Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 in the NBA Cup title game Tuesday night.
The Greek Freak scored 26 points with 19 rebounds and 10 assists. A 19-5 Milwaukee run in the second half turned a five-point game into a 19-point lead early in the fourth, and the Bucks kept control the rest of the way.
Milwaukee becomes the second winner of the Cup, following the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship in the inaugural tournament last season. Damian Lillard added 23 points for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo after the Cup Final: “We’re getting better”
“It’s great, it’s great for our team,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’re getting better. … We know we’re leaving Vegas as a better team. I’m so proud of this group. Man, I’m so proud of this group.”
It was a game that only counted for tournament purposes. There was about $300,000 in additional bonus money for Bucks players — they got $514,971 apiece, while the Thunder players got $205,988 each — but the win, the loss and the statistics from the game won’t count toward the regular season.
Having struggled at the beginning of the season, the Bucks have recently been on a winning streak. This victory marks their 13th win in their last 16 games, although it won’t be officially recorded in the league standings.
Antetokounmpo performed brilliantly on Saturday, sending the Milwaukee Bucks, to a 110-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Cup semi-finals.
Antetokounmpo enters his fourth decade with a big win
Giannis Antetokounmpo who turned 30 on December 6 has risen from humble beginnings in Athens, Greece to become one of the most dominant players in basketball history.
A two-time NBA MVP, NBA Champion, and Finals MVP, he is celebrated for his incredible athleticism, work ethic, and inspiring journey from selling trinkets on the streets of Greece to global superstardom.
As he enters his fourth decade, Giannis continues to exemplify greatness both on and off the court, inspiring millions around the world.
In 2021, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first NBA championship since 1971 and was named Finals MVP. The same year, he was honored as one of the league’s greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. The film Rise, based on the life of Antetokounmpo and his family, was released in 2022.
For his sporting achievements in his discipline, on July 10, 2024, the Greek Olympic Committee designated him as the flag bearer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, along with the Greek racewalker Antigoni Drisbioti.
Antetokounmpo and his wife, Mariah Riddlesprigger, are preparing to expand their family once again. Already proud parents to three children—sons Liam, 4, and Maverick, 3, as well as daughter Eva, 1, the couple are now expecting their fourth child.
The Bucks star and his longtime girlfriend said “I do” at a “hybrid” Greek Orthodox and Catholic ceremony in Greece in early September.