Hawks and Rockets qualified for Las Vegas, where they will face Bucks and Thunder. Daniels gags Brunson and Young takes the Garden, the Warriors come back from +6 with 1’20” to go and the Texans dispel the taboo against the Californians after 15 defeats in a row
The Atlanta Hawks and the Houston Rockets have taken the last two tickets to Las Vegas. Everything is ready, therefore, for the three days in Sin City, which will host the semi-finals and final of the second edition of the NBA Cup: Bucks-Hawks and Thunder-Rockets will be the matches that will be staged on the night of Saturday 14th, with the access to the final on 17 December. The verdict comes at the end of the second evening of the quarter-finals, which took on the flavor of a showdown: Trae Young still confirms himself as the nightmare of the Madison Team Garden, with the Hawks eliminating the Knicks, while the Rockets choose the best evening to return to winning ways against Golden State (on a positive streak against the Texans for 15 consecutive games), at the end of an incredible finish.
NEW YORK KNICKS-ATLANTA HAWKS 100-108
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“Told you!”, is the cry heard as the Knicks fans leave the stands of Madison Square Garden. Yep, because New York’s worst villain did it again. After the first round of the 2021 playoffs, Trae Young once again eliminates the Knicks in an in-or-out game, again on the road, against the very hot Garden crowd. And he does it in his own way, with the usual double double of 22 points and 11 assists, leading the Hawks’ comeback after a difficult first half. The first half in which Thibodeau’s team led with physicality and defensive intensity: Towns was already double-double at halftime, while Atlanta had recorded 3/16 from 3 points and 36.5% from the field. Numbers that underwent a clear reversal in the second half, when Young began to put himself and his teammates in rhythm. With the score at 66-62 for the Knicks, Trae scores 8 consecutive points with two triples, pointing to the parquet after the second, giving rise to a 27-8 run with which the Hawks completely turn the game around. The point guard also gave 9 assists in the second half: thanks to Hunter and Johnson, who both finished with over 20 points. The former, in particular, scores several heavy baskets in directing the match, with an excellent 4/5 from 3 points. The second key to the Hawks’ victory is the incredible superiority in rebounding (22 offensively), and the defense of Dyson Daniels on Jalen Brunson: a bad night for the point guard from Villanova, who finished with 14 points and 5/15 from the field. With the game already on ice, Young then adds a dramatic twist by miming throwing the dice on the Knicks logo while waiting for the end of the game.
New York: Hart 21 (8/12, 3/5 3pt, 2/2 TL), Towns 19, Bridges 19. Rebounds: Towns 19. Assists: Hart 6.
Atlanta: Hunter 22 (8/15, 4/5 3pt, 4/6 TL), Young 22, Johnson 21. Rebounds: Johnson 15. Assists: Young 11.
HOUSTON ROCKETS-GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 91-90
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“The streak is over”. After more than four years and fifteen consecutive defeats, the Houston Rockets win again against Golden State and qualify for the semi-finals of the NBA Cup. And they do so at the end of a physical, daring match, in which the defensive intensity and offensive errors they were the constant that accompanied the two teams to play the final point by point. And which ultimately rewards Udoka’s team, down by 6 with 1’20” to go, but capable of winning in a sprint by taking advantage of poor management by the Warriors, who are no strangers to suffering comebacks at the end of games. Because the years pass for everyone, even for two sacred monsters like Curry and Green: if Steph finishes with only 19 points, missing the triple of the potential knockout, Draymond pulls off a performance as defender of the year but loses 5 balls, one of which very heavy in the economy of the result. Turnovers are the main problem for the Californians in the first half: 13, caused by the suffocating defense of the Rockets (10 stolen), who also escape to +14 thanks to Sengun and Jabari Smith. In the second half, Golden State increases concentration, the ball circulates better and Buddy Hield finds rhythm from 3, with 11 points in the third quarter, while Udoka’s attack stalls. Despite several errors and violations of the shot clock, Golden State maintains the lead with Kuminga (20 points, but how much does that 2/6 from the line weigh) and a couple of triples from Waters and Podziemski. However, when the Rockets don’t seem to score anymore, here’s VanVleet’s triple that brings them back to -3: in the last minute, the Warriors are no longer able to build anything, and after the -1 made by Sengun (Houston’s best) there ‘It’s a loose ball after a missed triple from Curry. With 5” on the clock, Jalen Green is the first to throw himself on the ball, and Kuminga commits a foul with Houston in bonus: the 2/2 free throws gives the Texans 91-90, and with 3 seconds left Podziemski takes the last one shot: Jabari Smith cancels his triple, making the Toyota Center crowd explode with joy and leaving Kerr and the Warriors in disbelief.
Houston: Sengun 26 (10718, 0/1 3pt, 6/7 TL), Smith 15, Green 12. Rebounds: Sengun 11. Assists: VanVleet 7.
Golden State: Kuminga 20 (8/20, 2/6 3pts, 2/6 TL), Curry 19, Hield 15. Rebounds: Payton 7. Assists: Curry 5.
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