NBA Cup: The Thunder will face the Bucks in the championship game after big nights in Las Vegas

On By Littum

It will be the Milwaukee Bucks against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup championship.

The top seeds from the East and West both enjoyed semifinal victories on Saturday, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the Bucks to a victory over the Atlanta Hawks and the Thunder outlasting the Houston Rockets in a clash of defensive-minded teams.

The championship is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 PM ET in Las Vegas, with a prize pool of more than $500,000 per plays on the edge. The game does not count towards the regular season standings or statistics.

NBA team no. 1 in defensive rating is the Thunder. NBA team no. 2 in defensive rating are the Rockets.

They definitely looked at T-Mobile Arena. It wasn’t pretty at times, but the Thunder will take it after outlasting Houston in a 111-96 victory.

The first half in particular was slow, which ended with the Rockets up 42-41 and both teams shooting under 33% from the field. It was OKC that woke up first, taking a double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter and eventually extending it to 15 points.

The defensive intensity didn’t stop Shai Gilegous-Alexander from hitting 32 points, his 13th 30-point game of the season, plus eight rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Jalen Williams also contributed at least 19 points each, with Hartenstein taking over for Rockets standout big man Alperen Şengün (13 points on 6-of-16 shooting, four turnovers, five fouls).

Antetokounmpo finished just shy of a triple-double with 32 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in the win. He also shot 10-of-15 from the field. Damian Lillard wasn’t far behind with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds, though he went just 5-of-14 from behind the arc.

Trae Young did everything to keep the Hawks in it in the third quarter after a close opening half in Las Vegas. He shot 6-of-7 from the field in the period to give the Hawks the lead going into the final period.

Eventually, however, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks surged forward down the stretch. They went on a quick 7-1 run late in the fourth quarter, fueled by three short buckets from Antetokounmpo, to finally pull away from the Hawks. Antetokounmpo also sealed the deal in the final minutes with a wild block on Clint Capela at the rim to break up an alley-oop.

Young led the Hawks with a near triple-double of his own. He finished with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for Atlanta, which dropped to 14-13 on the season with the loss. Jalen Johnson finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and De’Andre Hunter added 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

Channel: ABC

Here’s how it all went down at Yahoo Sports:

LIVE COVERAGE HAS ENDED55 updates

  • ‘I want us to put our names on it’

    Amid concerns that the league has a competitive problem, the veteran coach made his stance known after the Bucks cruised past the Hawks in the NBA Cup Finals: “There’s nothing wrong with saying you want to win something.”

    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 14: Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers gestures during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup semifinal game against the Atlanta Hawks at T-Mobile Arena on December 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bucks defeated the Hawks 110-102. NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and or using this photograph, User consents to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 14: Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers gestures during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup semifinal game against the Atlanta Hawks at T-Mobile Arena on December 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bucks defeated the Hawks 110-102. NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and or using this photograph, User consents to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

    Click the image to read more about the Bucks’ victory to advance them to the NBA Cup championship. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

  • Next: Bucks vs. Thunder

  • Statistics for the West Semifinals

    Thunder: 111

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 32 points (8-21 FG), 8 rebounds, 6 assists

    Isaiah Hartenstein: 21 points, 8 rebounds

    Jalen Williams: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists

    Rockets: 96

    Amen Thompson: 19 points, 7 rebounds

    Jabari Smith Jr.: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists

    Dillon Brooks: 14 points, 5 rebounds

  • FINAL: Thunder 111, Rockets 96

    The Thunder are on their way to the NBA Cup championship. They take on the Bucks on Tuesday night.

  • We had a brief “battle” between Sengun and Wallace, who got into a brief shoving match, but it ended without much happening. A double technique has been issued after a review, and we continue.

  • It’s a 10-3 run from the Thunder, and their lead is suddenly up to 13 midway through the fourth quarter. They are just six minutes away from securing a spot in the title game against the Bucks.

  • We talk a lot about Jabari Smith not meeting early expectations, but man, that kid plays hard and goes for it on defense. I take stock of everyone who sells.

  • If there is one criticism of SGA, and there won’t be many, he sometimes looks for the fault more than the bucket,

  • The shooting hasn’t improved, with Houston at 34% and OKC at 41%. Super competitive game in terms of feel.

  • End of 3: Thunder 75, Rockets 69

    Both teams finally seem to have settled down. SGA is up to 24 points to lead the Thunder and Amen Thompson has 15 points for Houston off the bench. Alpine Sengun still has just four points for the Rockets while shooting 2-of-10 from the field.

  • Steven Adams is heading to the locker room now after an awkward fall under the rim.

  • It’s an 11-0 run for Oklahoma City over the last 90 seconds or so and it looks like we finally have some movement. SGA, Dort and Williams all hit 3-pointers for the Thunder.

  • Hartenstein tipped in a bucket for the Thunder and the third quarter is officially underway. We’ll see if the offense picks up across the board here soon.

  • HALF TIME: Rockets 42, Thunder 41

    Amen Thompson leads all scorers with 13 points off the Rockets’ bench and SGA has 12 points to lead the Thunder. He has shot 3-of-12 from the field.

    Both teams have combined for six 3-pointers, and neither team is shooting better than 33%. This is also the fewest points the Thunder have scored in a half all season.

  • SGA is still struggling to get anything going. He just missed a layup, but made a pretty weak foul to get to the line. He then shared his free throws.

    It’s a rough night for him. He is just 1-of-9 from the field now with seven points.

  • Jalen Williams with the perfect finish:

  • J-Dub hits a jumper and falls after a contest. An animated Floyd Mayweather yells at a referee, “Call the foul!”

    After all, this IS Vegas…

  • End 1: Rockets 20, Thunder 18

    Kenrich Williams leads all scorers with seven points off the Thunder’s bench. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also went 1-of-8 from the field.

  • The game is not for the faint of heart. Competitive, but not high on aesthetics.

  • Well, we’re off to a slow start. Both teams have shot a combined 3-of-17 and 2-of-8 from the field to start this one.

    The Rockets led 6-5 early.