Game 6 is in Milwaukee, man. Giannis is way too damn good…" Zuma admitted.
"Well, don't apologize to us. Apologize to Marsh, dude." Chase suggested to him.
"Alright...I will. This actually kind of hurts, to be honest." Zuma replied. The lab then looked to his pup tag and sighed.
"BUCKS IN SIX! THAT'S HOW WE DO IT!" Marshall rejoiced. Even 15 minutes after the game ended, the happiness simply refused to die down.
"Marshall...this is destiny! Tuesday night...we're gonna win a championship. I still can't believe it…" Everest remarked as she hugged her boyfriend tightly.
"Hey...uhh...Marshall...sorry to bother you, but I need to tell you and Everest something…" Zuma spoke through the dally's pup tag.
"What is it, man?" Marshall asked him.
"Dude...I'm sorry for all the shit that I said. About Giannis and everything. Over the course of the last two months, I've seen every Bucks game with you and I've seen everything. I swear, this is not a regular championship by any means. These Bucks have gone through so much...being down 2-0 against the Brooklyn Nets. Coming back to beat Kevin Durant in Game 7, the best basketball game I've ever seen. Giannis getting hurt, then seeing the Bucks take down the Hawks without him. Being down 2-0 in the Finals. Then, coming back from that. It's incredible, to be honest. Marshall...Everest...I completely give up on Pheonix. Your Bucks are winning the Finals. I am convinced. It's just...destiny." Zuma admitted to his spotted friend.
"It's ok, dude. I forgive you. You were having fun talking shit, you meant no harm." Marshall spoke kindly.
"Thanks, dude...Tuesday night is gonna be great for all of you guys...you must be the happiest guy in the world, Marsh. I'm happy that you're gonna win your championship. The Lakers won last year, so now, we're even." Zuma stated.
"That's great. See you on Monday...oh, and tell Chase me and Eve say hi and whatnot." Marshall grinned.
"I will totally do that. Take it easy, guys." Zuma told him as he hung up.
NBA FINALS, GAME 6: BUCKS VS. SUNS (BUCKS LEAD 3-2)
One more game. That's all there was to it. One more win, and the Bucks will win their first NBA Championship in 50 years. It had everyone in the lookout talking about it, and all of the pups-even Ryder-tuning in to watch the possibly historic event. Chase, Marshall, Skye and Everest were already as hyped as ever, ready for the possible championship-clinching victory.
"LET'S GO BUCKS! BUCKS IN SIX! LET'S GO BUCKS! BUCKS IN SIX! LET'S GO BUCKS! BUCKS IN SIX!" The quartet chanted with pride and passion. They were loud as they could be, the lookout nearly shaking as a result. They then cheered amongst themselves, high paws and hugs all around.
"ONE MORE...one more...I can't believe it. This is literally a dream." Everest remarked with wonder.
"Oh my god...let's go...finish the job…" Chase whispered, clapping his paws in anticipation.
"Bucks in Six! Let's get this championship!" Marshall cheered, showing off his jersey with pride.
"Man, they are loud, that's for sure." Ryder said, as he watched the madness unfold.
"They're very passionate about all of this. They're about to get their championship." Zuma admitted.
"Dude, this is gonna be a great night, one way or another." Rocky said to his bulldog friend.
"You get the cameras ready?" Rubble asked him.
"Yeah, but I'm not gonna start filming for quite a bit. I just wanna enjoy the game without worrying about it." Rocky replied.
"So, the Bucks are one win away from a championship, huh? That's a great accomplishment in itself." Ryder noted.
"The whole state of Wisconsin is gonna go crazy...I just feel it." Skye said, as the game tipped off. It did not take long at all: only seconds into the game in fact, that Giannis wanted the championship. Badly.
Mikal Bridges gets the ball for the Suns, drives for a layup, IT'S BLOCKED BY GIANNIS! He came out of nowhere! Khris Middleton passes it back to Giannis, he SCORES on the other end! WHAT A START!
"LET'S GO GIANNIS! HE WANTS THAT RING! HE WANTS IT!" Marshall exclaimed, pumping his fist.
"A ONE MAN WRECKING CREW!" Chase agreed.
"Dude is gonna drop his WILL tonight. It's not even fair." Skye stated jokingly.
"If Giannis drops more than 40, it's over. Period." Zuma spoke up.
"Wow, that was fast." Ryder chuckled to himself.
BUCKS 88, SUNS 84: 4th Quarter, 7:50 left
The NBA Finals Game 6 viewing party got very interesting at the start of the fourth quarter. When it started, two guests surprisingly showed up: Jake and Mr. Porter. The pups greeted them enthusiastically, and Jake admitted that he couldn't watch the game himself. Mr. Porter was more of a surprise, due to his age, being in his mid 60s. But he had a good reason to show. He told Marshall and his friends that he was only 15 when the Bucks won their only championship in franchise history-back in 1971. He said that he had been a Bucks fan the majority of his life, and has seen it all: players like Kareem, Oscar Robertson, Sidney Moncrief, Marques Johnson, Ray Allen and others in his lifetime. Both Jake and Mr. Porter remembered a scrawny, 18 year old Giannis being drafted 8 years ago, and they did NOT expect Milwaukee to compete for a championship.
"See, this is a bottle that my father saved for when the Bucks win another championship. It's never been opened and is still fresh." The old man said, revealing a very old Miller Lite bottle. "You see, my father died 10 years ago and never got to see this. If the Bucks win, I am gonna drink this whole thing, trust me." He laughed.
"Good idea. I don't really drink much at all. I've never drake once. But tonight, I will do so when the time calls." Jake agreed, holding a new-looking can of beer.
"Ah, yes. Wisconsin. The U.S. state of alcoholism." Zuma grinned.
Booker gets the ball, tries to run past Antetokounmpo, HE GETS DENIED! THAT'S BLOCK NUMBER FIVE FOR GIANNIS!
"Five blocks?! That's crazy." Mr. Porter reacted in surprise.
"Giannis is literally the GOAT. I'm saying it right now." Jake smiled.
"LET'S GO, GIANNIS!" Everest cheered.
"I'm literally freaking out." Marshall spoke in shock.
"Dude, THAT IS CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL PLAY. He WANTS this ring." Chase exclaimed.
"That is literally Hall Of Fame type stuff. I've never seen ANYTHING like Giannis in my entire life." Mr. Porter said.
BUCKS 92, SUNS 88: 4th Quarter, 6:23 left
Holiday digging in, finding some room. Passes across the court to Connaughton. He passes to Middleton. Middleton down to Giannis, AND HE SLAMS IT HOME! HE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY DOMINANT!
"Wow!" Both Jake and Mr. Porter reacted, and they high-fived each other.
"Dude, Giannis is absolutely killing everybody." Zuma watched in awe.
"Let's GO, GIANNIS!" Marshall shouted, pumping his fist.
"He dunked on three Suns players...THAT'S NASTY!" The german shepherd smirked, high pawing his best pal.
"GET OUT OF HIS WAY! Three people?! Not a problem!" Skye added, with a flip to follow.
"I feel it coming, DUDE! I can TASTE this championship! I can feel it!" Everest smiled.
"Say, is Alex asleep back in your place or what?" Jake asked Mr. Porter.
"Yeah, I snuck out. I left him a note in his room just in case he wakes up. I don't think he will." Mr. Porter replied.
BUCKS 98, SUNS 92: 4th Quarter, 3 minutes left
Holiday with the ball, here's the pass to Giannis. He puts up a one-hander, IT'S GOOD! HE DOES IT AGAIN! 49 POINTS FOR ANTETOKOUNMPO!
"Fourty-nine points?! That's insane…" Zuma gasped.
"Give this championship to Giannis already...this is incredible, man." Jake grinned.
"YEAH! 49 POINTS ON EM! Give this man the MVP!" Marshall rejoiced.
"We're gonna win it!" Everest shouted as she hugged her boyfriend in ecstasy.
"He's hitting EVERYTHING...this is amazing…" Skye gushed.
"He's literally the GOAT. This is awesome to watch, to be honest…" Rubble looked on in awe.
BUCKS 100, SUNS 96: 4th Quarter, 1 minute left
The certainty of the Bucks winning the championship moments ago has somewhat dimmed, as the Suns continued to keep scoring, keeping the game close for YET ANOTHER close game. The stakes were highest as they ever had been: one more bucket, and the Bucks had a very good chance of winning this game.
"Give it to Khris! Khash Money is an assassin!" Skye begged to the TV.
"Jrue Holiday better not shoot that." Chase scoffed.
"Come on, Khris…for my dad…" Mr. Porter thought out loud.
Jrue passes to Giannis, who has his back turned to the basket. Finds Middleton, 19 foot jumper, IT'S GOOD! KHRIS MIDDLETON WITH AN ALL-TIME SHOT! BUCKS LEAD BY SIX!
"There we go! That's our Bucks!" Mr. Porter smiled as he raised his glass bottle.
"Dude, this is surreal...this is literally a dream." Jake remarked, a small grin curling onto his face.
