Bucks power past Knicks to reach the semi-finals on Thursday
2023.12.07
Giannis and Lillard lead the Bucks to a rout of the Knicks.
The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the New York Knicks 146-122 on Tuesday to advance to the NBA’s in-season tournament semi-finals. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combined for 63 points.
The Bucks progressed to a last-four matchup against the Indiana Pacers in Las Vegas on Thursday after pulling ahead of the Knicks in the third quarter at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.
Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee scorers with 35 points, while Lillard added 28 points, including 5-of-7 shooting from three-point range.
Antetokounmpo had ten assists and eight rebounds.
Milwaukee was led by Malik Beasley (18 points), Khris Middleton (14 points), Bobby Portis (13) and Cameron Payne (12 points).
Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo was encouraged by a performance that gave additional indication that the former NBA MVP’s blockbuster pairing with summer signing Lillard is coming together.
“Game by game, we are getting more comfortable,” Antetokounmpo said of his on-court connection with Lillard. “We have a lot of games coming up.”
“As we play more minutes together, we’ll become more at ease.”
“Sometimes we’ll play well, sometimes we’ll play poorly, but at the end of the day, I think me and him are setting the tone for the entire team…we’re playing to win.” It’s a nice sensation.”
Meanwhile, Julius Randle led the way for New York with 41 points, while Jalen Brunson ended with 24.
The Knicks, on the other hand, were always chasing the game following Milwaukee’s third-quarter scoring run.
A tense opening quarter saw 15 lead changes until Milwaukee took a two-point lead at 37-35, and a similarly tense second quarter left the Bucks ahead by three points at the half, 75-72.
However, the game shifted significantly in Milwaukee’s favor in the third quarter, when the Bucks began to score at will, with Antetokounmpo pouring in 13 points to help the top seeds create an insurmountable advantage.
With a minute remaining in the third quarter, Portis’ 15-foot jump jumper gave Milwaukee an 18-point lead, and there was no way back for New York.
The Knicks came to within nine points when Donte DiVincenzo’s running layup early in the fourth quarter made it 112-103, but the rally was short-lived as back-to-back three-pointers from Beasley immediately restored Milwaukee’s double-digit lead.
A Payne three-pointer put Milwaukee up 20 points in the fourth quarter, 125-105, and the Bucks cruised home to secure their final four place.
The victory puts Milwaukee in a last-four matchup with Indiana on Thursday, with a spot in Saturday’s championship in Las Vegas on the line.
@charith
