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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers gave Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young a great compliment ahead of the teams’ NBA Cup semifinals battle on Saturday in Las Vegas.
“He’s earned the trust of his players,” Rivers said after the Bucks’ Friday practice, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “This team likes playing with him. That’s obvious. I couldn’t say that in the past, but now they love playing with him.”
Rivers’ comments come as Atlanta has impressed on the court this season en route to a 14-12 record. Young is averaging 21.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and a career-high 12.2 assists per game, showcasing his ability to spread the ball around to his teammates.
The Hawks have clearly improved after disappointing en route to a 36-46 mark last year. Atlanta notably has two wins over the 21-4 Cleveland Cavaliers and a victory against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. The Hawks have also won seven of their last eight to roll into the NBA Cup semifinals against a Bucks team they beat 119-104 on Dec. 4.
And now the Hawks are looking to beat the Bucks again en route to the NBA Cup finals. Tipoff in Vegas is set for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.