By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Returning to the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals for the second straight year, the Milwaukee Bucks edged out the Orlando Magic, 114-109, in Fiserv Forum in the Quarterfinals of the 2024 in-season tournament.
Focusing his efforts inside the paint throughout the Quarterfinals affair on Tuesday, Giannis Antetokounmpo logged a game-high 37 points. He connected 15/24 field goals.
“I am looking forward to playing more minutes with Dame, more minutes with Khris, maybe all three of us together,” the Freak previewed additional minutes with Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton deeper in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season and the ensuing Playoffs, “As we get more comfortable and get our rhythm, going as we get our spots, because we got to pick our spots. Everybody is trying to be aggressive. Everybody can score the ball. We’re all alpha male. So, we all want to initiate something, start something. We just got to come together as a team and figure out how to do whatever it takes to benefit the team.”
A revenge poster dunk on Goga Bitadze to counter an earlier highlight effort by the Georgian center boosted his points in the paint. Dealing with right patella tendinopathy over several recent games, the Greek international star lasted 35 minutes against the Magic. He put in seven rebounds, four blocks, two steals, and one assist, in addition to his 37 points.
The only team making it to the Semifinals in Las Vegas across the first and second installments of the Cup, the Bucks will face the winner of the clash between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks in the Semifinals on Saturday. “I’m always in. I don’t care if it is a regular-season game, an in-season tournament game, a playoff game, I play the same,” said Giannis.
The Magic were eliminated and also fell to 17-10 in the Regular Season. With German Franz Wagner (right oblique tear) among multiple players on the injury list, his brother Moritz Wagner scored 13 points with 6/6 field goals, coming off the bench. In the starting lineup, Bitadze posted a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double and German Tristan da Silva tallied six points with 1/5 from the field.