Head coach Doc Rivers and the Milwaukee Bucks will look to advance to the championship spherical of the NBA Cup after they tackle Jalen Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks. Antetokounmpo’s able to take his recreation to the subsequent stage amid a spectacular 2024-25. He has eyes on advancing within the Bucks’ semifinal matchup, whereas coach Rivers revealed the similarities he sees in Johnson and the Hawks in comparison with The Greek Freak.
Rivers is blown away by Johnson’s growth from final season to now. Doc sees Giannis in Jalen’s rising offensive strategy, which the Bucks’ head coach mentioned throughout his media availability in Las Vegas.
“We play in opposition to that day by day in apply,” Rivers stated. “That’s Giannis in quite a lot of methods… Jalen has improved his decision-making at a fast tempo. He’s gone from a rookie quarterback to a veteran quarterback.”
In his fourth NBA season, Johnson is averaging a double-double (19.8 factors, 10.1 rebounds), 5.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per recreation for the Hawks. His averages are career-best in almost each statistical class. He shoots at a 50.3% clip, together with 34.9% from deep.
Atlanta entered its NBA Cup quarter-final matchup in opposition to the New York Knicks, winners of seven out of eight, earlier than eliminating the Knicks in a 108-100 victory at Madison Sq. Backyard. In the meantime, the Bucks are 8-2 of their final ten outings and 3-1 since dropping to Atlanta, 119-104, on Dec. 4. Milwaukee received two straight after a 118-113 win in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets, adopted by its 114-109 NBA Cup quarter-final matchup in opposition to the Orlando Magic.
Giannis Antetokounmpo drops’ subsequent stage’ take forward of semifinals
Forward of the NBA Cup semifinals, Bucks famous person Giannis Antetokounmpo is all enterprise in Las Vegas for his matchup in opposition to Jalen Johnson and the Hawks. Doc Rivers received’t catch him behind a poker desk this weekend. However he plans to take his recreation to a different stage, as he revealed on Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s Thanalysis podcast.
After revisiting a 2023 quote during which Giannis stated, “I really feel like there’s two extra ranges I can go to,” the famous person ahead revealed he nonetheless feels the identical method in his twelfth NBA season.
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“I really feel very assured about myself, my means, and my perception proper now could be very robust,” Antetokounmpo stated. “I’m tapping to that subsequent stage proper now, and I believe there’s another stage for me. I really feel very snug being a risk exterior within the midrange, like giving them the Vin Baker – the shake and bake. I’ve watched quite a lot of clips of him. Final 12 months, the entire 12 months I made like 36 midrange photographs. This 12 months I believe I’m like at 55 already.”
The winner between the Bucks and Hawks will face the winner between the Thunder and Rockets for the NBA Cup championship on Tuesday.