NBA Cup live updates: Giannis Antetokounmpo pushes Bucks past Hawks to championship; Thunder-Hawks are in the West semifinals
News

NBA Cup live updates: Giannis Antetokounmpo pushes Bucks past Hawks to championship; Thunder-Hawks are in the West semifinals

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are headed to the NBA Cup championship game.

The Bucks defeated Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks 110-102 in the 2024 NBA Cup semifinals Saturday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. That officially puts them in the title game, where they will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Antetokounmpo came close to a triple-double with 32 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. He also shot 10 of 15 from the field. Damian Lillard wasn’t far behind with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds, although he only managed 5 of 14 points from behind the arc.

After a close first half in Las Vegas, Young did everything he could to keep the Hawks in control in the third quarter. He shot 6 of 7 from the field in the quarter and gave the Hawks the lead heading into the final half.

Eventually, however, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks stormed forward down the stretch. Late in the fourth quarter, they went on a quick 7-1 run, fueled by three short balls from Antetokounmpo, and eventually separated themselves from the Hawks. Antetokounmpo also sealed the deal in the final minutes with a wild block on Clint Capela at the rim to complete an alley-oop.

Young led the Hawks with a near triple-double of his own. He finished the game with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for Atlanta, which fell to 14-13 on the season with the loss. Jalen Johnson finished the game with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and De’Andre Hunter added 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

In the West, the Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Dončić with a 14-point win on Tuesday, while the Rockets won a controversial match against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in which Steve Kerr ejected the referees after losing a point. The next duel will take place on Saturday evening.

Which team will join the Bucks and make it to Tuesday’s NBA Cup championship game?

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

Channel: ABC

Follow Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more below:

Live31 updates

  • Next up: Thunder Rockets

    Oklahoma City and Houston will face off in the second semifinal game in approximately 90 minutes. The winner will face the Bucks for the NBA Cup on Tuesday.

  • East semifinal stats

    110 dollars

    Giannis Antetokounmpo: 32 points (10-15 FG), 14 rebounds, 9 assists

    Damian Lillard: 25 points (5-14 3FG), 7 assists, 6 rebounds

    Brook Lopez: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

    Falcons 102

    Trae Young: 35 points (9-18 FG), 10 assists, 7 rebounds

    Jalen Johnson: 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists

    De’Andre Hunter: 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists

  • FINAL: Bucks 110, Hawks 102

    The Bucks are officially headed to the championship game on Tuesday, where they will face either the Thunder or Rockets in Vegas.

  • When all else fails, ask Giannis to do anything.

  • What a block from Giannis at the rim

  • The Bucks finally have a little separation here. They are now 103-97 with 3:01 left in the game.

  • When all else fails, give it to Giannis…

  • We have it close here on the track. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Bucks are now up by one.

  • This nasty dealer stuff has to stop. It’s one of the things that makes a game ugly. Nobody wants to see that.

  • This is a game that is about as competitive as the NBA could have hoped. A one-point game at the start of the fourth period.

  • End 3: Hawks 83, Bucks 82

    Trae Young went off in the third quarter, giving the Hawks their first lead since the opening sequence of the second period. He now has 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

    We’re in for a happy ending here in Vegas. End 3: Hawks 83, Bucks 82

  • It’s amazing, Trae Young had a terrible shooting season, the worst of his career, but tonight he’s burning it all up. He’s 7 of 12, 3 of 4 from 3. 26-8-7 now in the third quarter, trying to keep the Hawks in the game.

  • Clint Capela just completely overwhelmed Giannis and then finished on the other end. However, midway through the third quarter, the Hawks still trailed 70-64.

  • Present: Not particularly long or impressive, but he has it all: Floyd Mayweather

  • You can see why the Hawks are competitive, especially on defense. They don’t look intimidating or imposing, but their wings are long and aggressive. They cover a lot of space and block passing lanes.

  • Now that he’s 30, Giannis Antetokounmpo is gunning for another MVP award. He’s dominating like never before and leading the charge tonight in Las Vegas.

    Click on the photo to learn more about Giannis’ latest MVP push from Vincent Goodwill earlier this month.

    Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts in the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks in the semifinals of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory attribution: Kyle Terada-Imagn ImagesDec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts in the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks in the semifinals of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory attribution: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

    Click on the photo to learn more about 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 halftime. Damian Lillard is the only other Bucks player in double figures with 10 points, although he shot just 3 of 13 from the field.

    Trae Young led the Hawks with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

  • This feels like a pro-Hawks crowd. Then remember: The Falcons play the Raiders in Vegas this weekend. There was plenty of Falcons gear for people walking around town last night and today.

  • And lady comes at just the right time. That’s two consecutive 3-pointers from him, including this one deep.

  • I wonder if the lighting at T-Mobile Arena affects filming. Dame Lillard is 2 of 9 from the field and 1 of 6 from the 3-point line so far.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *