Milwaukee Bucks, OKC Thunder Clash for NBA Cup Glory

Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the final of the 2024 NBA Cup this week in Las Vegas. This tournament, now in its second edition, follows a football World Cup-style format and brings added excitement to the NBA’s early season. Last year, LeBron James led the Los Angeles Lakers to the inaugural title defeating the Indiana Pacers 123-109 in the final. The NBA Cup includes 30 teams divided into six groups of five where each team plays four group-stage matches.

The top team from each group, along with the best second-placed teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences, advanced to the quarter-finals and then the semi-finals. T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas hosts the final which stands as the only match that does not count toward regular season standings. However, all earlier NBA Cup games affect the teams’ regular-season records. The Milwaukee Bucks dominated this competition by winning all six matches.

These victories significantly improved their overall season record of 14 wins and 11 losses. Meanwhile, the Thunder, who lead the Western Conference with 20 wins and 5 losses secured five wins from six NBA Cup matches. Fans should keep an eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo, who powers the Bucks with a league-best average of 32.7 points per game and ranks fifth in rebounds.

For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) has excelled, earning the Western Conference Player of the Month title for January and February. After the final, the NBA will award an MVP and select a team of the tournament. Last year, LeBron James claimed the MVP title while Antetokounmpo earned a spot on the team. This year, Antetokounmpo looks to become the first player to feature in two consecutive tournament teams.