Camille Naredo

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts to a three point shot during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors at Fiserv Forum on December 13, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere, Getty Images/AFP/File

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 13: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts to a three point shot during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors at Fiserv Forum on December 13, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.   Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Stacy Revere / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

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Golden State Warriors v Milwaukee Bucks

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1734246253450NBA_MIL-Giannis Antetokounmpo_AFP.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts to a three point shot during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors at Fiserv Forum on December 13, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere, Getty Images/AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts to a three point shot during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors at Fiserv Forum on December 13, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. <em>Stacy Revere, Getty Images/AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>LOS ANGELES -- A dominating performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo on Saturday led the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final, where they will face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder for the title.</p><p>Greek star Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to spark the Bucks over the Atlanta Hawks 110-102 while Canadian guard Gilgeous-Alexander netted a game-high 32 points to lead the Thunder over Houston 111-96 in the semi-finals at Las Vegas.</p><p>The Bucks and Thunder will meet for the crown on Tuesday in Las Vegas.</p><p>&quot;I just wanted to be aggressive through all the ups and downs, highs and lows, and it paid off,&quot; said Gilgeous-Alexander. &quot;Hopefully we can do the same thing on Tuesday.</p><p>&quot;If we play defense, we give ourselves a chance every night. We just have to play hard, play together and have fun.&quot;</p><p>NBA scoring leader Antetokounmpo also added nine assists, four blocks and a steal while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor and 12-of-18 from the free-throw line.</p><p>&quot;We got stops. That was the most important thing,&quot; Antetokounmpo said. &quot;They were feeling comfortable, getting to their spots. We were able to disrupt their offense.</p><p>&quot;We were moving the ball, playing team basketball, getting to our spots, knocking down a few shots down the stretch. That&#x27;s why we were able to get the win.&quot;</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LbXhC491Wpg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>The Bucks also had 25 points from Damian Lillard and 16 more from Brook Lopez while Trae Young led Atlanta with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.</div><p>&quot;I didn&#x27;t force it because Giannis was getting downhill early,&quot; Lillard said. &quot;I was moving the ball, they were giving me a lot of attention and guys were getting open looks. I knew eventually I&#x27;d get opportunities and they would go in, and they did.&quot;</p><p>The Bucks, who made an unbeaten run to last year&#x27;s inaugural semi-finals of the in-season tournament before losing to Indiana, were the only team to make a return trip to this year&#x27;s last four.</p><p>&quot;This was a big game. Redeem ourselves for last year against this great Atlanta team,&quot; Milwaukee&#x27;s Khris Middleton said. &quot;It was great. It was a back and forth game but to get a win after a tough tournament and close it out the way we did was great.&quot;</p><p>They were inspired by Antetokounmpo and his hunger after last year&#x27;s Cup near-miss.</p><p>&quot;Enjoy the game, take it a possession at a time and win the game. That&#x27;s it,&quot; Antetokounmpo said on what he told his teammates. &quot;If we compete, we&#x27;ll win the game.&quot;</p><p>After a 2-8 start to the campaign, the Bucks have gone 12-3 since.</p><p>&quot;We trust one another. We play together. There&#x27;s no more hero ball,&quot; Antetokounmpo said. &quot;In the beginning of the season we tried to do it by ourselves. It had a bad effect on the team. We figured out we have to compete as a team, move the ball as a team, compete together.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;ve changed our season around but we&#x27;ve got to keep going. The job is not done so far. We&#x27;ve got to keep playing together and hope we get better.&quot;</p><p>Two Jalen Johnson dunks late in the third quarter gave the Hawks an 83-82 lead entering the fourth.</p><p>The game stayed on a knife&#x27;s edge until Antetokounmpo had six points in a 7-1 Bucks run for a 103-96 lead with 3:13 to play.</p><p>Young answered with two free throws and a jumper but Lopez scored to give Milwaukee a 105-100 edge and Lillard&#x27;s floater from the free-throw line sealed Atlanta&#x27;s fate.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2024/12/12/hawks-rally-to-beat-knicks-reach-nba-cup-semi-finals-1128">READ: Hawks beat Knicks, Rockets down Warriors to reach NBA Cup semis</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2024/12/11/bucks-hold-off-magic-thunder-roll-past-mavs-to-advance-in-nba-cup-1414" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">READ: Bucks hold off Magic, Thunder roll past Mavs to advance in NBA Cup</a></div><div><strong>- Thunder down Rockets -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OpVBurcY7KA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Gilgeous-Alexander shot 8-of-21 from the floor, 2-of-6 from 3-point range, sank 14-of-15 free throws and added eight rebounds, six assists and five steals to spark NBA Western Conference leader Oklahoma City over Houston.</div><p>&quot;We stayed with our principles,&quot; Gilgeous-Alexander said. &quot;We knew we would be able to get enough shots and kick it. We focused on that the whole night to give ourselves a chance and that&#x27;s what happened.&quot;</p><p>The Rockets led 42-41 at half time, Houston&#x27;s defense holding Oklahoma City to its lowest first-half total so far this season.</p><p>But Gilgeous-Alexander scored 12 points in the third quarter and the Thunder matched their largest lead to that point at 75-69 entering the fourth quarter and pulled away at the finish.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>A dominating performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo on Saturday led the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final, where they will face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder for the title.</p>

A dominating performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo on Saturday led the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final, where they will face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder for the title.

Bucks beat Hawks to reach NBA Cup final against Thunder

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Bucks beat Hawks to reach NBA Cup final against Thunder

Agence France-Presse

Published Dec 15, 2024 03:05 PM PHT

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