The regular season of the 2024-25 NBA season, the 79th of the most famous basketball championship in the world, starts on 22 October 2024 and will end on 13 April 2024. For the second time between 12 November and 17 December there will be ‘NBA Cup: All games except the final counted towards the regular season standings. The 2025 All-Star Game will be played on February 16, 2024 at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The play-in phases are scheduled between 15 and 18 April, while the actual playoffs will start from 19 April.
After the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023, the Milwaukee Bucks win the 2024 edition of the NBA Cup, the first sponsored by Emirates. The 2021 NBA champions overturned the prediction and deservedly beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81, the best team in the West, which reached the final in Las Vegas with a 20-5 record. Doc Rivers’ team makes use of the greater experience and class of some interpreters, decisive in a dry match: a match decided in the second half by the Bucks 46-31, after a substantially equal first half of 51-50. For the Thunder, the poor evening from the arc, 5 out of 32, and the continuous obstinacy weigh heavily, while their rivals finished with 42% (17-40), demonstrating more calm and clarity in the key moment of the final.
The Bucks, who started the season 2-8 and seemed ready to implode, were taken by the hand as always by their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo, clear MVP and author of a triple double: 26 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks, with 10 of 19 shooting and 6 of 11 free throws, dominant as always on both sides of the court. Damian Lillard didn’t betray himself, 23 with 5 of 10 threes, surgical in key moments, the usual Brook Lopez was excellent with 13 with 9 rebounds. Andre Jackson received applause, 2 points but a sumptuous defense on SGA, as did the bench with 7 out of 14 threes, with 13 points from Gary Trent, infallible in the second half, 9 from AJ Green and 5 from Portis.
Looking at OKC, Mark Daigneault’s team paid for a poor shooting night, 5 of 32 from three and 34% overall from the field. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 21 points are not enough but with 8 of 24 from the field, Jalen Williams adds 18 and Isaiah Hartenstein is perhaps the best with 18 and 12 rebounds with 6 of 11; little from the others, Dort and Joe combined for 1 out of 10 threes, the bench produced just 15 points overall between Caruso (2), Kenrich Williams (3), Micthell and Wallace (5 each).
The full report coming soon
The results of the night
Milwaukee Bucks-Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81
Where to watch the NBA on TV and streaming
In Italy the rights ofNBA li ha Sky which broadcasts at least one game every night, plus NBA Saturdays, NBA Sundays, highlights and insights. You must be a subscriber to the “Sport” package, while the Sky streaming alternative is Now TV with the “Sport” pass.
NBA also has its own official app, theNBA League Passusable on smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, XBox One and Apple TV
Where to watch the NBA on TV and streaming
In Italy the rights ofNBA li ha Sky which broadcasts at least one game every night, plus NBA Saturdays, NBA Sundays, highlights and insights. You must be a subscriber to the “Sport” package, while the Sky streaming alternative is Now TV with the “Sport” pass.
NBA also has its own official app, theNBA League Passusable on smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, XBox One and Apple TV
From McCain to Castle via Knecht: the best rookies of the season
Video credit: Eurosport
