NBA Cup 2024 finally wrapped up with a thrilling game between formidable teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder. The game was a nail-biter, with the Bucks and Thunder trading baskets and making impressive defensive plays. With a strong display of skills and the spectacular determination of the team, the Milwaukee Bucks claimed the NBA Cup 2024 Championship. In the winning moment, the cheers echoed through the entire stadium, and Bucks fans started their celebration of victory sooner. The Milwaukee Bucks outclassed their rivals in the final game, with standout performances from Giannis Antetokounmpo, and secured the championship, showing solid gameplay and teamwork. This victory of the Bucks marks a momentous milestone to be recorded in the history of the NBA. Their journey to the top is filled with thrilling matches, strategic decisions, and athletic prowess to make their goal of achieving a championship a true testament to their excellence and resilience.
The NBA Cup, aka the Emirates NBA Cup, is an annual NBA Tournament that takes place during the regular season. This NBA Cup 2024 started on November 13, 2024. As the group stage progressed, every team did their best to advance toward the knockout round. Later, the teams start to cut down on the path to reach finals. Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder are the two teams reached to clash in the finals. The NBA Cup tournament was officially announced on July 8, 2023, and it debuted in the middle of the 2023-24 NBA Season. The tournament’s First edition was a great success for the organization, as many fans and players enjoyed the rivalry. Also, this NBA Cup is referred to as the In-Season Tournament. The winning team of this prestigious tournament not only receives the trophy but also a substantial cash prize of $514,971 for each player, adding significant value to the competition.
In this second edition of the NBA Cup, all 30 teams participated and played through the group stage standings. Going through the formidable challenge of knockout rounds and entering the finals, Milwaukee Bucks defeated their opponent, Oklahoma City Thunder, and claimed the championship. Looking over the format of NBA Cup 2024, teams were split into two: Eastern and Western Conference, each holding three groups. Later, each top-performing teams in the Group were selected for the knockout round and got through a narrow way to achieve their goal. Finally, the two teams reach the end of the NBA Cup finals with their hard battle against their opponents. It shows their determination in the game and fierce nature to claim victory. You can check out other exciting games and leagues on our website and stay updated on your favorite sports.
Selection Process in NBA Cup 2024
As per the format of the NBA Cup, the 30 teams are divided into three groups in each conference. The best-performing teams in each group are selected to move on to the knockout stage. Each team should play four games in the group stage and raise their points to move forward. In East Group A, the New York Knicks won all four games against their opponents and advanced to the knockout stage. With their high offensive ability, the Knicks hold the high points for 455. Also, Orlando Magic is selected alongside Knick as they have a better point difference. Magic had a better defensive team as they held 396 points against. The Milwaukee Bucks advanced to the Knockout stage in the East Group B. They also stepped in without facing any losses against their opponent and held a high score of 462 Points in stats. Atlanta Hawks may have lost one game in the group stage, but with a strong performance, they entered the knockout stage from East Group C.
Starting the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets are the only team selected in West Group A to step forward from the Group stage. They have shown a solid performance despite failing to secure a four-game victory. Looking over their points, the Rockets hold greater offensive ability than defense in their gameplay. From West Group B, the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team with a strong offensive lineup, has also advanced. However, it’s their solid defense, as evidenced by the 392 points they’ve held against their opponents, that truly impresses. In the West Group C, the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks are the two teams selected to enter the knockout stage with their outstanding performance and record.
Dominance in Group Stage
During the group stage, Milwaukee Bucks and other rival teams like Detroit Piston, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Indiana Pacers were in the East Group B. In the first group stage game, the Bucks faced against the Raptors. Without hesitation in their gameplay, the Bucks defeated their opponent with a point score of 99-85. Following it, their second game against the Pacers is also successful, with a high score difference victory. Later, the Milwaukee Bucks were scheduled to face the Miami Heat in their third game. This game went tough as both teams were struggling to score a win, and with a three-point difference, the Bucks claimed the victory over their opponent and stood undefeated in the tournament. Later, the final group stage game was against the Detroit Pistons. Bucks showed intense dominant gameplay against their opponent and achieved victory with a score of 107-128. Every player in the Bucks showed their talent to lead the team. Still, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard gave a remarkable performance and supported the Bucks in reaching their goal further. At the end of the group stage, the Milwaukee Bucks were selected to move forward for the knockout round from Group B.
