MILWAUKEE — The Bucks are heading to Las Vegas for the second consecutive season, beating the Orlando Magic 114-109 on Tuesday night to advance to the semifinals of the NBA Cup.
The Bucks will be the only team returning to Las Vegas, where they lost last December in the semifinals of the in-season tournament. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said the team has some «unfinished business» from last season.
«Losing is not a good feeling,» Antetokounmpo said after Tuesday's game. «But we definitely learned from it.»
Jalen Suggs led a shorthanded Magic team to a near upset without stars Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner. Suggs scored 32 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, but he missed a potential go-ahead 3 with 12 seconds remaining.
Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and Damian Lillard scored nine of his 28 points in the final minute.
Bucks forward Bobby Portis said returning to Las Vegas this season was even more special considering the team began the year with a 2-8 record before going undefeated in NBA Cup group play and holding on to a close win against the Magic.
«Last year there was a lot of expectations on our team,» Portis said after scoring 22 points on 9 of 11 shooting off the bench Tuesday night. «It's more special in that regard because of where we started to where we are now.»
Milwaukee will play Saturday against the winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks.
After starting the season 2-8, the Bucks have rallied back to 13-11 on the season and coach Doc Rivers said the players used the NBA Cup as a target to help pull themselves out of an early season slump.
«You set a goal and you try to reach it, right?» Rivers said. «Our goal is not just to get to Vegas, we
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