Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander Relishes Shot at Bucks in NBA Cup Final
AFP/APP
Los Angeles, United States: Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is excited about his team’s opportunity to compete in Tuesday’s NBA Cup final against the Milwaukee Bucks in Las Vegas, viewing it as a valuable chance for the young Thunder squad to gain big-game experience.
“Obviously, the added stakes in the game give it a different feel,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s good prep for the postseason. It’s obviously heightened stakes compared to a regular 82-game season, and it’s good to get reps in games that mean a little bit more and have stakes to it.”
Gilgeous-Alexander played a key role in the Thunder’s semi-final victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday, scoring 32 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and dishing out six assists.
The Bucks, led by superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, also advanced to the final after defeating the Atlanta Hawks in their semi-final, with Antetokounmpo contributing 32 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists.
For the Bucks, their successful run to the final follows a strong recovery from a sluggish start to the season.
Milwaukee has won 10 of their last 12 games and moved up to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. However, Antetokounmpo stressed the importance of maintaining momentum as they head into the final.
“I think we are competing more,” said Antetokounmpo. “I feel like everybody understands that in order to win, we’ve got to compete more.
Early this season, we thought things would just happen because of our talent, but we were 2-8. We came together, watched a lot of film, and had conversations. Now, we’ve got to compete in every game.”
Despite their improvement, Antetokounmpo emphasized that the Bucks are still a work in progress. “We have a lot of work to do,” he said. “We’re not at our best yet, and we’ve got to keep improving.”
Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted the importance of sticking to the Thunder’s core strengths as they prepare for the challenge. “We have to be who we are and take the fight to them. If we do that, we’ll be all right,” he said.
The Bucks are the only team to return to the semi-finals after making it to the final four last year when the Los Angeles Lakers, led by LeBron James, claimed the inaugural NBA Cup.
While players and coaches are still figuring out the long-term impact of the competition, Bucks coach Doc Rivers expressed his appreciation for the format.
“Emotionally, you get on a high and get thrown right back into it,” said Rivers. “I think we have a day off, and then a back-to-back. But I love it, and I love that people want to win this thing.”
Gilgeous-Alexander, reflecting on the neutral venue for both the semi-finals and final, compared it to the excitement of March Madness. “At the end of the night, the better team will win,” he said. “It’s about focusing on being that.”
