Giannis Shines as Bucks Take Down Thunder to Snag NBA Cup

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks put on a second-half clinic to crush the Oklahoma City Thunder, 97-81, and clinch the NBA Cup in Las Vegas on Tuesday. It was pure dominance, people!

Giannis was in his bag, dropping a chef’s kiss triple-double: 26 points, 19 rebounds, ten assists, plus two steals and three monster blocks. And the Bucks? They were absolute snipers, draining 17 three-pointers to stay undefeated in this tournament. If you’re a Bucks fan, you only feel good vibes as they follow the Los Angeles Lakers as the second-ever in-season tournament champs.

Let me tell you, the Bucks’ second half was the stuff of legends. They turned up the heat and outscored the Thunder by 20 points. Heading into halftime with just a one-point edge, Milwaukee fired in the third quarter. Damian Lillard added 23 points to the mix, while Giannis said it best: “That’s who we are.”

The Thunder, though? Not their night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the lone bright spot with 21 points, but his shots just weren’t falling. He went 8-for-24 from the field and a rough 2-for-9 from deep.

This win was extra sweet for Milwaukee. Last year, they got bounced by the Indiana Pacers in the semi-finals, but this time, they came back stronger. The Bucks took down the Orlando Magic in the quarter-finals, handled Atlanta in the semis, and didn’t let OKC breathe in the final.

And let’s not forget the wild turnaround this season. After a dreadful 2-8 start, the Bucks have flipped the script, winning 13 of their last 16 games. They’re heating up faster than a hot pocket in a microwave.

Giannis was crowned tournament MVP, and honestly, who else could it be? But he’s not about to kick back and relax. “The job’s not done,” he said, staying laser-focused on the bigger picture. This NBA Cup win is just a stepping stone for a team with championship dreams.

The Bucks’ third-quarter lockdown defense, holding the Thunder to just 14 points, showed exactly why this team is dangerous. “We’re competing defensively,” Giannis added. “That’s who we are, and that’s who we’re going to keep being.”

While the final doesn’t count toward regular-season records, it does come with a sweet payday. Each Bucks player will walk away with over $514,000, while Thunder players snag $205,000 for their runner-up finish. Not bad, but OKC won’t be thrilled about one of their worst shooting nights—just 33.7% from the field and a rough 15.6% from deep.

This game had everything: insane plays, emotional highs, and a vibe that felt bigger than just another game. The Bucks are back, baby, and Giannis is leading the charge. If this is just a taste of what’s to come, I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds.