Everyone has a lucky number in Las Vegas. For the Milwaukee Bucks, it was 3.
And the NBA Cup was their prize.
Tournament MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists, Damian Lillard added 23 points and the Bucks made 17 3-pointers to defeat Oklahoma City in Tuesday’s NBA Cup title game. They defeated the Thunder 97-81. night.
Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. each scored 13 points for the Bucks, who joined the Los Angeles Lakers as the only champions of the two-year tournament. Milwaukee took a 19-5 lead in the second half, turning a five-point game into a 19-point game early in the fourth, and the Bucks remained in control the rest of the way.
“It’s great. It’s great for the team,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’re getting better. … I know we’re leaving Las Vegas as a better team. I’m so proud of this group. Man, I’m so proud of this group.” Masu.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 21 points and Jaylen Williams added 18 points for the Thunder, who have scored at least 99 points in every game this season. But they sputtered all over the place Tuesday, being outscored 51-15 from beyond the arc and shooting just 34 percent from the field.
Isaiah Hartenstein scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, but he was limited to 31 points at halftime.
It is a game that counts for tournament purposes only. Bucks players received about $300,000 in additional bonuses, $514,971 each, and Thunder players received $205,988, but their wins and losses and statistics do not count toward the regular season.
The Bucks, who fell to the bottom of the NBA after starting 2-8, have been on a tear ever since. Although not included in the official record, this was the team’s 13th win in their last 16 games.
It doesn’t matter: When the Bucks emptied their bench with 1:37 left, Antetokounmpo pumped his fist like it was a true championship moment.
He’s winning bigger games, and after all, he and the Bucks won the 2021 NBA title. However, they have said from the beginning of this tournament that the NBA Cup is their priority.
And they left no doubts in the end.
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo hug after winning the NBA Cup. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“We had a hard time coming out of the gate,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “None of us here ever doubted who we could be or what we could become, and we just kept hanging in there. We stayed together, and this is a team that stayed together. But we still have work to do.”
Antetokounmpo put it even more succinctly: “The job is not done.”
takeout
Bucks: Milwaukee played without guard Khris Middleton (non-COVID-19) but still improved to an NBA-record 12-1 in NBA Cup games, including a perfect 7-0 this season. improved to. The Bucs’ only loss in a tournament this season was last year’s semifinal loss to Indiana.
Thunder: It was a rare uphill game for Oklahoma City, with a 20-point lead. The Thunder have only had a 14-point lead in just two of their 25 regular-season games so far, and lost by 30 points against Golden before heading to San Antonio at 9 p.m.
important moment
In the end, no less than five players were on the floor, all scrapping for a loose ball with 9:12 left in the third quarter. Thunder forward Lou Dort received a technical hit, then coach Mark DeNote was hit with a technical hit seconds later, and Lillard ended up making two free throws from the technical staff followed by a 3-pointer. They had five points of possession.
Main status
This season, the Thunder are 20-1 when leading after the third quarter. Entering the final quarter with either a tie or a deficit, the score is currently 0-5 (this game is not counted, so officially it is 0-4).
to the next
The Thunder will visit Orlando on Thursday and Miami on Friday. The Bucks visit Cleveland on Friday and host Washington on Saturday.
Reported by Associated Press.
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