Milwaukee and Oklahoma City have succeeded in advancing to the 2024 in-season tournament finals by sacrificing Atlanta and Houston, respectively. Both sides have come from behind to win. The elite performances of their star players are essential. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shined with 30+ point performances. The two players will compete for pride in the final stage for the INT MVP trophy. Last year’s MVP was LeBron James (inaugural MVP, LAL champion).
2024 In-Season Tournament Finals Schedule
12/18 OKC vs MIL: 10:40 AM
Milwaukee Bucks (14-11) 110-102 Atlanta Hawks (14-13)
Milwaukee
Giannis Antetokounmpo 32 points 14 rebounds 9 assists 4 blocks FT 12/18
Damian Lillard 25 points 6 rebounds 7 assists 3 steals 5 3PM
Brooke Lopez 16 points 2 blocks
Atlanta
Trae Young 35 points 7 rebounds 10 assists 3 PM FT 14/17
Jaylen Johnson 15 points 10 rebounds 4 assists
Dyson Daniels 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists
1st quarter: 26-28
2nd quarter: 29-21
3rd quarter: 27-34
4th quarter: 28-19
Milwaukee defeated Atlanta and advanced to the 2024 in-season tournament finals. It is an even more pleasant achievement as it shook off the disappointment of the 9-point loss in the INT semifinals last year against Indiana. Coach Doc Rivers will be challenging for his first tournament win since the 2008 playoffs (with BOS), and star player Giannis Antetokounmpo will be challenging for his first tournament win since the 2021 playoffs (selected as the 2021 PO Finals MVP). In addition, *¹ they avenged the 15-point crushing loss in the first game (at home) of the season series. The team has not lost a single head-to-head matchup since 2023. Atlanta’s INT journey this year came to an end in the semifinals. All-Star point guard Trae Young’s 35 points including 3 3-pointers (FG 9/18, FT 14/17), 7 rebounds, 10 assists (5 errors), and a total of 58 points, along with a double-double, were all but overshadowed by the upset loss. 주소모음
This was a game where the home team did not forget the lessons learned from the previous loss. Let’s review the cause of the 15-point crushing defeat in Game 1. The lack of inside competitiveness was a fatal blow. The paint zone scoring margin was -30 points (34-64), and the offensive rebound margin was also -7 (second chance scoring margin -10 points). *² They were helpless against Atlanta’s signature rim-oriented attack and aggressive rebounding. Fortunately, the second game was different today. Milwaukee players, who were densely placed on the second and third lines of the defensive court, raised the density near the rim to the maximum. In particular, the drop defensive formation centered on pillar center Brook Lopez was outstanding. Thanks to this, not only were the opponent’s alley-oops and cut-in plays (ex. Young to Clint Capela) controlled, but defensive rebound competitiveness also increased noticeably. In fact, the paint zone margin was balanced (42-42), and the defensive rebound share (DRB%) was actually ahead. As a result of the away team’s rim-directed offense, including fast breaks, being blocked, the club’s record-breaking 18 consecutive games with 25 or more assists was broken (23 AST in today’s game). This means that Milwaukee’s defensive court strategy was effective.
The offense also went smoothly. As always, the superstar one-two punch of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard created a favorable flow with a combined performance of 57 points, 20 rebounds, 16 assists (3 errors), and a field goal percentage of 50.0%. The two players’ combined average of 58.4 points per game this season is the third-highest among duos in history (1st place: 61.5 points for James Harden and Russell Westbrook in the 2018-19 HOU season). They rarely fall short of expectations. As the inside defense has stabilized, the team’s 3-point offensive ability has also become more resilient. In both the first and second games of the season, the point exchange ratio in the corresponding area was +12 points. *³As you know, Milwaukee is a group with an abundance of reliable 3-point line scorers such as Lillard, Lopez, Terin Prince, and AJ Green.
*¹ Milwaukee has a painful memory of their 7-game winning streak being interrupted in the first game of the season. That’s why today’s win in the second game was even more valuable.
*² Atlanta’s 2024-25 season paint zone scoring percentage (PITP%) is 48.8%, 2nd in the league. This team has a very high percentage of rim-oriented attacks.
*³ Damian Lillard’s career cumulative 3-pointers made are 2,683, 4th all-time, Brock Lopez’s 981 are 1st among centers, Terin Prince’s 2024-25 season 3-point percentage is 51.6%, 1st in the league, AJ Green’s 47.6% is 4th
Comparison of inside production between the two teams’ season matches
Game 1 (ATL won by 15 points)
MIL: 34 points in the paint (58.6% FG), 12 points on the fast break, 8 points on the 8ORB/DRB% 60.3%/9 points on the second chance
ATL: 64 points in the paint (53.3% FG), 30 points on the fast break, 15 points on the 8ORB/DRB% 80.0%/19 points on the second chance
Game 2 (MIL won by 8 points) Victory)
MIL: Paint zone 42 points (FG 67.7%) Fast break 23 points 6 ORB/DRB% 84.6%/Second chance 1 point
ATL: Paint zone 42 points (FG 42.0%) Fast break 15 points 7 ORB/DRB% 80.0%/Second chance 6 points
*In Game 1, most of Atlanta’s fast break scores were made in the paint zone. In Game 2, Milwaukee had a lot of fun with Giannis Antetokounmpo-centered transition plays.
