Watch Giannis Antetokounmpo drive nail into Hawks' NBA Cup coffin with emphatic block

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday, punching their ticket to the title match against either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Houston Rockets.

It was a rousing performance from Milwaukee and a commendable effort from the Hawks, two of the hottest teams in a wide-open Eastern Conference. The Bucks were slow out of the gates this season, but have been steadily gaining momentum in recent weeks. The Hawks, meanwhile, are coming off an impressive road victory in New York, which saw Trae Young roll faux dice on the New York Knicks logo at Madison Square Garden as time expired.

Saturday's semifinals matchup was exactly what NBA fans should want out of a "Cup" game, the implications of which we are all still wrapping our heads around. It was a box office performance from both teams, led by standout star performances and determined defensive efforts.

Need proof? Here is Trae Young fighting over a screen and blocking a jumper from behind.

The last laugh, however, went to Milwaukee. The Hawks entered the fourth quarter with a one-point lead, but Giannis flipped a switch and the Bucks won the final frame by nine points. That included this gorgeous turnaround jumper with a little over three minutes left.

Giannis has been embracing the mid-range more this season, but seeing an athlete of his stature and caliber hit that shot — and look so good doing it — is a frightening sight for opponents.

Shortly thereafter, Antetokounmpo sealed the deal with a truly absurd block of Clint Capela on a lob attempt.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo stuffs Trae Young, Clint Capela lob as Bucks beat Hawks in NBA Cup

Antetokounmpo finished his heroic effort with 32 points on 10-of-15 shooting, adding 14 rebounds, nine assists, and four blocks in 38 minutes. That is laughable stuff from a legitimate MVP candidate. Again, it has not been the smoothest sailing for Milwaukee this season, but Giannis is more than capable of a Herculean effort when it matters most.

Here's the incredible alternate angle of Giannis' game-sealing rejection.

And, for those who want to frame it at home, here's a still — a perfect encapsulation of just how freakish Giannis' athleticism truly is.

This puts Giannis and Milwaukee back on the Las Vegas stage for Tuesday's NBA Cup title game. It also means Darvin Ham, former Lakers head coach turned top Doc Rivers assistant, is undefeated on the NBA Cup stage. We can criticize his LA tenure all we want, but the man has something figured out when the courts are a funky color and the lights are a little bit brighter than normal.

Antetokounmpo now averages 32.7 points (a career high), 11.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks through 22 games this season. He's a one-man wrecking crew and more or less the only reason Milwaukee isn't a bottom-five team in the East. His two-way effort hasn't wavered in more than a decade of NBA basketball. Give the man his flowers. Now, let's see if the Bucks close it out in a few days.