NBA Cup: Recapping the Bucks perfect journey to the semis

WEB DESK: The Milwaukee Bucks found out their opponent for the NBA Cup eastern semi-finals after the Atlanta Hawks beat the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

With the stage set for a clash between the sixth and seventh ranked eastern conference teams in the semi-finals of the NBA Cup, its time to take a look back at Milwaukee’s perfect journey through the tournament.

NEVER AT A DEFICIT

Milwaukee were perfect in the group stage, winning all four of their matches on the way to the quarter-finals. They began their run by beating the Toronto Raptors 99-85. With Lillard out for the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo needed more support than usual from his supporting cast, and he got it, as four other players scored 12 or more points. The Raptors were without their star, Scottie Barnes, as well, forcing Gradey Dick to pick up the slack, as the guard scored 32 points. But, that wasn’t enough to overcome the Bucks. Milwaukee were never at a deficit during the 48 minutes of play.

Giannis would dominate in the Bucks second game against the Indiana Pacers, which they won 129-117. The Bucks star had a triple double, scoring 37 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Lillard contributed 24 points himself. The Pacer’s two leads, Tyrese Haliburton and Piascal Siakam couldn’t keep up, only scoring 18 and 25 points respectively. It was another dominant performance that saw the Bucks never lose the lead.

Bucks trample Magic, advance to NBA Cup semi-finals

Milwaukee’s third game, which saw them face off against the Miami Heat, continued their streak of emphatic wins. Giannis didn’t play, but it didn’t matter, since Lillard showed out, scoring 37 points and dishing out 12 assists. He sunk eight shots from beyond the arc on an incredible 61.5 per cent clip. The top scorer for Miami was Jimmy Butler, as the Heat star made 23 points. Once again, the Bucks were in complete control for the entire match, never facing a deficit. However, a three pointer from Terry Rozier put Miami just one away from equalising with 30 seconds remaining in the contest. Unfortunately for the Heat, a couple free throws from Taurean Prince sealed the deal. The Bucks won 106-103.

Giannis and Lillard would then thrash the Detroit Pistons, scoring 28 and 27 points respectively. It was the first time during the tournament that the Bucks trailed, as they were down by four halfway through the first frame. But, by the end of the match, they had their biggest point differential of the tournament, winning by 21 points, 128-107.

QUARTER-FINALS

After four straight wins, the Bucks found themselves in a quarter final clash against the Orlando Magic. The magic made their way to the quarter finals by clinching the eastern conference wild card. It was by far the toughest challenge for the Bucks yet, as they saw themselves trailing for the majority of the game. Jalen Suggs would score 32 points over the course of the game, helping Orlando to keep the lead for the vast majority of the first three quarters. But, Milwaukee would takeover late in the third, thanks to 12 points from Giannis in the frame, and end the quarter up by eight. Giannis and Lillard scored a combined 65 points, leading the Bucks to the semi-finals.

The Bucks have a deadly duo in Giannis and Lillard, as the two have averaged 31 and 29 points respectively, across the four games they each played in. The Atlanta Hawks are in for a tough test on December 14, as they face off against the most dominant team in the in-season tournament.

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