Bucks get second crack at NBA Cup semis vs. Trae Young, Hawks
Fri Dec 13 5:48pm ET
Field Level Media
LAS VEGAS -- The Milwaukee Bucks are making a return trip to the NBA Cup semifinals after falling short in Sin City last season. This time around, they'll have the responsibility of stopping one of the game's great entertainers in Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks.
Young rolled a pair of imaginary dice over the New York Knicks' midcourt logo in the closing moments of the Hawks' 108-100 win in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, a nod to the Hawks' trip to Vegas.
It was yet another example of Young's showmanship, something the Knicks have seen firsthand over the years. The Bucks also got to experience a bit of Young's big-game prowess in the 2021 Eastern Conference finals, but Young suffered an ankle injury in Game 3 of that series and wasn't the same the rest of the way.
If "Ice Trae" has it his way, the Bucks will be the latest victim of his prime-time heroics on Saturday night. Even if he doesn't like to linger on the memories of that series.
"I don't let past things make me mad (and I don't) hold a grudge on those things," the 26-year-old Young said. "Yeah, I'm young. I'm not super young anymore, where I like, let those things really affect me.
"I remember it like it was yesterday. It definitely hurts, but I mean, this is a new team. I'm part of a new team. They're a different team. So I can't let my past affect my mental and my focus on right now, because it's a totally different team and totally different place."
Young is averaging 21 points per game to go along with 12.2 assists, numbers that have only been equaled by Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas over the course of an entire NBA season. He's gotten a fair bit of help too, most notably in the form of 19.8 points and a team-high 10.1 rebounds per game from fourth-year forward Jalen Johnson.
The Hawks earned the No. 3 seed in NBA Cup knockout play after going 3-1 in the East Group C stage. Atlanta's among the hottest teams in the league at the moment, having won seven of its last eight games overall.
The Bucks, on the other hand, are the only team of the four remaining that made it to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas last season. They had a short trip, falling 128-119 to the Pacers, but the hope is that last year's experience better prepared them for all of the outside hoopla that comes with this stage.
At the very least, they have a much better understanding of what winning the NBA Cup would entail.
"I think last year, most people didn't even understand what was going on until they got to the final stages," Bucks star Damian Lillard said. "When we got to the game against New York last year, where the winner got to go to Vegas, we started to have a better understanding of what was on the line.
"Coming into this season, I think everybody understood better. Everybody cared more, not just because it's an opportunity to win money. Even though it's not the ultimate goal, I think it gives you an edge. We want to be the last team standing in it. We want to win the money. We want to continue going in the right direction as a team."
The Bucks entered Tuesday's quarterfinal as the East's top seed in NBA Cup play, going 4-0 in East Group B play despite a turbulent 2-8 start to the season. They've won nine of their last 11 games and eclipsed .500 for the season by beating the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday and the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo sits atop the NBA scoring leaders as of Friday afternoon, averaging 32.7 points and a team-high 11.4 rebounds per game. Lillard has also played at an All-Star level, averaging 25.8 points per game in addition to 7.6 assists. Bobby Portis (13.2 ppg) and Brook Lopez (11 ppg) are the only other Bucks averaging double figures.
--Will Despart, Field Level Media
- Wolves G Donte DiVincenzo (toe) out indefinitely
- NBA roundup: Clippers beat Lakers, extend success in new home
- Thunder's Mark Daigneault earns All-Star coach nod
- NBA roundup: Surging Hawks rally, top Celtics in OT
- Spurs, Heat both trying to snap losing streaks
- NBA roundup: Nuggets spoil Jimmy Butler's return to Heat
- Disgruntled Heat star Jimmy Butler back in action vs. Nuggets
- Sixers C Joel Embiid (knee) out another 7-10 days
- NBA roundup: Thunder clobber Cavs in battle of NBA’s best
- Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo stay atop All-Star voting
- LeBron James not involved in 'F1 for basketball' startup
- LeBron James' family remains evacuated due to wildfires
- NBA roundup: Clippers lay historic beating on Nets
- Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin gets 1-game ban for bumping ref
- Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon out vs. Rockets
- Knicks C Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb) out vs. 76ers
- Hornets trade Nick Richards to Suns for Josh Okogie
- NBA makes wildfire-related schedule updates
- NBA roundup: Bucks stop Kings’ 7-game winning streak
- Jimmy Butler reiterates to Heat that he wants to be traded
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (wrist) was a late addition to the Cavs' injury report for their Monday matchup with the Suns, and he was downgraded to out an hour before tip-off. LeVert started on Saturday with Evan Mobley (calf) out, but now he'll join Mobley and Isaac Okoro (shoulder) on the sidelines. In his absence, Max Strus and Ty Jerome will be strong DFS streaming options. Jerome had a great game with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal against the Timberwolves on Friday. Especially with LeVert out as well, Jerome will be in a strong spot Monday afternoon.
