The Milwaukee Bucks are in the NBA Cup Finals after getting a 110-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks with a monster game, scoring 32 points and adding 14 rebounds, nine assists, and four blocks.
The Bucks made it to the semifinals of the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 but were stopped by the Indiana Pacers. But this time, Milwaukee didn’t want to miss another opportunity.
After a sloppy third quarter that saw them turn a six-point lead into a one-point deficit, the Bucks entered the fourth quarter dialed in. They took control halfway through the period and never relinquished it despite the Hawks attempts to stage another comeback.
Atlanta was finally broken with 23 seconds left in the contest when Bucks’ point guard Damian Lillard scored a floater to put his team up by seven. Lillard finished the game with 25 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.
Making the NBA Cup Finals further validates the Bucks’ surging form in recent weeks. After starting the 2024-25 with a 2-8 record, the Bucks went 12-3 and positioned themselves sixth in the Eastern Conference standings.
On the other hand, the Hawks will likely be disappointed for not going all the way. They also made a great run recently, winning seven of their last 10 games, and are one game behind the Bucks in the standings.
