The Milwaukee Bucks are now your NBA Cup champions. The Bucks faced a Thunder team pegged by many as NBA title favorites and secured a one-sided 97-81 win Tuesday night in the NBA Cup championship game in Las Vegas.
The victory capped a 7-0 Bucks run in NBA Cup play that reasserted their stance as contenders in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee has now won 14 of 20 games since its slow start and improved to 14-11 to get back on the right side of the Eastern Conference standings.
Tuesday's win doesn't count in the standings. But it certainly matters in Milwaukee for a Bucks team that was written off as pretenders early in the season.
The Bucks won Tuesday night, thanks to physical play from Giannis Antetokounmpo, strong shooting from Damian Lillard and a dominant defense that stifled Oklahoma City shooters. Lillard and Antetokounmpo played like their All-Star selves, while the Thunder had one of their worst shooting nights of the season.
Oklahoma City shot 33.7% from the field and was dreadful from long distance on a 5-of-32 effort (15.6%) from beyond the arc. There will be better nights from this talented Thunder roster. But Tuesday belonged to the Bucks.
The first half was anything but a blowout. Oklahoma City opened up a 28-27 first-quarter lead that Milwaukee countered in the second quarter to take a 51-50 edge into halftime of what was shaping up to be a thriller.
But the Bucks opened up the third quarter with back-to-back 3s from Taurean Prince and Lillard and didn't look back.
The Bucks seized control with a 26-14 third-quarter advantage and didn't let off the gas in the fourth. As Milwaukee's shooters rained down 3s, Oklahoma City's clanged shot after shot off the iron. Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo took advantage whenever he found a mismatch in the post, which was often.
By the time the clock ticked under two minutes, Bucks fans in Las Vegas were celebrating. There was plenty of reason to celebrate on the Milwaukee bench as well. As winners of the NBA Cup, each Bucks player secured a roughly $515,000 bonus.
It wasn't so bad for Thunder players, who secured roughly $216,000 each as runners-up. But the high-profile loss will surely sting for a young team looking to assert itself as a contender.
Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee with a 26-point, 19-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. He added three blocks and two steals while shooting 10-of-19 from the field. Lillard tallied 23 points, four rebounds and four assists while shooting 5-of-10 from 3-point distance.
The NBA's third-best 3-point shooting team (38.9%), the Bucks were strong from beyond the arc as a whole on 17-of-40 (42.5%) shooting from long distance. Milwaukee secured a 52-43 advantage on the boards and assisted on 25 of its 34 made field goals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the high scorer for Oklahoma City with 21 points, four rebounds and two assists. But he shot 8-of-24 from the floor and 2-of-9 from 3 in an effort that summed up the Thunder's shooting night.
Isaiah Hartenstein was the only Thunder player to shoot 50% or better from the field on a 6-of-11 effort that produced 16 points and 12 rebounds. Jalen Williams shot 8-of-20 en route to 18 points.
It was a dominant effort on both sides of the ball for the Bucks — the type to renew championship hopes that looked lost in the first month of the season.
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Jack Baer
Giannis Antetokounmpo is your NBA Cup MVP
After a triple-double tonight, the Greek Freak is an in-season tournament MVP, a regular season MVP, an All-Star Game MVP and an NBA Finals MVP. He and LeBron James are the only players who can say that.
Jack Baer
Important note: Darvin Ham was head coach for the Lakers' undefeated run in the IST last year and is now an assistant coach on this Bucks team. He is 14-0 in NBA Cup play. A very specific legend in the making.
Jack Baer
FINAL: Bucks 97, Thunder 81
After entering halftime up a single point, the Bucks demolish the Thunder to win the second NBA in-season tournament. Cue the confetti.
Giannis departs to MVP chants and a 26-19-10 stat line, with Milwaukee leading by 19. He got my vote. Might he be up for collecting another one?
Jack Baer
Doc Rivers empties his bench as Antetokounmpo exits to chants of "MVP." We're done here.
Jack Baer
Nearly three minutes left and we're still trending toward a comfortable Bucks win. They lead 94-77, with Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting at 26 points, 18 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocks.
Vincent Goodwill
Okay so… the stats in the game don’t count. The game doesn’t go in the standings. But what about techs and flagrant foul points?
Jason Owens
Bobby Portis just got called for a flagrant 1 for his elbow to Isaiah Joe. That's two free throws and possession for OKC, the kind of swing the Thunder need if they have any hope of a rally, down 88-69.
Vincent Goodwill
The wave has begun during this official’s review. Usually, lame and corny. Today? Not so terrible.
