Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are headed to the NBA Cup championship game.
The Bucks beat Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks 110-102 in the semifinals of the 2024 NBA Cup on Saturday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. That officially put them into the title game, where they’ll take on either the Oklahoma City Thunder or Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
Antetokounmpo finished just shy of a triple-double with 32 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in the win. He shot 10-of-15 from the field, too. Damian Lillard wasn’t far behind with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds, though he went just 5-of-14 from behind the arc.
Young did everything possible to keep the Hawks in it in the third quarter after a tight opening half in Las Vegas. He shot 6-of-7 from the field in the period and put the Hawks in the lead entering the final period.
Finally, though, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks surged ahead down the stretch. They mounted a quick 7-1 run late in the fourth quarter, powered by three short buckets from Antetokounmpo, to finally separate from the Hawks. Antetokounmpo sealed the deal in the final minutes, too, with a wild block on Clint Capela at the rim to break up an alley-oop.
Young led the Hawks with a near-triple-double of his own. He finished with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for Atlanta, which dropped to 14-13 on the season with the loss. Jalen Johnson finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and De’Andre Hunter added 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Which team will join the Bucks and make it to Tuesday’s NBA Cup championship game?
How to watch NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas
Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC
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Up next: Thunder-Rockets
Oklahoma City and Houston will square off in the second semifinals game in about 90 minutes or so. The winner will take on the Bucks for the NBA Cup on Tuesday.
The Bucks are officially headed to the championship game on Tuesday, where they’ll take on either the Thunder or the Rockets in Vegas.
If all else fails, ask Giannis to do every damn thing.
WHAT A BLOCK FROM GIANNIS AT THE RIM
The Bucks finally have a little bit of separation here. They’re up 103-97 now with 3:01 left in the game.
If all else fails, give it to Giannis…
We’ve got a close one here down the stretch. The Bucks are up by one now at the midway point of the fourth quarter.
This foul merchant stuff has to stop. It’s one of the things that makes a game ugly. Nobody wants to see this.
This is about as competitive a game as the NBA could’ve hoped for. A one-point game to start the fourth.
End of 3: Hawks 83, Bucks 82
Trae Young went off in the third quarter, and helped the Hawks take their first lead since the opening sequence of the second period. He’s up to 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds now.
We’re in for a good finish here in Vegas. End of 3: Hawks 83, Bucks 82
It’s amazing, Trae Young has had a horrible shooting season, the worst of his career, but is torching everything tonight. He’s 7-of-12, 3-of-4 from 3. 26-8-7 now in the third quarter trying to keep the Hawks in it.
Clint Capela just completely stuffed Giannis and then finished at the other end. The Hawks, though, still trail 70-64 midway through the third quarter.
In attendance: Not particularly long or imposing but he packs a punch: Floyd Mayweather
You can see why the Hawks are competitive, particularly on defense. They’re not intimidating or imposing, but their wings are long and aggressive. They cover a lot of space and shut off passing lanes.
Now that he’s 30, Giannis Antetokounmpo is eyeing another MVP award. He’s dominating like never before, and is leading the charge tonight in Las Vegas.
Click the photo for more on Giannis’ latest MVP push from Vincent Goodwill earlier this month.
Click the photo for more on Giannis’ latest MVP push from Vincent Goodwill earlier this month. (Kyle Terada-Imagn Images)
Half: Bucks 55, Hawks 49
Giannis leads all scorers with 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists at the midway point. Damian Lillard is the only other Bucks player in double figures with 10 points, though he’s shot just 3-of-13 from the field.
Trae Young leads the Hawks with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
This feels like a pro-Hawks crowd. Then you remember, the Falcons are playing the Raiders in Vegas this weekend. There was a lot of Falcons gear on folks walking around the city last night and today.
And right on time, here comes Dame. That’s back-to-back 3-pointers from him now, including this one from deep.
I wonder if the lighting at T-Mobile Arena is messing with the shooting. Dame Lillard is 2-for-9 from the field and 1-for-6 from the 3-point line so far.
