The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks are through to the semifinals of the NBA Cup after beating the Dallas Mavericks and the Orlando Magic, respectively, on Tuesday.
Looking to join the fray in Las Vegas are those from the other quarterfinals pairings: The New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference and the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference.
After a rough start, the Hawks have been on a strong stretch. They won seven straight games before bowing to the Denver Nuggets, 141-111, on Sunday. Still, the team has looked good.
The Hawks have a good chance to further boost their confidence by capturing the NBA Cup and the $500,000 cash incentive per player that comes with it.
Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher shoots over Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
According to rookie forward Zaccharie Risacher, they even talked about it as a goal before the season.
"We pretty much decided it was a goal at the beginning of the season," said the No. 1 overall pick in a report from Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "But we want to go to Vegas, and it's super. It's something different, something special for during the season."
Fans and naysayers have belittled the NBA Cup, saying it's an unnecessary addition to the league.
But for the Hawks, who haven't won anything in a long while, it's a big deal.
Risacher added that he's pumped up to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday to determine who will advance and face the Bucks.
"It's really exciting," added Risacher. "I feel like it's going to be a super-cool atmosphere and I'm super-excited to play in this arena."
It's worth noting that his teammate, All-Star guard Trae Young, has found success against the Knicks before. Young has embraced the villain role when he's playing at Madison Square Garden, and he's expected to do the same in his looming return.
Risacher, for his part, has been a solid contributor for the Hawks, averaging 11.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 25 minutes per game.
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This story was originally published December 11, 2024, 12:28 PM.