New York Knicks forward Josh Hart (neck) will be able to play through a questionable tag on Monday afternoon when the Knicks host the Hawks. Hart has played all 42 of the Knicks' games this season, averaging 14.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 37.8 minutes per game. Hart had six straight double-doubles, averaging 14.2 points and 13.3 rebounds during that span, but he fell one rebound short of extending that streak on Friday against the Timberwolves. The fact that he and Karl-Anthony Towns will play through their questionable tags puts the Knicks close to full strength for their Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup against Atlanta.
Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (reconditioning) will not join the Suns on their current road trip, according to coach Mike Budenholzer, meaning he will miss at least the next two games. The Suns play in Cleveland on Monday and Brooklyn on Wednesday, and Nurkic will miss those games with his next chance to possibly return coming on Saturday at home against the Wizards. With Nick Richards acquired from the Hornets and Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro ahead of him on the depth chart, Nurkic may not even have a role when he is able to return and is rumored to be on his way out of Phoenix.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb) will be able to play on Monday after missing two games. He scored over 25 points in seven of his last nine games and averaged 28.9 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 37.2 minutes per game over that span. In his 38 games, he produced 25.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in his first season with the Knicks. In his two games against the Hawks earlier this year Towns had 34 points and 16 rebounds in a five-point loss followed by 19 points and 19 rebounds in the rematch, which the Knicks also lost by eight points. KAT's return should give the Knicks a nice boost in their Monday afternoon matchup, and he can be used as typical in all formats.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) is expected to play on Monday despite being listed as questionable for the Suns' road matchup with the Cavaliers, according to Suns' coach Mike Budenholzer. Beal missed the last two games with his ankle injury but was fairly effective off the bench before the injury. He scored double-digit points in six straight games after moving to the second unit and averaged 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 31 minutes per game. He'll be a key part of the Suns rotation in their matchup in Cleveland on Monday afternoon.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Caris LeVert (wrist) has been added to the injury report on Monday afternoon with what they're calling right wrist soreness. Since the Cavaliers are playing a mid-afternoon game, this late of a reported injury doesn't seem like a good sign. He went straight to a questionable status, so fantasy managers will likely want to go with a backup option. Since Isaac Okoro (shoulder) is also sidelined, Max Strus and Ty Jerome could serve as streaming options. The latter posted 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal in their last outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (shoulder) has officially been upgraded from probable to available on Monday and will play in his second game back from a five-game absence. The 23-year-old returned on Saturday against the Boston Celtics to the tune of 14 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block across 38 minutes. Johnson is a quality start in all fantasy formats as he usually stuffs the stat sheet, especially when Trae Young is on the court as well. It could be more of a defensive battle against the Knicks on Monday as he'll likely go up against OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (foot) was originally listed as questionable but was upgraded to probable and will be available to play in Monday afternoon's matchup against Minnesota. Morant missed Friday's game against the Spurs, but he was productive in his four previous matchups, averaging 22.25 points, 5.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. His lowest production during that run was against Minnesota when he had just 12 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 30 minutes. The Grizzlies still won by two points, but Morant will hope to have a much stronger showing in the rematch at home on Monday.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (Achilles) has been upgraded from probable to available and will take the court against the New York Knicks on Monday. There isn't any other player in the league who enjoys playing against the Knicks quite like Young. In 21 career games against the Knicks, Young averages 25.4 points, 9.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 40.4% from the floor and hitting 2.5 threes per contest. The Hawks and Knicks always seem to battle it out, so efficiency probably won't be the highest priority in this one.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (ankle) will now play on Monday after originally being listed as questionable for their game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Timberwolves PR announced that he'll be starting which means Naz Reid will take a hit to his fantasy value since he'll be coming off of the bench again. Gobert remains a must-start in all fantasy formats, especially for teams looking for big-man stats as he's posted 17 double-doubles so far along with 26 games of at least 10 boards.
Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson (calf) has been upgraded from questionable to available on Monday and will play through the calf tightness that he was experiencing. Before he was forced to miss a game, Thompson registered 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. He's a great start in any fantasy format but has especially excelled this year in category leagues with his defensive potential. Through 38 games, he's averaging 12.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (toe) is now in a walking boot and will be sidelined indefinitely due to a left big toe injury. ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the former 17th-overall pick was put in a boot on Monday and there is no timetable for his return while he seeks out an additional opinion. DiVincenzo was starting to find his stride with the team and averaged 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will likely see some added playing time while he's sidelined.
Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (conditioning) has been ruled out of Monday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nurkic has missed the last six games with an illness, making Monday's matchup against Cleveland the seventh straight game he'll have missed in a row. The injury report lists this as a "return to conditioning" designation, but the Bosnian has also been rumored to be in trade discussions. In his absence, expect Mason Plumlee and the newly-acquired Nick Richards to clean up the glass for Cleveland. Richards grabbed 11 boards in 29 minutes off the bench for Phoenix in his Suns debut, making him the preferred option over Plumlee on Monday.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (calf) has been ruled out of Monday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Mobley strained his right calf against the Thunder on Thursday night and was forced to miss Saturday's game against the Timberwolves as well. The 23-year-old has been a big piece of Cleveland's success this season, averaging 18.6 PPG and 8.8 RPG. In his absence, expect Jarrett Allen to get more usage in the starting lineup. Also expect Caris LeVert to be inserted into the starting lineup while George Niang should get more minutes off the bench. Niang grabbed 10 rebounds on Saturday while putting up 15 points. Niang should be a sneaky DFS play on Monday.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (foot) has been upgraded to probable for Monday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Morant has been dealing with foot soreness that forced him to miss the Grizzlies' last game against the Spurs but he'll be able to tough it out today. The 25-year-old is obviously a must start in all fantasy formats today, though in his only game against the Timberwolves this season he scored just 12 points and recorded just four assists. Those are well below his season norms of 21.4 PPG and 7.5 APG, so fantasy managers may want to temper expectations.
Dallas Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes (back) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Grimes is dealing with back spasms that will force him to miss just his third game this season. Grimes has been a decent contributor off the bench for Dallas, averaging 10.2 PPG and 4.0 RPG. With Dallas very short on depth at the guard position, expect Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie to get extended minutes beyond their normal starter minutes today with both Jaden Hardy and Grimes unavailable off the bench.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (shoulder) is listed as probable for Monday's game against the New York Knicks. Johnson has been dealing with right shoulder inflammation that caused him to miss five games in a row before returning against Boston on Saturday. Johnson has been fantastic for the Hawks this year, averaging 19.7 PPG and 10.2 RPG. His 5.2 APG is a career high as well, making him a very well-rounded fantasy threat. The 23-year-old grabbed 15 rebounds in both matchups against New York this season while also averaging 22.0 PPG, making him a must start in all fantasy formats on Monday.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (heel) is listed as probable for Monday's game against the New York Knicks. Young is dealing with Achilles soreness in his right heel but will be able to play through it. Fantasy managers should have high expectations for the 26-year-old today as he generally loves playing in Madison Square Garden. Against the Knicks this season Young has averaged 21.5 PPG and 10.5 APG in two games. He's a must start in all fantasy formats.
Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 10 assists and 14 rebounds in a 113-100 win over Orlando on Sunday, Jan. 19.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Beal has missed each of the last two games due to a left ankle sprain. The fact that he was upgraded to questionable means that Beal is trending in the right direction. The Suns are likely to use a committee approach to fill the void if Beal continues to miss time. That means, Ryan Dunn, Grayson Allen, and Royce O'Neale should all see increased playing time. Both Allen and Dunn are worth looking at as streaming options if Beal is forced to miss another game.
