The Milwaukee Bucks were one of four NBA teams who played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday with the NBA Cup tournament winding down. Fortunately for Giannis Antetokounmpo, his Bucks beat Trae Young’s Atlanta Hawks by a final score of 110-102, meaning Milwaukee will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game that will decide the NBA Cup title.
As is customary of Antetokounmpo, he stuffed the stat sheet against Atlanta, as he racked up 32 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, one steal and four blocks. Furthermore, he shot an efficient 10-of-15 from the floor.
After Antetokounmpo played in front of the fans in Las Vegas, he was asked to compare the atmosphere to that of the EuroLeague Final Four and gave the following response.
“So, the intensity within the game from the teams, you see high-level basketball, teams are competing, the intensity is high,” Antetokounmpo said. “In that aspect, it’s pretty much the same. The only thing that’s different, I believe, is the atmosphere. I wish the NBA could have that type of atmosphere here.”
The 30-year-old didn’t play in the 2024 EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin, but he was in attendance for it. He was fortunate enough to see his younger brother’s team — Panathinaikos — win a title. Panathinaikos defeated Real Madrid in the championship game by a final score of 95-80.
Along with Antetokounmpo’s brother, that Panathinaikos team employed several other former NBA players such as Kendrick Nunn, Jerian Grant and Juancho Hernangomez.
Following the Bucks’ win over the Hawks, Antetokoummpo and company will have multiple days to prepare for a Thunder team that’s been playing as well as any team in the Western Conference this season. The two squads won’t do battle until Dec. 17.
The Thunder punched their ticket to the title game with a 111-96 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday. Four players — Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — accounted for 92 of Oklahoma City’s points. No player outside that quartet scored more than seven points for the Thunder.
Maybe the atmosphere at T-Mobile Arena will be more to Antetokounmpo’s liking when the Bucks take on the Thunder with a title on the line. But Antetokounmpo is likely focused on winning the game first and foremost, and if he can put together a similarly dominant performance to the one he had against Atlanta, Bucks fans should feel optimistic that his team will come out on top.
