The Bucks and the Magic opened the ball with a superb quarter-final of the NBA Cup, despite the absences of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero on the Orlando side. But like against the Suns on Saturday evening, the Floridians played hard, pushing the Bucks of the Lillard-Antetokounmpo tandem to their limits!
After a great first quarter during which Orlando was up to 10 points ahead (23-33), it was Moritz Wagner who took over by scoring 9 points in a row on his own to maintain the pace ( 33-42).
Milwaukee then had to rely on a Bobby Portis in great form, since the interior started with a 7/7 shooting to allow the locals to equalize at 47-47. Through its defense and efficiency, Orlando managed to regain the lead thanks to Jalen Suggs' 3-pointer, Anthony Black's 2+1 then Goga Bitadze's dunk (53-59). But the Bucks were once again able to match the intensity of the Floridians, ending the first half in front with a short header on an alley-oop between Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetetokounmpo (60-59).
Giannis' huge dunk!
The scenario repeated itself after the break since after another solid start (62-68), Milwaukee had to work to get back into the game, and in what way! The Bucks went 16-2 mainly fueled by the Lillard-Antetokounmpo pair including a monumental dunk from Giannis with a left hand over Goga Bitadze before seeing Gary Trent Jr.'s 3-pointer bring the score to 78-70.
As Jalen Suggs had just come out, returning to the locker room holding his thumb, things were starting to smell bad for the Magic. Except that the leader returned to the floor to reward his team with a final sensational act, with 18 of his 32 points in the period including 10 points in a row to completely reverse the trend, the player ending his sequence with a 3-pointer and huge cross on Gary Trent Jr to put Orlando back in the lead (103-104)!
Wendell Carter Jr. thought he hit the nail on the head with two additional free throws, but it was Damian Lillard who had the last word.
The Bucks leader played this same Wendell Carter Jr. to send a step-back 3-pointer, then finish at the circle before spending a 2/2 on the throws (110-107). The Magic's luck changed when Anthony Black missed a free throw, while Jalen Suggs inherited the last two 3-point arrows without being able to find the target, leaving Milwaukee to advance to the semi-final at the outcome of a great match (114-109).
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– Giannis Antetokounmpo stung. Goga Bitadze had the bad idea of posterizing Giannis Antetokounmpo at the end of the first half! The Greek then made it a personal matter in view of the rest of his match where he combined efficiency and spectacle. First there was this alley-oop just before the break, then two huge dunks in the third quarter to establish his domination, the second on a left hand flight where he flew over the Georgian pivot. The two often crossed paths afterward, and the “Greek Freak” almost always gained the upper hand, while Goga Bitadze gradually lost his aura. You shouldn't piss off Giannis!
– 28. This is one of the numbers of the match which illustrates the importance of the Lillard-Antetokounmpo tandem since between the end of the first half and the middle of the third quarter, the two players combined for 28 points in a row! Logical on the one hand, as both players are above the rest in terms of talent, but it is also worrying for the rest of the team, who must be more involved to stay in the game. Milwaukee will not win with two players and will need all its weapons to continue its journey. Bobby Portis' start was the perfect example of this, going strong in the first half before disappearing completely.
– The Suggs Warrior. Like other players who specialize in this in the NBA, Jalen Suggs is a true “warrior”. Where many might have stayed in the locker room after a visible blow to the thumb of their right hand, the Magic guard gritted his teeth and came back with a bandage on his hand to finish the match! Not only was he able to hold his place, but above all he had an exceptional last quarter by multiplying the decisive shots until his 0/2 3-pointer at the very end of the match. On his very last attempt, a catch-and-shoot on a throw-in that he narrowly missed, we could also see that he had opened his knee. There was no victory in the end, but Jalen Suggs is still credited with a great performance.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
