Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and Damian Lillard added 32 as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated Miami, 131-124 to advance to the knockout rounds of the NBA In-Season Tournament yesterday.
On the final night of group stage play in the NBA’s inaugural version of a World Cup, the Bucks took the Group B crown 4-0 and became the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Boston beat Chicago, 124-97, to win Group C and advance, while the New York Knicks, second behind Milwaukee in Group B, beat Charlotte, 115-91, to finish 3-1 and advance as a wildcard based on a superior point differential against Cleveland, 42-29.
The Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers already secured spots in last week’s quarter-finals ahead of next month’s semi-finals and finals in Las Vegas.
“We got the job done,” said Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton. “To get to Vegas now, we have to do a little bit more.
“We want it. We’re hungry for it. It’s exciting times for us. We want to go to Vegas so we’re happy.”
Joining the Lakers in the West knockout stage are the Phoenix Suns, who earned a wildcard spot when Minnesota defeated Oklahoma City, 106-103.
Western Conference games will complete the final eight with Golden State at Sacramento and Houston at Dallas. Sacramento and Houston if successful.
Middleton, who had 17 points and eight rebounds, hit back-to-back jump shots for a 122-118 Bucks lead and Brook Lopez’s dunk put Milwaukee ahead 129-124 with 38 seconds left.
Antetokounmpo’s final dunk sealed the victory.
Antetokounmpo scored 11-of-16 from the floor and 10-of-13 from the free throw line and grabbed 10 rebounds with five assists while Lillard, 9-of-18 from the floor and 10-of-10. from the line, added nine assists.
In New York, Julius Randle scored 25 points and grabbed 20 rebounds while Immanuel Quickley had 23 points off the bench to spark the Knicks against Charlotte.
Boston needed a win to advance and got it as Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists to lead the hosts against Chicago.
Jayson Tatum added 21 points and Al Horford had 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Celtics.
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