SEMIFINALS IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE

Down went team leader, leading scorer, best player Tre Young, after accidentally stepping on an official’s foot along the sideline in game 3, and the  Atlantic Hawks responded with a team effort and a stellar defense in game 4 of the National Basketball Association’s Eastern Conference finals against the Milwaukee Bucks.

That was 110-88 Tuesday night in Atlanta, it was before its home fans and evened the best-of-seven at 2-2.

But on Thursday night in Milwaukee, the Bucks did it one better. With their star player, Giannis Antetokoumnpo, sidelined with (1), an extended hyper-extended left knee, and (2) after he landed awkwardly after trying to block Clint Capel’s dunk attempt in game 4, it was his teammates who stepped in.

It was a rewarding 123-112 triumph that put 3rd-seeded Milwaukee within its first NBA finals in nearly half a century, and that was three years after the Bucks won their only title in 1971.

Will Young, who directs the offense, haunts the defense, hits from way out and is just a fiery leader, play in game six on the road Saturday.? The best answer is a day-to-day decision as Young tries to get his steps and balance back. The same with Antetokoumnpo and his knee and back injuries.

But if Milwaukee can again put together the effort Saturday that it did when shorthanded in game 5, it could make plans to face the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns, who is seeking their initial NBA championship. This is their third finals following their elimination of the Los Angeles Clippers in six games.

Another big blow for the Clippers, who played each game without injured star Kahwai Leonard, and still not getting to the NBA finals and, like Phoenix, does not of course own a title.

For former then-New York Nets original member, 6-foot-11 Brook Lopez, it was a playoff career best. He had the game high of 33 points, brought down 11 rebounds, blocked three shots, and even handed out four assists.

“It’s exciting,” Lopez said, “but it’s obviously not done. We need to bottle that energy and effort we had tonight and do it again in two days.”

He helped Milwaukee grab a blazing 30-10 advantage and it never trailed. That marked a notable change after the Bucks erased an early 15-point deficit in a 113-102 game 3 victory, and never led in game 4 when they were held to 88 points.

“This time we wanted to just be more aggressive, more aggressive then they were,” said Khris Middleton, who tallied 26 points, came down with 13 rebounds, and dished out eight assists. “We felt like those games in Atlanta, whether it was energy from the crowd or whatever it was, they swung and punched us in the mouth, so we wanted to come out strong and hit first.”

Bobby Portis took Antetokoumnpo’s spot in the starting lineup and he turned in 22 points and had the fans, on multiple occasions, chanting, “Bobby, Bobby,” something that began during Milwaukee’s game 2 blowout after the Hawks stole the opening game on the road.

For Atlanta, Bogdan Bogdanovic led the way with a team-high 28 points, with teammates John Collins and Danilo Gallinari tossing in 19 points apiece, and Lou Williams added 17. If Young can make it back, his Hawks have a shot at getting to game 7, if not it doesn’t matter who leads the Bucks, they have proved they are fine with whatever lineup they piece together, with just too many weapons over Atlanta, especially without Young.

“Knowing the situation we were in,” said Portis, “one of the best players in the world went down on our team, and so the other guys had to step in and play their role to a T.”