"What did I say?! Khash! Money! Add that up, and you get clutch!" Skye smirked as she flipped.
"Oh my god, WE'RE GONNA WIN IT!" Marshall exclaimed in ecstasy as he embraced the german shepherd.
"Dude, thanks for getting all of us to cheer on Milwaukee with you. It's been an awesome ride. Can't imagine doing it with anyone else." Chase grinned as he patted his best friend on the back.
"Hey, Jake! Give me some!" Everest said as she ran to her former owner, extending her paw.
"I certainly will." The mountaineer laughed, shaking her paw and sitting down next to her, petting the husky.
"This is literally the second-to-best night of my life so far. I get to hang out with all of my friends and watch the Bucks win a championship. It's been an incredible journey with Marshall...he's taught me everything. I couldn't resist being a fan." Everest mused.
"Well, I'm glad that you, Chase, Skye, and yes, even you, Zuma, went on this 2 month journey with me. It's been amazing. A roller-coaster. And it's coming to an end." Marshall smiled. He sat next to her as the game began to wind down. After two free throws by Middleton, the Bucks were up by 8. The Suns got the ball back, and if they missed, the Bucks were certainly gonna win the game for sure.
Chris Paul has the ball for Pheonix, runs up the court. Paul for three, NO GOOD! Rebound by Middleton, passes to Giannis! Giannis to Holiday! Holiday to Middleton! Suns have to foul! Timeout Bucks! 25 seconds left! And they are starting to celebrate here in Milwaukee!
The whole city of Milwaukee was going bananas. Fiserv Forum, being filled to the brim with fans, was deafening with roars from the home crowd. Deer District outside the arena was expanded to 65,000 attendants for this game, and the TV showed the crowd going crazy. But nobody at the lookout even saw it happening, as they were too busy having a celebration of their own. Skye jumped into Chase's paws, as he hoisted her up with joy, as Marshall was running around the lookout, screaming with ecstacy and pumping his fist.
"Wow…" Zuma watched on, taking all of it in. His friends were so happy, and he couldn't help but smile.
"Well, that's it. It's all over." Ryder shrugged.
"Man, Milwaukee sure is passionate. They're so damn loud." Rocky laughed.
"I've never seen those guys so happy. In my life." Rubble observed, watching the two couples celebrate in front of him.
"I might as well get my bottle ready!" Mr. Porter grinned, as he popped open the beer bottle with ease.
"Man, that Deer District crowd is ridiculous…65,000 people..." Jake watched on as he opened his beer can in response.
"I can just kiss you right now!" Chase cried to his girlfriend.
"Do it then, you big dummy!" Skye giggled. The two then kissed passionately, commemorating the second-best night of their lives thus far. Everest ran back to Jake and started licking him affectionately.
"Is this what heaven looks like?" Jake asked out loud.
"Yes. Yes, it is!" Everest smirked as she looked over to Marshall, who ran over to them.
"Eve...we did it. We fuckin' did it." Marshall smiled as he kissed her passionately. The game continued to wind down for another 20 seconds, until there was 9 seconds left. Giannis was fouled, and so, he had the chance to get to 50 points on two free throw attempts. Giannis was uncharacteristically brilliant from the free throw line tonight, going 13 for 16 so far, which was a great sight to behold.
Giannis to the free throw line...50 points! In an NBA Finals closeout game! The most in 60 years!
"FIFTY POINTS!" Chase grinned widely.
"In an NBA Finals game...that's incredible." Zuma smiled.
"Giannis dropped a 50 piece! In the Finals! Come ON, dude!" Marshall cheered. The Suns got the ball back on the opposite side of the court.
"Yo, guys! Smile! You're on camera!" Rocky shouted to everyone, pointing to the camera that had been rigged next to the ceiling not too far from where they were all at.
"Nice one, dude! I'm gonna show my grand-puppies what it was like to WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP." Skye declared.
"Skye, you're being weird about puppies again." Chase laughed.
"Don't worry. Marshall does it too, actually." Everest giggled.
"I can't help it!" Marshall grinned.
Nine seconds left on the clock. Booker gets the ball and fires for three! No good, rebound by Tucker! AND THAT WILL DO IT! IT'S OVER! THE BUCKS HAVE DONE IT! THE LONG WAIT HAS ENDED AFTER A HALF CENTURY! THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS ARE NBA CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN!
As P.J Tucker got the rebound and dribbled out the clock, the Fiserv Forum crowd and Deer District exploded. The players ran onto the court like little children. A journey has finally ended, and the Bucks, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, were sealed in basketball immortality. When Marshall saw the rebound, he knew it was over. For real. He looked to his three best friends. Skye, Chase and Everest. They all had the same reflection. It was all over. And their squad came up on top.
