The Bucks validated their turnaround by winning the 2024 NBA Cup on a memorable Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Milwaukee won 97-81 against Oklahoma City, as the star duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard delivered.
Mired toward the bottom of the league after a 2-8 start, the Bucks have won 13 of their last 16 matches. Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham and Taurean Prince remain undefeated in Cup competition (14-0), and more importantly, everyone within the team got paid handsomely for their efforts.
After a close first half, the Bucks had an eventful third period, outscoring the Thunder 26-14. Milwaukee led Oklahoma City by as many as 20 points, putting the latter on the back foot for only the third time this season.
Just in case you missed it, SBOTOP is here to review how the Bucks defied the NBA 2024 odds to win their second major trophy in four years.
Bucks had the hot hand from deep
The Bucks aren’t necessarily known as one of the best outside shooting teams in the NBA, but they got hot from three-point land at the right time. Despite not having one of their best snipers in Khris Middleton, who was ruled out due to an illness, Milwaukee connected on 17 of their 40 three-point shots (42.5-per cent). Over the last 15 games, the Bucks have converted 41-per cent of their three-point attempts, the second-best mark in the NBA.
Damian Lillard made five of his 10 three-point shots, including three in the third period to help the Bucks pull away. Brook Lopez and Taurean Prince made five more as part of the starting unit. Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green also made three three-pointers each, while Bobby Portis added one, providing a huge boost off the bench.
In stark contrast, the Thunder only went 5-for-32 from three-point range (15.6-per cent). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went 2-for-9 from deep, while Jalen Williams, Isaiah Joe, and Lu Dort went 2-for-14. Kenrich Williams also went 1-for-4 from three-point range while coming off the bench.
Overall, Milwaukee shot 42-per cent from the field compared to 33.7-per cent for Oklahoma City. The Bucks also edged the Thunder in the rebounds (52-43) and the assists (25-13) categories.
Rough shooting nights for the Thunder stars
As mentioned, the Thunder didn’t have it going offensively because their stars struggled shooting the ball last Tuesday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was the prohibitive favourite to win the NBA Cup MVP trophy, shot 8-for-24 from the field and only went to the free throw line four times en route to only having 21 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 36 minutes of action. His co-star Jalen Williams didn’t fare well either, as he shot 8-for-20 from the field and only shot two free throws en route to notching 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists, although he had three blocks and two steals.
Isaiah Hartenstein was the other double-digit scorer for Oklahoma City. The former New York Knicks center recorded 16 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists on 6-for-11 shooting from the field in 32 minutes of action. The Thunder didn’t get the bench production they needed, as Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso, and Kenrich Williams only combined for 15 points. The only bright spot for the Thunder is their turnovers since they only had 10 compared to 17 for the Bucks.
Legacy-building wins for Antetokounmpo and Lillard
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were determined to win another trophy for Milwaukee, and they were not to be denied. Antetokounmpo did his part by dropping 26 points (game-high), 19 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals, and three blocks on 10-for-19 shooting from the field, and Lillard was also in the NBA 2024 highlights reel after notching 23 points, four rebounds, and four assists on 6-for-12 shooting from the field.
Giannis Antetokounmpo already knows the feeling of winning a trophy for Milwaukee, but Damian Lillard couldn’t relate until now. Many have doubted their partnership in the past few months, but they have temporarily silenced their skeptics in Las Vegas. After the win, Giannis Antetokounmpo believes this can be a stepping stone for them moving forward.
“We’re getting better. We’re trusting one another. We’re gonna leave Vegas and be a better team… job is not done, we have a lot of basketball in front of us,” Antetokounmpo said during the trophy ceremony.
After winning the NBA Cup, the Bucks will turn their attention to the regular season, where they still have 57 games to play. The Doc Rivers-coached squad has a 14-11 record, good for fifth in the Eastern Conference.
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