The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks will face each other in an NBA Cup final that promises to be vibrant after performing at a high level in the previous games of the second edition of the newborn competition. Giannis Antetokounmpo captains the East team and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the great figure of the East team.
Antetokounmpo, NBA MVP in 2019 and 2020, is a more than established star who won the ring in 2021. As expected, the Greek has been the great architect of the much-needed change in dynamics of his team, with stellar performances on a regular basis. The forward averages 32.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and six assists per game.
In Oklahoma, look to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Canadian is the undisputed leader of his team on the court and in the locker room and seeks to win a great title that vindicates his enormous talent, called to be one of the great dominators of the NBA. The point guard, who averages 30.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists this year, was essential for his team to win bronze in the last World Cup and to access the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after a prolonged drought. Shai will have Isaiah Hartenstein and Jalen Williams as his main offensive partners and Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace as defensive stalwarts.
Mark Daigneault’s men have beaten the Suns, the Lakers and the Jazz on the road in a group stage where they only lost to the Spurs. In the quarterfinals they eliminated the Mavs and in the semifinals the Rockets. For its part, the franchise coached by Doc Rivers has beaten the Raptors, the Pacers and the Pistons in the group stage and then defeated the Magic in the quarterfinals and the Hawks in the semifinals.
The Thunder have been in the same line as last season all season, enjoying great consistency and with a well-balanced squad that allows them to be leaders of the Western Conference with a balance of 20-5. On the other hand, the Wisconsin team began the course with many doubts that pointed to an expired project, but they have managed to change their course and head towards a clear recovery, climbing to fifth position in the Eastern Conference with a 14-11 and ten wins in the last twelve games.
The leaders of the Western Conference will be without Chet Holmgren, who injured his hip a month ago in an unfortunate fall. The duel that will decide the NBA Cup champion faces a block based on association and a broad distribution of tasks (Thunder) against Milwaukee, which will depend more on the success of the individualities of Giannis, Lillard or Bobby Portis.
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