After Saturday’s Emirates NBA Cup semifinal game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks, it became clear that there is a new dynamic duo in the NBA.

The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard showed masterful two-man play late in the final period to secure a huge 110-102 win to stay in contention for the title on Tuesday. This is great news for Bucks fans, especially after the rocky 2-8 start that Milwaukee endured to start the season.

Both players carried the Bucks to victory, with Antetokounmpo finishing with 32 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists against the Hawks, Lillard finishing just as importantly with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

There have been a number of instances now where both Lillard and Antetokounmpo have had big hits late in the final period, and it’s working for this team.

After the Bucks’ win on Saturday, Lillard explained the details of the offensive game plan between him and his backcourt mate Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“They are one of the fastest teams in the league. Teams that play at this tempo offensively often have difficulty coming back when the ball goes the other way. That’s why we had success pushing the ball the other way,” Lillard said of the Hawks’ tempo in the first half. “As the game goes on, it becomes a game where execution matters. You don’t want to rush through possessions. You want them to defend where it works in your favor.

“We did that. We went to this two-man game with me and Giannis on the free side so we had space and there weren’t any extra defenders there. We had Brook (Lopez) in the paint, and when they switched to Giannis early, that high-low worked.”

The Hawks struggled to separate the two-man game of Lillard and Antetokounmpo late in the fourth quarter. In fact, Milwaukee’s last 16 points came from a pick-and-roll at the top of the key. Either Lillard and Antetokounmpo scored or made a trip to the free throw line, or they found an open Brook Lopez while the Hawks were out of position on defense. Textbook crime.

Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo says the whole team just looks and feels more comfortable right now. As the Bucks’ chemistry continues to develop, they could ideally continue to rise in the East.

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