Published on December 12, 2024 at 8:23 a.m. – updated on December 12, 2024 at 9:21 a.m.
The NBA Cup semi-finals will pit Milwaukee against Atlanta and Oklahoma City against Houston, after the victory of the Hawks in New York (100-108) and that of the Rockets against Golden State (91-90) this Wednesday.
We know the four teams who will be packing their bags for Las Vegas! After Milwaukee and Oklahoma City on Tuesday, it was Atlanta and Houston who won their ticket to the semi-finals of the NBA Cup, which will be held this Saturday. The Hawks created a surprise by winning in New York, although better ranked in the Eastern Conference (4th against 7th), with a score of 100-108. Trailing until the middle of the third quarter, but never by more than twelve points, Atlanta overthrew the Knicks thanks to a huge third quarter, winning 18-34, before managing the last one well (28-27). The trio De’Andre Hunter (24pts) – Trae Young (22pts, 11pds) – Jalen Johnson (21pts, 15rbds, 7pds) had a great match, and here the Hawks are two victories away from winning their first trophy since 1958 (at based in St-Louis at the time, they were crowned champions against Boston). Zaccharie Risacher, however, did not weigh on the match, with 2 points in 17 minutes, 1/8 on shots including 0/4 at 3pts. On the Knicks side (where Pacôme Dadiet did not play), the big double-double from Karl-Anthony Towns (19pts, 19rbds) was not enough and Jalen Brunson was not really successful, with 14 points to 5 /15 on shots. On Saturday, Atlanta will challenge Milwaukee for a place in the final. In the only match between the two teams this season, last week, the Hawks won 104-119 in Wisconsin.
Semi-final at the top in the West
In the West, the semi-final will pit Oklahoma City against Houston! At home, the Rockets beat Golden State 91-90 and therefore upheld the logic of the ranking (2nd against 5th). But it was a real hold-up on the part of the Texans who, after leading by fourteen points in the second quarter, were led during the last quarter of an hour (but never by more than seven points), before take away on the wire. At 3’38 from the buzzer, the Warriors were in front (82-89), but a three-point shot from Fred VanVleet at 1’16 from the end gave hope to the Rockets (87-90), who returned to -1 27 seconds from the end on a lay-up by Alperen Sengun (89-90). Four seconds from the buzzer, Jonathan Kuminga (20pts, top scorer for the Warriors) committed a foul on Jalen Green, who did not miss his two shots and therefore gave Houston the victory. Sengun finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Stephen Curry missed a lot of shots (8/17 scored, including 3/9 at 3pts) and finished with 19 points for the Warriors. Saturday will therefore be a semi-final at the summit between the two best teams in the Western Conference. Two teams who have already faced each other twice this season, and each had won at home.
