National Basketball Association

Phoenix Suns' Chris Paul, Monty Williams endure the pain of losing in first NBA Finals

Updated Jul. 29, 2021 9:32 p.m. ET

By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer

The silence was piercing.

Monty Williams inhaled deeply, trying to collect himself.

He had held it together for nine minutes, but during the final question of his media availability, his pain came spilling out after his Phoenix Suns suffered a 105-98 season-ending loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

It was a heart-wrenching moment, juxtaposed by the Bucks' piercing screams of joy that rang into the room.

Williams' voice dropped a few octaves. It was raspy. But to the best of his ability, he went on to try to answer a question about what he had learned in the Finals.

"I just don't take it for granted," Williams said. "It's hard to get here. And I wanted it so bad, you know."

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The Suns' fairytale season skidded to a very unhappy end Tuesday, after they lost the last of four straight games to the Bucks and watched their dream of winning their first championship disintegrate in front of their eyes as though it were a mirage.

They came so close. Nearly two weeks ago, they led the series 2-0. Their past three games were decided in the final minutes. Things could've gone differently — but they didn't.

The heartbreak was palpable.

This was supposed to be a moment of elation for a coach who suffered deeply after his wife, Ingrid, was killed in a car crash five years ago. This was supposed to be a moment of validation for superstar Chris Paul, whose legacy has been questioned because he has never won a title.

But instead, it was a moment of devastation.

Said Paul: "Great group of guys, hell of a season – but this one is going to hurt for a while."

Added Devin Booker: "I haven't felt a hurt like this in my life."

The Suns had a chance to force a Game 7 at home. They entered the fourth quarter tied with the Bucks 77-77. But Giannis Antetokounmpo willed his team to its first championship in 50 years, finishing with a stunning 50-point, 14-rebound, five-block performance.

In the end, there was nothing the Suns could do to stop him.

Antetokounmpo repeatedly forced his way through Phoenix's defense with his 6-foot-11, 242-pound frame, roaring through a sea of opposing jerseys like a ship slicing through smooth waters. And when the Suns sent him to the free-throw line, trying to expose his kryptonite, he responded by making 17 of his 19 foul shots.

Down the stretch, the Suns had no answer for Antetokounmpo, and they couldn't score, a lethal combination for their title hopes. They shot a woeful 38.1% from the field in the fourth quarter, missing all eight of their 3-point attempts.

After the game, Williams gave the Bucks all the credit.

In a shocking break from tradition, he even entered their locker room to offer his congratulations, showing an unprecedented amount of class and sportsmanship amid his own cutting disappointment.

A camera caught Williams putting his arm around Antetokounmpo, who was wearing goggles to protect his eyes from champagne and cradling the Larry O'Brien trophy in his left arm.

"I just wanted to come and congratulate you guys as a man, as a coach," Williams said. "You guys deserved it. I'm thankful for the experience. You guys made me a better coach, made us a better team. Congratulations."

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For the Suns, the past few games included an avalanche of bad breaks.

They lost control of the series, bested by a combination of a block, a steal and an Antetokounmpo freight train. Despite back-to-back 40-point performances from Booker in Games 4 and 5 and a 26-point, five-assist showing from Paul in Game 6, the Suns couldn't overcome Milwaukee.

Paul might be the most accomplished player in the league who hasn't won a championship. Making matters worse, he made history in the wrong direction Tuesday, becoming the first player to lose four best-of-seven series in which his team had a 2-0 lead.

The Suns wanted to help him change the narrative that has haunted him throughout his career. You know, those not-so-quiet whispers that he's too injury-prone and that he doesn't have what it takes to play well enough in big games.

Throughout the playoffs, his teammates repeatedly said they wanted to win for him, once and for all silencing those negative rumblings.

"I know what he puts into his craft, I know the dedication, and so when I hear those sentiments about his career because he hasn't won a championship, it's just silly," Williams said. "It's hard enough to make it to the NBA, let alone be an all-time great, which is what he is."

Paul was brilliant throughout the season and the playoffs. And he has matured as a leader, inspiring a group of young guys who had never made the playoffs to want to follow him.

But he once again came up short, and that's all he could think about Tuesday.

When asked if he takes any solace in the fact that he reached the NBA Finals for the first time in his 16-season career, Paul didn't hesitate in his response.

"Ain't no moral victories," he said.

He added that he isn't about to give up fighting for a title.

"It will take a while to process this," he said. "But it's the same mentality: Get back to work. I ain't retiring, if that's what you're asking. That's out. So back to work."

For Paul, it's back to the drawing board to figure out how he could've been better.

For Booker, well, he was planning to get on a plane to Tokyo a few hours after the Suns' loss to compete for Team USA at the Olympics.

As for Williams, the humble and likable coach couldn't think too far in advance. Really, he could hardly wrap his mind around what had just happened.

"It's a blur for me right now," he said. "I'm just thankful that God allowed me to be in this position to be the head coach in the Finals. It hurts badly, but I'm also grateful that we had this chance to play for a championship."

Williams tried to stay positive. He tried to see the silver lining. He tried to be strong.

But nine minutes later, the disappointment of what had transpired took hold of him. It hit him all at once, like delayed pain after a hard fall.

And when it did, even he couldn't help but mourn what could've been.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She has previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.