Giannis records triple-double as Bucks defeat Thunder to secure NBA Cup victory

Giannis Antetokounmpo, aged 30, and the Milwaukee Bucks decisively overcame the Oklahoma City Thunder in the latter half of the game, securing a 97-81 victory in the second edition of the NBA Cup held in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, Antetokounmpo, achieved a remarkable triple-double, contributing 26 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists, along with two steals and three blocked shots.

The Bucks showcased their shooting prowess by making 17 three-pointers, completing an undefeated tournament run and following in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Lakers as champions of the in-season tournament.

Damian Lillard added 23 points for the Bucks, who effectively limited the Thunder's high-scoring offense to just 31 points in the second half.

"That's who we are," remarked Antetokounmpo, referring to the Bucks' impressive second-half performance, which expanded their one-point halftime lead to as much as 20 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the leading scorer for the Thunder with 21 points, while Jalen Williams contributed 18. However, the Bucks' defensive efforts inside the paint ultimately hindered Oklahoma City, who struggled with their long-range shooting.

This victory served as a redemption for the Bucks, who faced elimination at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in the previous year's Cup semi-finals.

They were the sole team from last season's semi-finals to return to the final four in Las Vegas, having defeated the Orlando Magic in the quarter-finals and the Atlanta Hawks in the semi-finals.

The success in the Cup marks a significant turnaround for the Bucks, who began the season with a disappointing 2-8 record. They have since won 13 of their last 16 games, and Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA championship, views this achievement as merely a stepping stone.

"It's great for our team," stated Antetokounmpo, who was named the tournament's MVP. "In the last 15 games, we've shown competitiveness and played team-oriented basketball.

"I'm immensely proud of this group," he continued. "After halftime, we recognized we had 24 minutes left, and we came out in the third quarter to set the tone. We executed excellent team basketball."

The Bucks restricted the Thunder to a mere 14 points in the third quarter, marking the lowest scoring output for Oklahoma City in any quarter this season.

The final match of the Cup differs from the other matches in that it does not contribute to the regular-season standings, nor do the individual performances of the players affect their career statistics.

However, the winning team will receive a financial incentive, with each player set to earn over $514,971, which represents a substantial amount for the younger and less prominent members of the team.

In contrast, the Thunder players will each receive $205,988 for finishing as runners-up. Nevertheless, they will return to Oklahoma City feeling disheartened due to one of their poorest shooting displays of the season.

"We didn't perform well in terms of shooting tonight," stated Gilgeous-Alexander. "While that is not an excuse, there were certainly aspects we could have controlled that we failed to manage, which contributed to the final score."

"We have experienced poor shooting nights and still managed to win games in the past."

The leaders of the Western Conference, who recorded a 3-1 record in group play before defeating Dallas in the quarter-finals and Houston in the semi-finals, managed to convert only 33.7% of their field goal attempts and a mere five out of 32 three-point attempts, equating to 15.6%.

They began the game with a narrow lead of 28-27 after a fast-paced first quarter.

The competition remained close in the second quarter, with the tension escalating when Milwaukee's Andre Jackson Jr. and Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein received matching technical fouls following a heated confrontation.

After a first half characterized by nine lead changes, the Bucks held a slim advantage of 51-50, but Milwaukee surged ahead in the third quarter with consecutive three-pointers from Taurean Prince and Lillard, gaining momentum.