Four teams remain in this year’s NBA Emirates Cup, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the tournament. With the LA Lakers crowned champions last year, this season will see a new team claim the title for the first time, adding an extra layer of anticipation. The action heats up this Saturday with two high-stakes semifinal matchups: the Atlanta Hawks face off against the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Houston Rockets clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

The Eastern Conference showdown promises to be a thrilling battle as Trae Young and the Hawks square off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Both teams have shown tremendous form throughout the tournament, making this matchup a must-watch for basketball fans. Young’s dynamic scoring and playmaking abilities will be critical for Atlanta, while Giannis’ dominance on both ends of the court gives Milwaukee a considerable edge.

In this preview, we’ll break down the key storylines, player matchups and team dynamics that could determine the outcome of this Eastern Conference clash. Stay tuned as we share our pick for who will emerge victorious and take one step closer to NBA Emirates Cup glory.

Atlanta Hawks NBA Emirates Cup Recap

The Atlanta Hawks (14-12 overall) advanced to the NBA Emirates Semifinal after upsetting the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. Although the Knicks jumped out to an early first-half lead, the Hawks stuck around and took their first lead in the third quarter. They didn’t look back either, as Atlanta outscored New York by 16 points in the third before holding onto the lead in the fourth quarter.

It was a team effort for the Hawks, as Trae Young, Deandre Hunter and Jalen Johnson combined for 66 points, while Johnson, Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu tallied 39 rebounds. It’s been a great run for Atlanta, as they went 3-1 in Group Play and won a group that featured the two top seeds in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics and Cavaliers. After defeating the Knicks (current #4 seed in the East), they will now face the #6 seed Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee Bucks NBA Emirates Cup Recap

The Milwaukee Bucks (13-11) clinched their trip to the semifinals with a 114-109 victory over the Orlando Magic. Although the Magic took an early 33-25 lead after the first quarter, Milwaukee stormed back and got clutch baskets from Damian Lillard and Giannis down the stretch. The Greek Freak led all scorers with 37, while Lillard scored 28 and went a perfect 10-10 from the free-throw line, which included a few clutch FTs with under a minute left in the fourth.

It was a rocky start to the season for Milwaukee, but they’ve played their best basketball in the NBA Emirates Cup, as they went a perfect 4-0 in group play and posted a point differential of +50. They’ll be expected to take down the Hawks this Saturday, and if they get big games from Giannis and Lillard, it’s hard to see how Atlanta will stop them.

Atlanta Hawks @ Milwaukee Bucks NBA Emirates Cup Semifinal Picks

The Hawks and Bucks will play for an appearance in the NBA Cup Final next Tuesday, and it should be a back-and-forth matchup. These two teams met earlier this month in Milwaukee, and the Hawks grabbed the win 119-104. In that matchup, Atlanta got a big boost from their bench, as they outscored the Bucks 50-31. I don’t see that changing this time around, and Milwaukee will need big games from their superstars, Antetokounmpo and Lillard.

When picking between the two, I’ll back Giannis to have a big game this Saturday. The Hawks will likely task Deandre Hunter with slowing down the Greek Freak, and I don’t think he can keep him at bay. Giannis has 59, 32, 31 and 37 in his four NBA Cup games this season (39.8 PPG), so I expect him to have another big game and will pick him to score 32+ points in this matchup.

Our Pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo to Score 32+ Points