The 2024 NBA Cup is down to its final four, with the quartet of teams in Las Vegas on Saturday to face off in the second year of the in-season tournament.
In the quarterfinals earlier this week, the Milwaukee Bucks’ duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard led them to a close win over a short-handed Orlando Magic team, while Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks trolled the New York Knicks in an eight-point win at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
Which team will make it to Tuesday’s NBA Cup championship game?
How to watch NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas
Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Channel: TNT
Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more below:
Live19 updates
Clint Capela just completely stuffed Giannis and then finished at the other end. The Hawks, though, still trail 70-64 midway through the third quarter.
In attendance: Not particularly long or imposing but he packs a punch: Floyd Mayweather
You can see why the Hawks are competitive, particularly on defense. They’re not intimidating or imposing, but their wings are long and aggressive. They cover a lot of space and shut off passing lanes.
Now that he’s 30, Giannis Antetokounmpo is eyeing another MVP award. He’s dominating like never before, and is leading the charge tonight in Las Vegas.
Click the photo for more on Giannis’ latest MVP push from Vincent Goodwill earlier this month.
Click the photo for more on 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 the midway point. Damian Lillard is the only other Bucks player in double figures with 10 points, though he’s shot just 3-of-13 from the field.
Trae Young leads the Hawks with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
This feels like a pro-Hawks crowd. Then you remember, the Falcons are playing the Raiders in Vegas this weekend. There was a lot of Falcons gear on folks walking around the city last night and today.
And right on time, here comes Dame. That’s back-to-back 3-pointers from him now, including this one from deep.
I wonder if the lighting at T-Mobile Arena is messing with the shooting. Dame Lillard is 2-for-9 from the field and 1-for-6 from the 3-point line so far.
Not sure if it’s playing on TV, but the atmosphere is picking up some and the building has filled. It was just a slow arriving crowd.
AJ Green’s nickname, according to basketball reference, is Dairy Bird … I have thoughts. But he can play.
He just powered the Bucks on a 10-0 run to start the second quarter with back-to-back 3s. The Bucks are up 36-28 now.
End 1: Hawks 28, Bucks 26
The Hawks rallied back to take a slight lead after the first quarter. Trae Young leads the way with 10 points and five assists, though seven of his points have come from the free throw line. Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks with seven points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Hawks have fought back to take a 18-12 lead after their slow start. Half of their points have come from Trae Young.
Not sure if he’s known more as a podcaster or rapper, but Cam’ron just arrived sitting courtside across from the benches.
The Bucks came to play. They opened the game on a quick 7-0 burst, and the Hawks have to call a timeout after a huge Giannis layup.
The Hawks have won the tip, and the first semifinal game is officially underway.
Like last year’s semifinal, it looks a bit sparse to start. Atlanta and Milwaukee, guessing it’s hard for fans to get to Vegas on short notice.
Hawks-Bucks incoming
The Bucks and Hawks will tip in about 15 minutes from T-Mobile Arena. The Bucks are a -3.5 favorite on BetMGM after their tight win over the Magic in the quarterfinals.
Here’s what’s up for grabs on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
NBA Cup semifinals coming soon
The NBA Cup semifinals will start in about an hour. Here’s everything you need to know before the games get going in Las Vegas:
