The first trophy of the season, the NBA Emirates Cup i win it Milwaukee Bucks who beat him in the final at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Oklahoma City Thunder for 97-81, and with Giannis Antetokounmpo nominated MVP of the match and the tournament.
Milwaukee thus succeeds the Los Angeles Lakers in the young roll of honor of the NBA Cup in its second edition, the Bucks have maintained a clear path for the entire tournament without ever losing a game. OKC who started as favorite in the final ran aground in second halfin which he scores only 31 points without ever scoring threes. Antetokounmpo he closes with a triple-double 26 points with 19 rebounds and 10 assists, Damian Lillard he adds 23 points and Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr 13 points each, Doc Rivers’ team plays its best defensive game of the season and sends a signal to the entire NBA: the Bucks can be a contender.
The Thunder remain contenders but they are almost surprised by the patience with which Milwaukee plays, always slowing down the pace and looking for favorable mismatches for Antetokounmpo. Despite a first half of 1 of 17 from three OKC is in the game (51-50 Bucks at halftime) but Milwaukee opens the third quarter with a 7-0 run and never looks back. The Thunder, however, continue to never score a basket and the energy slowly goes away (26-14 in the third period).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that’s what suffers more low rhythms, for him 21 points on 8 of 24 shooting and never a hint. Jalen Williams is just barely better with 18 points but the least worse for the Thunder is Isaiah Hartenstein which is why his team is in the game in the first half, he will finish with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Milwaukee does not suffer from the absence of Khris Middleton, stopped by the fluand builds his success with defense as already done against Atlanta in the semi-final. Giannis Antetokounmpo is perfect in his readings and plays with patience, and under the basket together with Lopez on the other side he plays good guard without spending too many fouls, another key. He puts the rest there OKC with a match off, from 5 of 32 from three which is a bit of a disaster. For i Thunderdespite being good at reaching the final, the KO sounds like a second failure for an ambitious team, after the elimination in the second round of the playoffs a year ago, Shai defeated his rival for the MVP award and the Thunder were surprised without being able to react.
Per Damian Lillard is the first trophy team win in the NBA, the former Portland Trail Blazers star had already won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 with Team USA, while for the veteran Taurean Prince it is the second victory in the NBA Cup, Prince in fact played with the Lakers last year.
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