"YEAHHHHHH!" The dalmatian erupted with ecstasy as he jumped into Chase's arms, as the quartet started screaming and celebrating with each other, jumping up and down in exuberance.
"WE DID IT, DUDE!" Jake cheered, as he high fived Ryder next to him.
"Hey, Jake!" Mr. Porter called the mountaineer over. The old man raised his bottle in salute. "Cheers to the Milwaukee Bucks!" Mr. Porter stated, as the two friends clinked their bottles.
"Cheers, dude!" Jake said, as he downed the bottle in less than 20 seconds. "Man, that feels good!" Jake cried as he watched Mr. Porter finish up his bottle.
"Yep, it sure does. I never thought I'd see the day. The Bucks win another title. 50 years in the making...and it was so worth it...Dad, this one was for you." The old man said, looking up momentarily above him.
"Wow...they did it...they're the champions. Man, Zuma's been really quiet." Rocky observed as he looked to his best friend.
"I don't need to say anything more, really. Giannis proved me wrong. And I'm pretty happy for Marshall. His championship was way better than mine last year. This whole playoff run has been pretty special." The lab admitted, cracking a smile as the two couples in front of him came down to earth. Just a little bit. Marshall was staring at the screen, with his three friends and Jake sitting beside them. On the TV broadcast, Giannis was sitting on the bench by himself, overwhelmed by emotion. Tears of relief came down the superstar's face as his goal was realized. He had been playing for this moment all his life, and his dreams finally came true. All in front of the Milwaukee crowd. A city that loved him as their own, finally attaining the greatest honor in all of basketball. An NBA title.
"Hey, Zuma...can you come here for a sec?" Marshall asked his friend, who was still sitting in the corner by himself. Zuma slowly walked up to him directly and stood in front of him.
"What's up, Marsh? You can trash talk me all you want now. Again, I'm sorry for all the shit I've said to you." Zuma confessed.
"No, man. It's different." The fire dog said, taking a deep breath as he put his arm around his friend's shoulders.
"Remember last year?" Marshall asked him.
SEVEN MONTHS AGO
December 14, 2020
"Hey...uhh...did Giannis sign yet?" Marshall asked the lab yet once more. This time, it was with more anxiety than usual. The two were hanging out at the tire swing in the middle of the afternoon. Zuma had it. He was tired of the dalmatian asking him every single day about the same damn thing, and let it be known. "DUDE. Give up, Marshall! He's not gonna resign this year or next year! The Bucks just suck now. They got rid of half their team and they are trash. Giannis is never gonna make the Finals, bro. PUT THAT IN YOUR BRAIN, dude! His teams always suck in the playoffs, they never get the right pieces around him, or any of that. He's gonna sign with Miami, LA Or Golden State. He's better than Milwaukee. Jeez man, just admit that Lebron is better. GOD." Zuma ranted as he walked away. This left Marshall both sad and worried. He always liked watching Giannis dominate the NBA. He wanted him to resign with the Bucks, because, well, he fell in love with the team. They were a fun-to-watch squad who dominated day in and day out. He wanted Giannis to stay and hopefully win a championship with the city. Zuma and Marshall were almost polar opposites. Even though they both loved watching the NBA, Zuma watched it more closely. He loved the Showtime Lakers with LeBron and AD and the Golden State Warriors with Steph. They both knew that Giannis was an incredible player. Secretly, Zuma wanted Giannis to join either of those two teams, as they would ruin the NBA and win multiple championships in a row. As Ryder called all the pups in for dinner through their pup tags, Marshall tried to keep his head up. But that thought kept running over and over like a record in his mind. Will Giannis sign before the season starts? Or is he gonna dip to California like Kareem did many years ago?
"The very next day, Giannis signed the supermax contract to commit to Milwaukee and stay there. He proved his loyalty...you said he would never win a championship...that the team around him was garbage...well...look." Marshall spoke, as he gestured towards the TV, which showed that the trophy presentation was just getting underway, with Coach Mike Budenholzer hoisting the trophy to the roars of the Milwaukee home crowd. "Well, look at what he did...he won a championship in a small-market place...Giannis did it. He proved critics like you and the media wrong...they created this narrative that Giannis was never gonna do it...and look at him now…" Marshall spoke slowly, once again gazing at the screen. Giannis Antetokounmpo was just honored as the NBA Finals MVP, hoisting the MVP trophy and pumping his fist. "He stayed loyal and didn't leave to build a superteam...he stayed home and was rewarded with a championship. He's now the best Milwaukee Buck to ever play...I don't care what you or ANYBODY else says anymore. Giannis and the Bucks won an NBA championship...and...nobody can ever take that away from him…" The dally concluded as tears fell from his face in pure relief and joy, as Everest embraced him.
