For the second straight season, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks are back in the NBA Cup semifinals.
Antetokounmpo dropped his fourth straight 30-point game and the Bucks eliminated the injury-plagued Orlando Magic, 114-109, in their knockout quarterfinal duel, Wednesday, December 11.
The league’s leading scorer poured 37 markers on top of four blocks and seven rebounds in another stellar display in both ends of the floor.
GIANNIS TAKING OVER ON BOTH ENDS!
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2024
THE CHASEDOWN TO THE POSTER 😤
🏆 #EmiratesNBACup Quarterfinals on TNT
Damian Lillard scored seven crucial points in the final minute and finished with 28 points and nine assists for Milwaukee, who now heads to Las Vegas for the semifinals and awaits the winner of the New York Knicks-Atlanta Hawks match-up.
DAME DOWNHILL FOR THE LEAD 🏆
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2024
BUCKS UP 1.
10 SECONDS LEFT.
🏆 #EmiratesNBACup Quarterfinals on TNT
The Bucks will return to the same stage where they crashed out last year after a 128-119 loss against the Indiana Pacers.
Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for the depleted Magic side in the tournament with Jalen Suggs topscoring the squad with a career-high 34 points, including 20 alone in the final frame.
JALEN SUGGS 10 STRAIGHT POINTS 😤
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2024
18 PTS in Q4 and 34 for the game... a career-high!
WATCH THE FINISH ON TNT 🏆 https://t.co/SLPxj8onZP
He missed the potential game-tying three that would have sent the game to overtime.
Without superstars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner who are both dealing with a torn oblique, Orlando could not get the job done as they improved to 7-10 on the road and 17-10 overall for the season.
