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LAS VEGAS – Last year in this city, the Bucks were ambushed in this tournament by an over-average team with a hot point guard. And as fate would have it, the Bucks returned… only to be faced with a copy threat.

This time, Trae Young and the Hawks were no match for the Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton and the smoke the Bucks gave Atlanta in the stretch run of their Emirates NBA Cup semifinal with a 110-102 victory.

“We were a little sharper this time,” guard Damian Lillard said. “We were right.”

So Milwaukee moves on, putting more distance between a slow start to the season and another indication that these discouraging days are over.

“I think that will carry over,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said.

Here are five takeaways from the Bucks’ win to reach Tuesday’s championship game.

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1. These are not your early November dollars

They started 2-8. Since then they have won 12 of 15. All the noise, the circling vultures, the predictions of doom and the possibility that this could be a lost season have suddenly disappeared.

“Outside of Milwaukee,” coach Doc Rivers said, “people were wondering what was going on. Not us.”

Maybe, just maybe, the Bucks will fit the description of being an East contender again. This much is fact – they will fight for the championship title in 2024/25.

As for the prize that was awarded in June? Rivers says that’s the obvious goal, but isn’t thinking beyond the most immediate championship, which will be awarded Tuesday (8:30 a.m. ET, ABC). He implored his team to make the game a priority — not that he needed much encouragement, considering the Bucks have resurfaced after a slow start.

“Accept the challenge and make it clear that we are trying to win it,” he said.

The chance to win the Cup would add a stamp of authenticity to their turnaround. From early November to now, the Bucks have seen some turning points in their favor – better defense, Khris Middleton’s return from injury and increased confidence.

All of that was on display throughout the Cup appearance, especially against the Hawks, when the Bucks delivered everything they needed to win.

“The only thing that matters is winning,” said Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Hawks scored just two points in the final 2:15 when it was a three-point game. From there, the Bucks took control.

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2. A Giannis takeover

That’s what franchise players and MVP contenders do – they take command of a hard-fought game and leave their fingerprints all over it. They don’t just make a difference, they are the difference.

This was the case with Giannis in the stretch run, when he was effective on both ends of the court and made the plays that determined the outcome.

The Bucks needed a basket? Giannis (32 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, four blocks) responded after three minutes with a hard turnaround shot from mid-range. Did you need a stop? Giannis was isolated on the smaller, quicker Trae Young on the perimeter – which usually ends badly for the defender – and Giannis forced a missed shot.

The Bucks needed someone to dirty their jersey? Giannis threw himself to the ground to grab a loose ball and incurred a foul in the process.

He explained: “I’m doing everything I can to win the game. I’m glad I did that because it shows that the whole team has to do whatever it takes to get this done.”

And then there was this…

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3. A big block brings back a big memory

Before we move on, some perspective is in order: This was not the fourth quarter of an NBA championship game.

However, Clint Capela’s block by Giannis and Brook Lopez on a lob with 2:35 left was strikingly similar to Giannis’ hit on Deandre Ayton late in Game 4 of the 2021 Finals.

The block four years ago — with less than two minutes left — led to a Giannis dunk and ultimately changed the tenor of this series, which is now 2-2. This was a collaboration with a 7-foot teammate; Everyone had to adjust in a split second after Capela caught the lob.

“What matters is the ability to be selfless and sacrifice your body,” Giannis said. “In that play you could see me and Brook going up and falling down. These are winning games. That’s what it takes to win games, whether it’s an NBA Cup game, a regular season game or an NBA Finals game. You have to have plays like that to win games.”

Lillard: “Anytime you get into a one-possession game, it comes down to who can make timely stops once you get to the finish line. It should be a great play by the Hawks. Luckily we have two 7-footers in the paint who came up with the play.”

Rivers: “How often do you see that lob get blocked?”

Actually, another time.

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4. Khris still has to catch up

Middleton has played in just his fourth game since returning from ankle surgery and is on a diet of limited minutes. All the Bucks want is glimpses of the pre-injury version of this former All-Star, and at times they have seen it. His ability to return to form could determine whether the Bucks win the trophy.

Saturday brought a colorful mix. Middleton (six points, four assists) was OK for long stretches, but also committed one of three turnovers on an inbounds that could have proved costly in the final minutes (but it didn’t).

Rivers brushed aside the outing, saying, “He wasn’t playing, and sometimes you could see that a little bit.” You have to keep trusting him because the more minutes he plays, the more you come back. Getting him back is huge for us.”

Middleton had two days off before the Hawks game and will have the same amount of rest before the title game.

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5. Keeping Trae at bay is proving difficult

The Bucks’ goal was simple: keep Young doing what he does. That is, prevent him from hitting big throws and creating big throws for others.

Young leads the league in assists and that’s what the Bucks were trying to reduce. Defending Young is a matter of choice, and Milwaukee wanted to take away his passing game.

In a sense, mission accomplished. Young may have had 10 assists, but his teammates didn’t hurt Milwaukee. Nobody scored more than 15 points; Jalen Johnson and DeAndre Hunter (each 15) in particular came to Las Vegas with great success.

“We wanted to let him play 1-on-1,” Rivers said. “Trae can have games like that where he hurts you (scores a goal), but when he does, he can’t find anyone.”

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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for more than 25 years. You can send him an email Herefind his archive here And Follow him on X.

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