NBA news: Milwaukee Bucks defeat Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA Cup
The Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA Cup on Tuesday night after a comprehensive 97-81 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Las Vegas.
Considered the favourites in the lead-up to the game, the Thunder had no answer when it mattered most against an inspired Bucks outfit.
It was only the second running of the mid-season competition after the Los Angeles Lakers had triumphed over the Indiana Pacers in the inaugural NBA Cup last year.
Sports News Blitz’s Christian Willis reports on all the action.
Bucks too hot to handle
The final proved an even affair in the first half with both teams showcasing their defensive prowess early on.
However, the Bucks drove home the advantage in the second half as the Thunder simply fell apart at the T-Mobile Arena.
In the end, the men from Milwaukee hit a scarcely believable 17 three-pointers compared to only three by the Thunder.
It was this disparity paired with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s all-round brilliance that was the deciding factor on the night.
After scoring a triple-double of 26 points, 19 rebounds, and ten assists, the Greek star was deservedly named the competition’s MVP.
Team effort key to triumph
While Giannis grabbed the accolade, Damian Lillard played his part by hitting 23 points and landing five three-pointers to earn his first piece of silverware as an NBA player.
In contrast, Oklahoma’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a somewhat inefficient night on the court, only scoring 21 points in a season where he has averaged 30 points per game.
Credit for this must go to Andre Jackson Jr whose performance as the primary defender was the main factor in limiting the dangerous Canadian to three of 12 from the field.
At the end of the day, across both offence and defence, Milwaukee’s star men stepped up at the right time in order to lay the foundation for a memorable victory.
League action awaits
Since starting the season with a disastrous record of 2-8, the Bucks have fully turned things around and are currently the most in-form team in the NBA at 12-3.
With a trophy now added to the cabinet, they can take an extra dose of confidence into their clash with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.
Beyond that, Milwaukee can possibly start dreaming of NBA glory.
Conversely, the Thunder must pick themselves up after a disappointing loss and seek to bounce back when they face the Orlando Magic.
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