By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Jul 04, 2021 at 10:36 AM Photography: Milwaukee Bucks

I lost my mind twice on Saturday night. 

The first time happened during the fourth quarter when it seemed like the Bucks might just blow their game-long lead, suddenly playing silly and letting the desperate Hawks back into the game. Would the Bucks waste this remarkable moment and live down to the fans' unofficial lament: Never trust the Bucks?

Nope. Instead they would lock things up and live up to their fans' ultimate battlecry: BUCKS! IN! SIX! And that's when I lost my mind the second time on Saturday night – I screamed and celebrated and high-fived strangers and jumped around and nearly cried and screamed some more. And hours later, I'm still not sure my mind's back. (I sure as hell know my voice isn't.) I keep checking the NBA playoff bracket to make sure the results are real and replaying highlights in my head to remind myself that, yes, these things happened and listening to podcasts for clues to some potential best-of-nine loophole I don't know about. 

But it's true. My god, it came true. The Bucks won in six over the Atlanta Hawks, claiming the final game on the road, 118-107, and now moving on to their first NBA Finals in almost a half-century and giving that "terrible city" of Milwaukee its first professional sports championship appearance in more than 30 years. Wisconsin fans in general have known a lot of heartbreak recently, finding new ways to fall short right at the doorstep – and when Giannis went down in Game 4, it seemed this would just be another chapter in that depressing book. But instead, the Bucks wrote a whole new novel – one with a surprise happy ending. And with a sequel – the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns – that could be even better. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself. (Again, my mind may not be right quite yet; everything is still adrenaline and throat lozenges.) Let's look back at the best sports night in recent Milwaukee history – and heck, my entire lifetime – and maybe never stop. I want to live in these moments forever (except for maybe some of that fourth quarter but I'VE ALREADY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT LALALA!)

1. Never not beautiful

You get the impression last night was a big night in Milwaukee? As has been the case this playoff run, the Bucks faithful showed up for game night, growing and growing throughout the evening as the final W became got closer and closer to reality. It's amazing to think of what this space used to be – and what joy it holds now.

2. Big-time bench

Bobby Portis
PHOTO: Twitter/Milwaukee Bucks
X

As the classic sports cliche goes, role players play better at home – so relying on repeat big performances from Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez and the bench was a good way to leave disappointed on Saturday night. OR SO WE THOUGHT! Instead, Brook stayed hot with 13 points and a team-high +25 rating, Bobby Portis stayed a sparkplug – especially on the glass – and the bench busted out arguably their best game of the series, with Pat Connaughton in particular making shots. They made the road feel like home in Game 6 – and then brought the ECF trophy home.

3. Redemption

There have been a lot of horrifying three-word phrases for Bucks fans to hear this series: "Giannis for three," "potential ACL injury," "Trae Young floater." But for many, the most terrifying and confounding phrase across the entire playoffs has been "Jeff Teague minutes." Credit where credit is due, though, the former Hawk showed up to bury his former team, hitting a trio of massive threes to widen out the Bucks' lead and in general avoiding the kind of bad plays that plagued his rare minutes. I'd still be fine never seeing Teague on the court again this postseason for the Bucks – but if that ends up the case, he went out on a glorious note.

4. Another Middleton masterpiece

During the first half, it looked like we were getting one of those chilly Khris Middleton games as the Bucks star only had five points at the midway mark. Then the third quarter happened – and Khash had clearly no interest in seeing a Game 7. Middleton went off in the third frame, scoring 23 points in the quarter alone, hitting threes, finding his spots on the court and helping balloon the Bucks' lead to 20 at one point. He would end the game with 32 points, seven assists and zero chance of anyone in Milwaukee ever complaining about him again. 

5. The exclamation point

Things got ... tense near the midway point of the fourth quarter. The Hawks got desperate, the Bucks got careless, and while Milwaukee led the entire game, what was once a 20-point lead evaporated down to single digits in alarming fashion. Thankfully, the Bucks remembered what they were good at – being tall and catching alley oops, in the case of Brook Lopez, who gave every Bucks fan a big sigh of relief after this late dunk.

6. And there ... is ... your ... dagger

P.J. Tucker only hit one three on Saturday night. But it was the biggest shot of the night, finally nailing his signature corner look and securing a comfortable lead going into the final minute. Stress: gone. Party: started. 

7. We'll see you again

The Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals may have been unexpected, but it certainly wasn't unearned – and it certainly won't be the last time they're here. Trae Young's insanely talented and just plain fun to watch on the court, and he's surrounded by a great roster of talent and coaching prowess in Atlanta. The Hawks may have been a surprise now, but sooner than later, it won't shock anyone to see them at the top of the Eastern Conference. And hopefully the Bucks will keep meeting them – and beating them – there. 

8. Signing off

In case last night wasn't dramatic enough, Game 6 also marked legendary announcer Marv Albert's final broadcast before he hangs up his headphones and calls it a career. Basketball games just won't sound the same without him.

9. The celebration begins

Every part of this video is magic: Giannis tearfully hauling the trophy to a corner to embrace the moment, PJ slumping back in his chair in elation, Giannis making sure Khris is in the team photo, the amount of happy F-words clearly edited out of the clip and, of course, the countdown on the whiteboard dropping down to just four wins left to reach the ultimate goal of a championship title. Four stars out of four, for your consideration for Best Picture. 

10. Alone time

I want to hug this photo. I want to hug it so much. I still doubt we see Giannis on the court in the Finals – again, a hyperextended knee is no light injury, especially considering how Giannis plays, and as we learned from Kevin Durant, rushing someone back can be catastrophic – but he made his presence known on the sideline. And he earned this moment – and hopefully whatever moments come next. 

11. Ecstasy

I could watch videos of Bucks fans going nuts and feeling the elation of reaching a NBA championship series for the first time in almost a half-century all day long. Luckily, for many of us, we have off today and tomorrow for the holiday, so not only can we do exactly that – we can do it all TWO days long.

12. Fireworks arrived early

Between last night and the Fourth of July today, it's a great weekend for the fireworks industry – and a terrible weekend for puppers. 

13. And some fan-provided fireworks

The Bucks weren't the only ones setting off celebratory fireworks as fans after the game went into the street to launch some victory rockets into the sky – including this gorgeous fiery bloom above Old World Third Street. To say it was quite a scene would be the understatement of the century. 

14. We're dancing in the street

We all have to learn this choreography now. This is the new celebration dance. If the Bucks win the Finals (*knocks on all the wood in the zip code*), we're all busting this out like "Thriller."

15. Welcome home

The party continued into the wee hours of the morning as joyous Bucks fans gathered to greet their victorious team back to Milwaukee around 2 a.m. Sleep well and rest those voices now, Bucks fans. We're got more cheering still to do – next up in the NBA FREAKING FINALS!

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.