Giannis Antetokounmpo Stats Tonight: How did Bucks superstar perform against Thunder in Emirates NBA Cup Final? (Dec. 17)
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks faced the OKC Thunder on Tuesday in the NBA Cup Finals. The Bucks, unbeaten in the group play and knockout rounds, hoped to win the competition without a loss.
Antetokounmpo opened the Bucks' scoring with a layup. He went 2-for-2 and had six points midway through the first quarter. The two-time MVP added three rebounds and three assists to his box score after the first 12 minutes ended. Milwaukee trailed 28-27 heading into the second quarter.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did not start the second quarter. He came into the game at the 7:34 mark to relieve Bobby Portis.
The OKC Thunder kept building a wall in front of The Greek Freak in the first half. Oklahoma’s strategy worked in certain situations, but Antetokounmpo continued to impact the game The eight-time All-Star had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists in the first half. He carried the Bucks to a 51-50 halftime lead.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had five points, five rebounds and three assists midway through the third period. Antetokounmpo’s hot start to open the second half allowed the Bucks to take a 69-60 lead.
The Milwaukee Bucks' defense also showed up, limiting the OKC Thunder to 14 points. Antetokounmpo had 26 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one block heading into the final frame. Milwaukee extended its lead to 77-64 with a quarter left to play.
Antetokounmpo did not score again in the fourth quarter but helped with the playmaking and anchored the defense. The two-time MVP led his team to the NBA Cup championship with a 97-81 win.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks' impressive performance on defense to win the NBA Cup
The Milwaukee Bucks struggled defensively to start the season. Doc Rivers kept reminding reporters that they had installed a new system, which would take time to get results.
Over the past few weeks, that defense has stepped up behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Andre Jackson Jr. The NBA Cup championship was a big proof of how much they have improved on that end.
The Bucks held the OKC Thunder to 31 points in the second half to win 97-81. Antetokounmpo was all over the floor defensively. He guarded 1-5 in his team's title run. There was no doubt he was the deserving NBA Cup MVP.