LAS VEGAS — In the bustling atmosphere of Las Vegas, the Milwaukee Bucks found their rhythm and showcased their prowess, emerging victoriously in the NBA Cup. The final score concluded at 97-81 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with three being the lucky number of the game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the charge, contributing 26 points along with an impressive 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Additionally, Damian Lillard added 23 points to the Bucks’ tally, while the team collectively sank 17 three-pointers. Lillard reflected on the team’s performance, saying, “Everybody did their job. We defended. We played well from the start of the game all the way through the finish. I think it just showed what we’ve been building. It all came out in our biggest game to this point.”
The Bucks exhibited a strong second-half performance, igniting a decisive 19-5 run that transformed a modest five-point lead into a robust 19-point advantage early in the fourth quarter. Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. both contributed 13 points each, sealing their place alongside the Los Angeles Lakers as the only champions of this relatively young tournament.
Antetokounmpo expressed pride in his team’s progress, stating, “It’s great, it’s great for our team. We’re getting better. … We know we’re leaving Vegas as a better team. I’m so proud of this group.”
On the opposing side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points while Jalen Williams contributed 18. Unfortunately for Oklahoma City, they struggled offensively, particularly from the three-point range where they were outscored 51-15 by the Bucks, managing only 34% shooting overall. Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged their struggles, admitting, “We didn’t shoot it well… we’ve shot bad and won games before, so that’s not an excuse.”
Isaiah Hartenstein added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Thunder, but the team managed only 31 points after halftime. Thunder’s coach Mark Daigneault reflected on the game, citing their achievements in the paint but acknowledging the difficulties encountered in generating points: “We did some good things … But obviously, a tough night offensively all the way around for us.”
While this victory accounts solely for the tournament and does not affect the regular season standings, the Bucks are now riding high on their recent success, marking their 13th win in 16 games following a rough 2-8 start to the season. When the Bucks cleared their bench with less than two minutes remaining, Antetokounmpo celebrated as if it were a championship win, despite having larger titles under his belt. His team had previously identified the NBA Cup as a significant goal.
Coach Doc Rivers echoed the sentiment of determination, noting, “No one here doubted what we can be and who we can be… this is the byproduct of a team sticking together. But we still have work to do.” Antetokounmpo’s succinct statement, “Job’s not done,” highlighted their ongoing ambitions as they set their sights on future titles, even as they revel in this latest achievement.
In terms of noteworthy aspects, the Bucks played without their guard Khris Middleton due to a non-COVID illness, yet continued their outstanding record, now at 12-1 in NBA Cup appearances, remaining undefeated this season. Conversely, the Thunder faced a rare challenge, trailing significantly throughout the game, as they had not encountered substantial deficits often this season.
A pivotal moment emerged in the game when multiple players collided for a loose ball early in the third quarter, leading to a series of technical fouls and a five-point scoring opportunity for the Bucks after Lillard capitalized on the situation with free throws and a subsequent three-pointer.
Statistically, it’s worth noting that the Thunder had been 20-1 this season when leading after three quarters, and this loss marks their struggles when entering the fourth tied or trailing, shifting them to 0-5 this season in such scenarios.
Looking ahead, the Thunder will travel to Orlando on Thursday and Miami on Friday, while the Bucks are set to face Cleveland on Friday before hosting Washington on Saturday.
