Giannis Antetokounmpo hit a magnificent triple-double as the Milwaukee Bucks took home the 2024 NBA Cup title with a 97-81 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Las Vegas.
Following up his 32-point haul from the Bucks' semi-final success over the Atlanta Hawks, 30-year-old Antetokounmpo notched 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists to light up the T-Mobile Arena and clinch the tournament's MVP Award.
Damian Lillard also helped himself to 23 points as the Bucks overcame a marginal first-quarter deficit against the Thunder, whose 21 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were ultimately in vain.
Significantly superior on the three-pointer count, the Bucks chalked up 17 successful conversions from 40 long-range attempts in Las Vegas, while the Thunder only managed a paltry five from 32.
As the Bucks revelled in ripping the NBA Cup title from the Los Angeles Lakers' grasp, the triumph marked the zenith of a season that began in dreadful fashion for Doc Rivers's men, who lost eight of their first 10 games.
Giannis was unstoppable in the #EmiratesNBACup 🤯
— NBA (@NBA) December 18, 2024
▪️ 30.5 PPG
▪️ 10.2 RPG
▪️ 7.7 APG
▪️ 2.8 BPG
▪️ 1.2 SPG
▪️ 66.7 FG%
His Bucks are the champs and he takes home MVP honors 👏🏆 pic.twitter.com/EEvXWavs6w
However, across both proper and unofficial matches, the Bucks - whose NBA Cup success does not go down on the official record - have now prevailed in 13 of their last 16 contests, and the significance of silverware was not lost on them.
"We have just got to stay humble, keep on improving," ESPN quotes Antetokounmpo as saying. "We have a lot of basketball in front of us. Right now, the emotion is at an all-time high. We have to bring it down, be humble."
Head coach Rivers added: "We struggled coming out of the gates. No one here doubted what we can be and who we can be and we just hung in there. We stuck together and this is the byproduct of a team sticking together. But we still have work to do."
What next for the Bucks and the Thunder?
Second in the Eastern Conference Central Division and fifth in the overall standings, the Bucks face their toughest challenge yet on Saturday, as they travel to Conference leaders Cleveland Cavaliers, who have a 23-4 record after 20 games.
Meanwhile, the Thunder - who lead the way in the Western Conference - take a trip to Orlando Magic on Friday, before visiting the Miami Heat just 25 hours later.
Ben Knapton
