NEW YORK (UNITED STATES) (ITALPRESS) – Milwaukee and Oklahoma City are the first two semifinalists of the NBA Cup. The Bucks equaled last season’s result, beating an injury-decimated Orlando 114-109 at the Fiserv Forum. Giannis Antentokounmpo (37 points) and Damian Lillard (28 points including 9 in the last minute) put their stamp, dragging Milwaukee to its second consecutive semifinal: next obstacle the winner of the quarterfinal between New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks. The Magic, though deprived of the various Banchero, Isaac and Franz Wagner, played it out to the last with Jalen Suggs (32 points) missing the first triple of the possible overtake with 12 seconds to the buzzer and then the one of the potential tie with 9″1 to go, with Lillard and Antentokounmpo thus closing the accounts from the lunette. On the other side of the scoreboard, they fly to the semifinals the Thunder – they will face in Las Vegas one between Golden State and Houston – who fold 118-104 Dallas dragged by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (39 points), Jalen Williams (18 points) and Isaiah Hartenstein (10 points and 13 rebounds). Also decisive was the work on defense to limit Luka Doncic (the Slovenian will finish with 16 points and 5/15 from the field), with Marshall and Thompson (19 points each) not enough for the Mavericks to counter OKC, especially in the third quarter (33-19 the partial). Too many turnovers as well, 19, converted by the Thunder into 36 points.
– photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
