OKC Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks Advance To NBA Cup Semi-Finals

Thanks to standout performances from their stars, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo, both the OKC Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks have punched their tickets to the NBA Cup semifinals. The Bucks triumphed over a spirited Orlando Magic team, while the Thunder pulled off a thrilling win against last season’s runners-up, the Dallas Mavericks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder came out on top against the Dallas Mavericks with a solid 118-104 victory, thanks to a stunning 39-point performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In addition to his scoring, Shai also racked up 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in 38 minutes of action. Jalen Williams added 18 points, while summer acquisition Isaiah Hartenstein proved his worth by scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. While the Thunder’s stars delivered, the Mavs struggled to find their rhythm. Oklahoma’s tough perimeter defense stifled Luka Dončić, holding him to just 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting. Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall did their best with 19 points each, and Kyrie Irving contributed 17, but it wasn’t enough. The Thunder were simply dominant, outclassing the Mavs in every aspect. 

The Thunder were only up by three points at halftime, and that’s credit to the Mavs for hanging in there. Luka Dončić was having a tough time, scoring just 2 points on 1-for-7 shooting. But in the second half, OKC came out with a bang, opening up with a 13-2 run to stretch their lead to 70-56. After that, the Mavs never truly recovered after that run. Now, the Thunder are heading to Las Vegas, where they will take on the winner of the Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors in the semifinals on 14th December. 

Elsewhere, The Milwaukee Bucks squeezed out a 114-109 victory over the Orlando Magic, but it was far from easy. Despite missing their star player, Paolo Banchero, and a few others, the Magic pushed the Bucks to the edge. Giannis Antetokounmpo was in full force, scoring a game-high 37 points, and Damian Lillard added 28, including clutch free throws in the dying seconds to seal the win. Jalen Suggs was incredible for Orlando, leading the charge with 32 points. With 12 seconds left, he had a chance to put the Magic ahead with a three, but it rimmed out. Lillard was fouled shortly after and nailed two free throws to give the Bucks some breathing room, but Suggs couldn’t answer with a tying shot.  

With 5 seconds remaining on the clock, Giannis finished the game off with two free throws of his own. And despite the Magic’s best efforts, the Bucks held on. Orlando’s roster was depleted with Banchero, Jonathan Isaac, Franz Wagner, and Gary Harris all sidelined, but they fought until the very end. Up next, the Milwaukee Bucks will meet the winner of the Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks in the NBA Cup semifinals, set to take place in Las Vegas.