*DRB%: Defensive rebound share
All-time single-season duo scoring rankings
1st James Harden + Russell Westbrook (2018-19 HOU): 61.5 points
2nd Luka Doncic + Kyrie Irving (2023-24 DAL): 59.2 points
3rd Giannis Antetokounmpo + Damian Lillard (2024-25 MIL): 58.4 points
All-time double-doubles with 35 points and 10 or more assists in 7 seasons since debut
1st Oscar Robertson: 102 times
2nd Luka Doncic: 49 times
3rd Tiny Archibald: 43 times
4th Trae Young: 41 times (currently in progress)
The away team is the main ball The team maintained the momentum of the chase thanks to the efforts of handler + scorer Young, human vacuum cleaner Dyson Daniels, and smart sixth man Bogdan Bogdanovic. In particular, Young showed off his good shooting condition after a long time. His offensive assembly skills, which designed open shooting opportunities for his teammates, were still intact. However, unlike the first game of the season, he did not create easy fast-break scoring opportunities often. This was because the home team’s offense and defense transition speed was not good. The scoring of Johnson, who is strong in the open court, and *¹Deandre Hunter were not good (FG 11/31 combined).
Antetokounmpo was at the center of the home team’s last-minute lead defense. Don’t be surprised. He produced 17 of the 21 points the team scored in the last 7 minutes and 30 seconds of the 4th quarter (10 points by himself + 7 points by teammates based on AST)! He showed off his omnipotent clutch court dominance, such as dribble breakthroughs that opposing defenders had difficulty dealing with even if they knew about them in advance, *² turnaround jump shots that have improved significantly this season, and rim-directed alley-oop passes + corner-directed kickout passes. He also blocked an alley-oop slam dunk attempted by opposing big man Clint Capela with a powerful block shot 2 minutes and 35 seconds before the end of the game. *³ This is a highlight film that directly pays homage to the ‘life block shot’ he made during Game 4 of the 2021 playoff finals (2021 PO victim Deandre Ayton). He paved his own way to the tournament finals by cleanly hitting free throws that had been up and down throughout the 1st to 3rd quarters at the end of the 4th quarter. In Atlanta’s case, Young, who had no offensive assembly options, collapsed after abusing excessive clutch shooting (+ game-ending pass error 11.1 seconds before the end).
*¹ DeAndre Hunter’s five-game 20+ point streak was snapped.
*² Giannis Antetokounmpo’s turnaround jump shot percentage from 32.3% in 2023-24 to 43.8% in 2024-25
*³ Giannis Antetokounmpo blocks Deandre Ayton’s pick-and-roll alley-oop slam dunk attempt with 1:14 left in Game 4 of the 2021 playoff finals. It was a hustle play that tilted the series toward Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 4th quarter game-deciding on-court performance
7:13 in the quarter: Lopez reverse alley-oop score AST (91-90)
6:23 in the quarter: Jackson Jr. corner 3-pointer AST (94-90)
5:46 in the quarter: ATL coach challenge fails -> counterattack free throw score (96-92)
4:39 in the quarter: counterattack fast break slam dunk, Middleton AST (98-95)
4:14 in the quarter: counterattack break score, Lillard AST (100-96)
3:13 in the quarter: Final turnaround jump shot, Lillard AST (103-96)
3:01 in the quarter: Young chases free throw score (103-98)
2:25 in the quarter: Capela Alley-oop slam dunk attempt block shot
2:16 in the quarter: Young’s pursuit breakthrough score, Daniels AST (103-100)
1:52 in the quarter: Lopez’s counter-layup AST (105-100)
Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Allies vs. Enemies Production comparison in the last 7:30 of the 4th quarter
Kumbo: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists/0 errors, 1 block FG 75.0% FT 4/4 Total 17 points produced
Allies: 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists/4 errors FG 57.1% 3P 1/2 FT 2/4
Enemies: 12 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists/3 errors, 1 block FG 30.0% 3P 0/3 FT 6/10
Players with 30PTS, 10REB, 5AST, 65.0% FG, 15+ FTA in a single game
1st Giannis Antetokounmpo: 13
2nd Charles Barkley: 10
3rd Wilt Chamberlain: 9
4th Shaquille O’Neal: 6