In a dominant performance on Tuesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks secured the NBA Cup championship, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81. The victory, highlighted by a stellar 26-point, 19-rebound, and 10-assist performance from Tournament MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, marked a significant achievement for the Bucks. Alongside Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard added 23 points, and the team’s sharpshooting efforts—17 three-pointers in total—proved too much for the Thunder to overcome.
The Bucks, who had already demonstrated strong form in recent weeks, entered the second half with a five-point lead before erupting on a 19-5 run that extended their advantage to 19 points early in the fourth quarter. This offensive surge sealed their dominance, and despite a late rally attempt from the Thunder, the Bucks held firm to claim the trophy.
“It’s great for our team,” said Antetokounmpo, reflecting on the win. “We’re getting better... I’m so proud of this group.”
Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. contributed 13 points each, adding further depth to the Bucks' balanced attack. For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 21 points, while Jalen Williams added 18. However, Oklahoma City's offense struggled mightily, particularly from beyond the arc, where they were outscored 51-15. The Thunder, who had averaged over 99 points in each game this season, shot just 34% from the field and were held to 31 points after halftime.
Despite the loss, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault found some positives, particularly on the defensive end. “We outscored them in the paint, so we did the job defensively on that end," Daigneault noted. "But offensively, we didn’t score nearly enough, especially in the second half, to give ourselves a chance to win.”
While the NBA Cup doesn’t count toward the regular season standings, players received significant bonuses for their efforts, with Bucks players earning over $500,000 each. For the Bucks, this win marked their 13th victory in 16 games after a rough start to the season.
For Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, the win was a crucial confidence boost, even if the tournament itself won’t factor into the official record. With a clear focus on future titles, Antetokounmpo summed up the victory: “Job’s not done.”
Head coach Doc Rivers echoed that sentiment, acknowledging that while the Bucks have much to celebrate, there’s still work ahead. "No one here doubted what we can be, and we just hung in there,” Rivers said. “This is the byproduct of a team sticking together.”
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