Bucks-Hawks: 5 takeaways from the Emirates NBA Cup semifinals

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LAS VEGAS – Last year in this city, in this tournament, the Bucks were ambushed by an overachieving team with a hot point guard. And as fate would have it, the Bucks returned … and were faced with a copycat threat.

This time, Trae Young and the Hawks were no match for the Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton, or for the smoke the Bucks gave Atlanta during their Emirates NBA Cup Semifinal, a 110-102 victory.

“We were a little sharper this time,” guard Damian Lillard said. “We came right.”

So Milwaukee moves forward, putting more distance between a slow start to the season and giving another hint that the down days are over.

“I think this is going to continue,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said.

Here are five takeaways from the Bucks’ win to reach Tuesday’s championship game.

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1. It’s not your early November money

They started 2-8. They have won 12 of 15 since. All the noise, the circling vultures, the projections of doom and the possibility of this being a lost season have suddenly evaporated.

“Outside of Milwaukee,” coach Doc Rivers said, “people were wondering what was going on. Not us.”

Maybe, just maybe, the Bucks fit the description of being an East contender again. This much is factual – they will challenge for a championship trophy in 2024-25.

As for the one awarded in June? Rivers says that’s the obvious goal, but isn’t thinking beyond the most immediate championship, the one awarded Tuesday (8:30 ET, ABC). He implored his team to make it a priority — not that he needed much prompting, given how the Bucks have been reborn after a slow start.

“Accept the challenge and let’s put our name out there that we’re trying to win it,” he said.

The chance to grab the Cup would give their turnaround a stamp of authenticity. From the beginning of November until now, the Bucks have had a few reversals in their favor – better defense, the return of Khris Middleton from injury and increased confidence.

All of this was on display throughout their run in the Cup, and especially against the Hawks, as the Bucks provided all the necessary ingredients to win.

“The only thing that matters is winning,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said.

The Hawks scored just two points in the final 2:15 as it was a three-point game. From there, the Bucks took over ownership.

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2. A Giannis takeover

This is what franchise players and MVP contenders do – they take command of a hotly contested game and leave their fingerprints everywhere. They don’t just make a difference, they are the difference.

Such was the case with Giannis in the stretch, as he was impactful on both ends of the floor and made the plays that decided the outcome.

The Bucks needed a brace? Giannis (32 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, four blocks) answered with a hard mid-court turnaround shot at the three-minute mark. They needed a stop? Giannis found himself isolated on the smaller and faster Trae Young on the perimeter — which usually bodes poorly for the defender — and Giannis forced a miss.

The Bucks needed someone to get their jersey dirty? Giannis dived to the floor for a loose ball and drew a foul in the process.

He explained: “I’m doing whatever it takes to win the game. I’m glad I did because it means the whole team has to do whatever it takes to close this one out.”

And then there was this…

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3. A large block awakens a large memory

Before we go any further, some perspective is in order: This was not the fourth quarter of an NBA championship game.

That said, Clint Capela’s block of Giannis and Brook Lopez on a lob with 2:35 left was strikingly similar to Giannis’ hit of Deandre Ayton late in Game 4 of the 2021 Finals.

The block four years ago — with less than two minutes remaining — led to a Giannis dunk and ultimately changed the tenor of that series, now tied 2-2. This one was a collaboration with a 7-foot teammate; each had to make a split-second adjustment when Capela caught the lob.

“What matters is being able to be selfless, sacrifice your body,” Giannis said. “You could see on that play both me and Brook went up and down. That’s winning play. That’s what it takes to win games, whether it’s an NBA Cup game, a regular season game, ​an NBA Finals game. To win games, you have to have plays like that.”

Lillard: “Any time you get into a one-possession game, once you get down, the game comes down to who’s going to make timely stops. It was shaping up to be a great game by the Hawks. Fortunately, we got two 7-footers in the paint, which came with the play.”

Rivers: “How many times do you see that lob get blocked?”

Another time, actually.

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4. Khris is still playing catch-up

Middleton played just his fourth game since returning from ankle surgery and is on a limited minutes diet. All the Bucks want are glimpses of the pre-injury version of this former All-Star, and at times they’ve seen it. His ability to return to form could determine whether the Bucks capture the trophy.

Saturday brought a mixed bag. Middleton (six points, four assists) was fine for stretches, but also committed one of three turnovers on an inbounds that could have proved costly in the final minutes (it didn’t).

Brushing aside the outing, Rivers said, “He hasn’t played and at times you could tell a little bit. You’ve got to keep trusting him because the more minutes he plays, it comes back. That’s huge big for us to get him back.”

Middleton had two days off before the Hawks’ game and will have the same amount of rest before the title game.

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5. Keeping Trae in check is proving difficult

The goal for the Bucks was simple enough – keep Young doing what he’s doing. Which means, prevent him from hitting big shots and creating big shots for others.

Young leads the league in assists, and that’s what the Bucks tried to mitigate. It’s a pick-your-poison decision defending Young, and his passing is what Milwaukee wanted to take away.

Mission accomplished, in a way. Young had 10 assists, but his teammates didn’t hurt Milwaukee. No one scored more than 15 points; In particular, Jalen Johnson and DeAndre Hunter (each with 15) came to Vegas on a roll.

“We wanted to get him playing 1-on-1,” Rivers said. “Trae can have those plays where he hurts you (scores), but when he does that, he doesn’t find anybody else.”

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can send him an email herefind his archive here and follow him on X.

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