Victory Path in Knockout Stage
After moving forward from the group stage, the Milwaukee Bucks prepared to play their quarterfinal game against Orlando Magic. The match between two formidable teams was so intense. During the first quarter of the game, Magic held the upper ground with a high score, but the tides were turned in the second quarter. After the first quarter’s end, the Bucks started making their offensive gameplay and played well against Magic. At the end of four quarters, the Milwaukee Bucks claimed their win against Orlando Magic with a score of 114-109. As part of the victory, Giannis is the key player who scores high points for the team to win. Along with him, Lillard supported well by scoring points and being long on the game. After the victory in the quarterfinals, Milwaukee Bucks scheduled to clash with Atlanta Hawks in the semi-final match. The Bucks struggled against the Hawks in the semi-final game compared with the other games. Securing the lead in each quarter of the game. Comparing all four, the Bucks secured their victory over the Hawks with the leading points in the second and fourth quarters of the game. Even though they lost, Hawks’ player Trae Young scored more points than a key player of the Bucks. With a score of 110-102, Milwaukee Bucks defeated their opponent, Atlanta Hawks, and moved towards the final game of the NBA Cup. Fans are excited to witness the grand final match of the NBA Cup as their favorite team is ready to clash against a strong opponent.
Final Game Recap
After the tough path in this NBA Cup 2024, the Milwaukee Bucks finally reached the Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. As in every game, the Bucks showed solid gameplay against their opponents. Like in previous games, Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo gave their team the best offensive performance and scored high points. While the Bucks held back in the first quarter, they secured the lead in the second quarter of the game. Continuing it, they never let their opponent stand above in the lead with their strong defense. Still, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Thunder performed remarkably well in supporting their team, but they failed to win the match. Also, like in other games, Giannis alone scored more points for the team and held stats of 26 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in the final match. Following him, Lillard also has better stats in this final game, 23 points in his 35:21 minutes of game played. With a score of 97-81, the Milwaukee Bucks secured their victory and claimed their first NBA Cup Championship. Fans are excited in the stadium after witnessing the great history of the clash between two strong teams and the Bucks winning the trophy with their solid performance.
Celebration and Prizes in NBA Cup 2024
In this NBA Cup 2024, Oklahoma City Thunder stood as the no.1 seed as the team led by star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. However, the Milwaukee Bucks subdued the dominant force in this tournament, which was great excitement for fans. Under Doc Rivers leadership, the Bucks will focus on regular games, and this NBA Cup proved their potential. Still, the team decided to close their celebration due to the suggestion of Coach Rivers and Assistant Coach Darvin Ham. They feel the team may end similarly to the Lakers as they celebrated the previous NBA Cup victory, but the energy failed to carry on to the regular season. In the end, the Lakers finished their previous NBA Season on eight in the Western Conference and could not secure their victory against the Denver Nuggets. Head coach Rivers says the team’s focus on the regular season and NBA Cup victory is just part of their play and decided not to celebrate by dousing and drinking champagne. As for Awards, Giannis Antetokounmpo won the NBA Cup MVP award and was chosen on the All-Tournament Team. Alongside him, key players like Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Damian Lillard, and Alperen Sengun are selected for the All-Tournament. And as the winning team, Milwaukee Bucks team’ each player receives $ 514, 971. True to their words, the Milwaukee Bucks are preparing for their upcoming regular season game in this NBA 2024-25.
Conclusion
Even after the NBA Cup tournament wrapped up, the fire within each team never faded away and kept carrying on to the NBA 2024-25 Season. Fans are also looking forward to Milwaukee Bucks improving their performance to become top in the standings and win the season like the NBA Cup. We hope this article comprehensively overviews your favorite Milwaukee Bucks’s path to winning the NBA Cup in 2024. Along with fans’ faith, the Bucks are preparing to make dominating gameplay in upcoming games.
