LAS VEGAS — The Milwaukee Bucks superior to the finals of the NBA Cup with a 110-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday — the primary of two back-to-back Cup semifinal video games being performed in Las Vegas.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 32 factors, 14 rebounds and 9 assists, whereas Damian Lillard added 25 factors. Milwaukee avenged its loss from final yr’s semis once they have been overwhelmed by the Indiana Pacers a recreation earlier than the ultimate.
“Accept the problem, that’s all I’ve been speaking about,” coach Doc Rivers stated about his staff’s strategy to the Cup. “I believe we run from challenges so much, and we talked about it; Let’s settle for it. Let’s put our title on the market. We’re going to attempt to win it, and if we don’t win it, we don’t win it. But there’s nothing fallacious with saying you wish to win one thing, and for those who win it, nice, and for those who don’t, a minimum of you went for it.”
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Saturday’s recreation was a back-and-forth affair between two of the most well liked groups within the East. Milwaukee entered having gained 10 of its final 13 video games, whereas the Hawks had gained seven of their final eight.
The Hawks have additionally been powerful towards the groups with the very best information within the East. They are undefeated towards the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks (4-0) and 1-1 towards the defending champion Boston Celtics.
The groups traded leads within the first three quarters — Atlanta led by two after the primary, the Bucks by six at halftime, after which the Hawks have been up one earlier than the fourth.
Milwaukee was the higher staff down the stretch, nevertheless. After a De’Andre Hunter free throw lower the Bucks’ result in 98-96 with 4 minutes and 32 seconds to go, Milwaukee completed the sport on a 12-6 run, particularly clamping down defensively.
The play of the evening was a block by Antetokounmpo on a lob cross that will have lower his staff’s result in three.
The three-point line additionally made a giant distinction for the Bucks. The two groups have been even in turnovers and factors within the paint, whereas Atlanta had an edge in free throws. But Milwaukee tried 21 extra threes than the Hawks, and made 4 extra in what ended up solely an eight-point win.
The Cup championship berth is a pleasant turnaround for the Bucks, who began the season 4-9, together with a six-game dropping streak after profitable their first recreation. Rivers stated the latest enchancment is what he anticipated from his veteran-laden group.
“Listen, exterior Milwaukee, I believe lots of people was, ‘What’s happening?’” Rivers stated. “I don’t assume one particular person inside thought that in any respect. We simply believed that it was going to click on, it was going to occur — I’d make a degree of claiming we assumed that — now it’s, however we nonetheless bought an extended option to go.”