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The first round of the NBA Cup Knockout Stage has come and gone, and now there are only four teams remaining. Those four teams will face off in the semifinal round, with the winners advancing to the championship game. The in-season tournament action is now headed to Las Vegas, Nevada, and in this article, we are going to detail everything that you need to know.
NBA Cup semifinal schedule
Saturday, Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET: Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8:30 p.m. ET: Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
How to watch the NBA Cup
Both semifinal NBA Cup games will be on Saturday, Dec. 14, and both will be played at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hawks vs. Bucks game is on TNT, while the Rockets vs. Thunder game will be on ABC. You can watch the latter of the two on fuboTV.
Date: Saturday, Dec. 14 | Time: 4:30 p.m. ET (Hawks-Bucks), 8:30 p.m. ET (Rockets-Thunder)
Location: T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas, Nevada
TV channel: TNT (Hawks-Bucks), ABC (Rockets-Thunder)| Live stream: fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)
Hawks-Bucks
The first matchup in the semifinals is between the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. Both teams have been picking up steam at the perfect times. Atlanta has won seven of their last eight games, largely because they've found better pieces to put around Trae Young. The point guard is both one of the best scorers and one of the best passers in the NBA, but he does lack on the defensive end.
Luckily, offseason trade acquisition Dyson Daniels has emerged as one of the best defensive players in the NBA. Young's backcourt partner is deflecting and stealing balls left and right. Jalen Johnson is also developing into a star. The power forward is uber versatile, with the ability to shoot the ball, put the ball on the floor, make plays for his teammates, and thrive on defense. Zaccharie Risacher might be the most intriguing of them all.
The 2024 NBA Draft class was considered one of the weakest ever, but being the first overall pick like Risacher was is still a big deal. Risacher has been starting, and although he has flown under the radar, he is still in the running for the Rookie of the Year award. Perhaps a big NBA Cup game will put him more in the spotlight.
The Bucks, meanwhile, have also picked things up as of recent. They got off to an incredibly slow start, but Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are now looking more like the great duo we expected them to be. Antetokounmpo is even making a case for another MVP award.
The Bucks have won nine of their last 11 games, and now, they have Khris Middleton back. The third member of Milwaukee's big three has gotten off to a slow start from a production standpoint, only averaging 7.3 points per game in his first three games, but the team is easing him back into the rotation and into full strength. Middleton has only averaged 21 minutes per game so far, but that will pick up as he gets more comfortable. Both of these teams are hot, but only one can advance to the championship game.
Rockets-Thunder
The other semifinal game on Dec. 14 is between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder. These are two of the best young, up-and-coming teams in the NBA, and they have a chance to prove that they are ready to compete now in the final NBA Cup games. In fact, we ranked the Rockets as having the best young core in the NBA.
Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are playing like stars this season, and Jabari Smith is starting alongside of them. Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard are all playing valuable minutes as well. Those six, along with Cam Whitmore, are all recent first-round picks with sky-high potential that is starting to translate on the court.
The Rockets are an elite defensive team, which is rare for such a young squad. They've recently been linked to Jimmy Butler in trade rumors, but the Rockets general manager quickly shut that idea down. With the way they are playing, too, a trade truly does seem unnecessary.
The Rockets edged out the Golden State Warriors by one point in their last game, and things won't be any easier against the Thunder. Oklahoma City currently has the best record (19-5) in the Western Conference. The Thunder have been without Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein (their three centers) for a good chunk of this season, yet they've still thrived. Hartenstein is healthy now, and the big contract the team gave him in the offseason is looking like it was well worth it.
While the Rockets allow the third-fewest points per game, the Thunder actually rank directly above them, as opposing teams only average 103.8 points per game against them. Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso are among the best defensive players in the NBA, and Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander obviously get things done on offense. Both of these teams have the potential to run the league for a long time, and advancing to the NBA Cup championship would go a long way in proving that they aren't just about the future and that they are ready to win now.