"I understand where you're coming from, my guy. I really do. And I totally agree. Giannis proved me wrong. He's an incredible player. From now on, I'm not gonna say 'Akumpo' ever again. Because I don't need to do it. I'm so happy to see you win it all, man. You deserve it." Zuma said, as the two friends finally made up for their basketball differences. All of their friends smiled as they watched not only the screen, but two friends, finally putting their issues to rest. Giannis was being interviewed on the broadcast, as a reporter asked him a question.
"It is a rarity, Giannis, to be able to play 8 years with a teammate, let alone win a championship together in those 8 years. How would you describe what Khris Middleton means to you?" She asked. The superstar then turned to Khris, his all-star teammate. The duo have been on the same team since 2013, when both were on a team that was so bad, they went 15-67, the worst record in the league. They both competed for minutes and relied heavily off of each other, and their skills progressed a lot, eventually culminating in a championship while forming a special bond.
"Khris...we did it, man. We fucking did it." Giannis spoke in his heavy Greek accent. Both players grinned and had a bro-hug, much to the appreciation of the crowd. The lookout was also cheering, as a brotherhood finally achieved their biggest dream.
"Man, I gotta get home early...shit...I left my car in your lot, didn't I?" Jake wondered aloud, feeling a little dizzy even after one bottle.
"Jake, come on, I'll drive you home myself. You got a busy day tomorrow." Mr. Porter reminded him.
"Thanks. But I gotta say goodbye to someone." The mountaineer spoke, as he knelt down to Everest and embraced her. "Hey, it sure was nice seeing you again." He said.
"How do you get drunk after one bottle? It's kinda sad." The husky remarked.
"Look, I'm pretty skinny, pretty young...I'm only 22, you know?" Jake laughed as he and Mr. Porter left.
"Sooo...you guys won a title...congrations! It's a great accomplishment, and it's great to see you guys this happy." Ryder told the dogs.
"Thanks, Ryder. Means a lot." Chase told the boy.
"I'm gonna get some sleep...it is almost 10:30 PM, anyway. So...uhh...you guys go back to your pup houses at 11. Got it?" Ryder asked them with a yawn. The pups all barked in response.
"Good. Goodnight, everyone." Ryder waved as he walked to the elevator, going up the tower without another word.
"You get all the footage, Rocky?" Rubble asked the mix.
"Yep. It'll take a week for me to edit everything. I'll just have to extract the tape from the camera...oh, and congratulations on the championship." Rocky told his pals as he took out the tape and walked to his house for the night. The rest of the pups decided to head to their houses to get some rest, but the dalmatian and husky stayed behind as the lights above them in the lookout automatically went dim. Lights glowed in the dark, indicating the doors and where other basic places were.
"Hey, uhhh...you know when the championship parade is?" Marshall asked her.
"I think it's in two days. And yes, you and I will definitely be there." Everest clarified.
"Awesome! I'm pretty sure that Chase and Skye would wanna join us." Marshall smiled.
"I'm sure that they would. But all this celebration has worn me out...I'm going to bed." Everest yawned.
"Awww, come on...can we do that howling thing? Just one more time?" Marshall begged, showing his love the good ol' puppy eye trick, one that the husky simply couldn't resist.
"Alright, we'll do it. But only because I love you." Everest weakly smiled as they nuzzled for a few seconds. The duo ran out to the edge of the cliff, their familiar place where they have done this ritual numerous times. They both howled in harmony for almost five minutes straight, much longer than what the duo usually did. They both said their goodbyes and went to their pup houses to get some well-needed shuteye. More celebration could wait.
That's all, folks! If you read this until the very end, I salute you. This story has been an awesome, fun experience for me to write, and I am grateful that I have the chance to share it. A LOT has happened over the last month...where do I begin? Space Jam 2 came out...it was epic. I'm loving Lil Nas X a lot lately...cool stuff, man. Ed Sheeran's got an album coming out in late October...The Weeknd is slaying the charts...and ANIMANIACS SEASON 2 IS IN NOVEMBER! Faboo gang, RISE UP! And I've been getting closer and closer to getting a driver's test...nervous as hell but yeah. Biggest news of all: THE PAW PATROL MOVIE IS COMING OUT! So excited for it! Thanks again for reading, guys. Be the light- mitch :)