The Atlanta Hawks faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks for the second time this season in the semi-finals of the NBA cup. Bogdanovic, Young, Hunter, and Johnson were all listed on the injury report prior to the game but were ruled available.
Giannis got out in transition early to give the Bucks a 7-0 start. After a timeout, Trae Young sank a three then threw a lob that Johnson impressively reversed and scored.
Trae drills a 3 off the hard screen from CC pic.twitter.com/X7886cSgmb
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 14, 2024
The Hawks bounced back from the 7-0 start and took a 15-12 lead, forcing Doc Rivers to use his first timeout with 4:41 remaining in the first quarter. After the timeout, Bogdanovic hit back to back threes to keep the Hawks rolling. At the end of quarter one, the Hawks led 28-26 in a fast-paced match.
With Young on the bench, the Bucks went on a 10-0 run to start the second quarter. The Hawks went scoreless on five straight possessions. The backup point guard spot remained murky, with Krejci once again getting the nod. After Okongwu buried a corner three, Daniels secured a steal and laid it in to put the Hawks down two points.
The Bucks maintained the lead through the rest of the half, The Hawks trailed 55-49 entering the locker room. Trae Young had already amassed 12 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds.
Young started the third quarter with 11 points on a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, similar to his third quarter against teh Knicks where he took over. The Hawks outscored the Bucks by seven in the third as they entered the fourth quarter up one.
The Bucks maintained control in the fourth quarter. The Hawks struggled to get anything going for them offensively, with the main source of offense being Young at the free throw line. Down two possessions, the Hawks gave themselves multiple chances at getting back in the game, Unfortunately, a couple three point attempts from Young did not drop.
The Bucks outscored the Hawks 28-19 in the fourth quarter, ultimately taking the spot in the NBA Cup championship.