Vincent Goodwill
Bobby Portis just nailed Isaiah Joe with an elbow that put Joe down. It could be worse. Nikola Mirotic felt those hands.
Vincent Goodwill
Competitive game turning into a route unless OKC puts something together, quickly.
Jason Owens
End of 3rd quarter: Bucks 77, Thunder 64
The Bucks have seized control thanks to a 26-14 advantage in the third quarter. Can the Thunder mount a rally, or will the Bucks win the NBA Cup with a 7-0 record in Cup play?
Vincent Goodwill
Make that 3-24 from 3 as SGA misses at the buzzer. 77-64, Bucks.
Vincent Goodwill
The Thunder: a robust 3-23 from 3.
Vincent Goodwill
Bucks jump on Thunder to start the third quarter. They’re just as feisty and a little bigger up front. 69-60.
Jason Owens
Dame with a 5-point possession
The Bucks are seizing control. Damian Lillard just had a 5-point possession to extend Milwaukee's lead to 64-53. Lu Dort and Mark Daigneault were both issued technical fouls after a loose-ball scrum. Lillard hit both free throws then capped the possession with a 3-pointer off a jump ball for the largest Milwaukee lead of the night.
51-50 at halftime. It is entertaining and competitive. Just what the league wanted and probably needed.
Jason Owens
Halftime: Bucks 51, Thunder 50
We've got a game worthy of a championship matchup. Milwaukee leads, 51-50 after a competitive first half. The Thunder are keeping it close despite a dreadful half from 3-point distance.
Halftime leaders:
Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 of 9 FGs Damian Lillard: 12 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 of 4 from 3
3-point shooting Bucks: 7 of 18 (38.9%) Thunder: 1 of 17 (5.9%
Jason Owens
Isaiah Hartenstein and Andre Jackson were issued offsetting technicals for their skirmish. No free throws, carry on. Each player is at risk of ejection with another technical.
Vincent Goodwill
We got action! Jackson and Hartenstein barking at each other, having to be separated by both sides. Sitting very comfortably in his midcourt seat, Adam Silver. He knows nobody’s risking that money.
Isaiah Hartenstein gets mad at Andre Jackson Jr and confronts him, the two had to be separated. (no idea what happened prior) pic.twitter.com/0uEuUz9tB0
It’s amazing how Giannis’ game keeps growing. 10 years in, still a great passer, and now he’s better on the elbows and from 16-18 feet.
Jason Owens
Giannis is finding and exploiting mismatches in the post. He just posted up Alex Caruso for an easy layup to cut OKC's lead to 42-41.
Jason Owens
A rare whiff from Dame. Lillard just pulled up from way beyond the 3-point arc and found air. OKC leads, 41-37 midway through the second quarter.
Vincent Goodwill
Every team says they wanna play fast. And even when they do, OKC finds a way to speed you up even more. Rushed shots, rushed screens, seen that a few times already.
Vincent Goodwill
Looking at Jaylen Williams, it’s easy to see Kawhi Leonard as the comp. He is a tank.
Jason Owens
Thunder lead 28-27 after 1 quarter
The Thunder hold a 28-27 lead after a back-and-forth first quarter. Alex Caruso appeared to extend the lead to 31-27 with a 3 at the buzzer. The scorekeeper put the points on the board, but officials determined that Caruso didn't quite get the shot off in time upon review.
The collection of wings OKC has would always be the advantage. Especially with no Middleton, they’re quicker and it shows.
Jack Baer
Doc Rivers calls timeout after the Bucks take a 16-9 lead in the first four and a half minutes. Their defense isn't doing much against a Thunder team shooting 8-for-10 from the field (6-for-6 in the paint) with only one turnover.
Vincent Goodwill
Saturday's game had late arriving crowds. Not so much here. Better atmosphere to start, but not sure it’s projecting on television.
Jack Baer
The Thunder win the tip and we're off in Las Vegas.
Jason Owens
As usual, an 8:30 p.m. tip on ESPN doesn't mean an 8:30 tip. Players just finished their warmups, and the national anthem is underway. Basketball soon, hopefully.
The Bucks and Thunder are slated to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET. Here's some pregame reading from Yahoo Sports' Dan Devine on the NBA Cup championship game.
ICYMI, @YahooSports: I previewed the NBA Cup championship game, thinking about stuff like how OKC might try to guard Giannis and a non-star who might play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome: https://t.co/eJNpze3RVtpic.twitter.com/Zr7hpuDmZS
