The Milwaukee Bucks have won the 2024 NBA Cup. On Tuesday in Las Vegas, the Bucks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81.
The star player on the Bucks was power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo of Athens, Greece. The Greek Freak had the triple double, as he scored 26 points and had 19 rebounds and 10 assists. There were four Bucks players who reached double digits in scoring. Damian Lillard had 23 points, while Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. had 13 points each.
One must realize, that even though the Bucks won on Tuesday in the Nevada desert, this game meant nothing in the National Basketball Association standings. It was in essence a meaningless exhibition contest that deserved minimal press.
This was the second NBA Cup. Hopefully, it will be the last. One reason I am not a supporter is because it disrupts the season of the majority of the NBA franchises. Twenty-eight teams did not play on Tuesday night and no teams are playing on Wednesday night. The Los Angeles Lakers won last year, but their win in this tournament should be a miniature footnote compared to the Boston Celtics’s accomplishment of winning the 2024 NBA Finals.
Speaking of overshadowing, it was too bad the Bucks won the NBA Cup on the same day that it was reported that basketball legend Hubie Brown of Hazleton, Pennsylvania announced his intention to retire from broadcasting for ESPN on February 9 at the remarkable age of 91. It is Brown who deserves the headlines for his amazing longevity. Brown was an assistant coach for the Bucks from 1972 to 1974, and will broadcast the game featuring the Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers two months from now.
