Nightly Pulse: NBA News & Highlights from Dec. 17

Posted by December 18, 2024 NBA
Nightly Pulse: NBA News & Highlights from Dec. 17

🏆Emirates NBA Cup Championship🏆

Who will triumph and return home with the honor of being Emirates NBA Cup Champions?

  • Bucks 97, Thunder 81 (Final)

📝Top Stories📝

  • The Bucks were triumphant defeating the Thunder 97-81, to claim the Emirates NBA Cup Championship. 
  • This game was arguably decided at the three-point line, where the Bucks were able to overcome the Thunder’s elite perimeter defense and shoot 17-40 from three, good for 42.5%. On the other hand, Oklahoma City struggled from distance, making just 5 of 32 attempts for 15.6%.
  • Antetokounmpo outshined fellow Kia MVP Candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this evening. Giannis got a triple-double, scoring 26 points, pulling down 19 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists. He also had three rejections and two steals. Gilgeous-Alexander struggled from the floor, shooting just 8-for-24, on his way to 21 points.

🌟🌟Top performers🌟🌟

  1. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 26 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocks, and two steals
  2. Damian Lillard: 23 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal
  3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 21 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal

🙌Raise it up🙌

The Bucks receive their trophy for winning the Emirates NBA Cup.

Giannis was the first to raise the trophy, and deservedly so as confetti fell from the T-Mobile Arena.

👑Giannis wins MVP👑

Giannis’ elite performance in aiding the Bucks’ Emirates NBA Cup Championship victory earned him the MVP.

Considering the outcome of the game, and his 26 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists triple-double, his securing of the Emirates NBA Cup MVP award should come as no surprise.

Bucks become Emirates NBA Cup Champions

Milwaukee dominated the second half, outscoring the Thunder, 46-31, ultimately winning the game, 97-81.

The Bucks could not be slowed down from three-point land, shooting 17-for-40, to convert 42.5% of their attempts. The Thunder as a team shot just 33.7% and found themselves locked down by stifling defense from Milwaukee.

Giannis got a triple-double, scoring 26 points, pulling down 19 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists. He also had three rejections and two steals. Lillard was sharp too, scoring 23 on 5-10 shooting from deep, and grabbing four rebounds and four assists.

For the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander struggled from the floor, shooting just 8-24, on his way to 21 points. Hartenstein secured a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Jalen Williams chipped in 18 points.

Put an exclamation point on it❗

Giannis gets another block, this time on Isaiah Hartenstein to slam the door on another Oklahoma City possession.

The Bucks are closing in on a victory and being crowned Emirates NBA Cup Champions. They currently hold a 16-point lead with just seconds remaining.

The three-point barrage continues🎯

Lillard lets everyone know it’s still Dame time, as he makes his fifth three of the night, and now sits on 23 points.

The Bucks continue to hold a strong lead on Oklahoma City, 94-77 with less than three minutes remaining in the game. The Thunder will need to heat up quickly to have any chance to get back into this game.

Bucks pulling away

Gary Trent Jr. and Brook Lopez go back-to-back from deep extending the Bucks lead.

Milwaukee is just on fire from deep and has shot 14-33 from beyond the arc. They’re now up 88-69 over the Thunder with just over eight minutes remaining in the game.

🏛️Giannis takeover🏛️

Antetokounmpo swats Alex Caruso’s shot for his first block of the game as part of a monster third quarter for the Bucks.

Milwaukee outscored the Thunder 26-14 in the third, and now have an 80-66 lead early in the fourth. Giannis was a major catalyst for the game-changing quarter, scoring 12 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out three assists.

⌚Dame time⌚

Lillard hits his fourth triple from way downtown, that pushed the Bucks lead to 11. His second three of the third quarter now makes him the games leading scorer with 20.

The Bucks have stayed hot as we hit the midpoint of the third frame, outscoring the Thunder 16-7, and now hold a 67-57 lead.

🌡️Bucks come out hot🌡️

First Prince hits a three, then Lillard, which at the time gave the Bucks their biggest lead of the game 57-50.

Jalen Williams was able to counter with a three of his own, followed by a Giannis bucket and we’re now at 59-53 a couple of minutes into the third frame.

⌛We’re halfway there⌛

As tightly as this game has been played, it’s no surprise these teams enter halftime with one point separating them. It’s the Bucks currently holding that one-point advantage, 51-50.

The difference in the game thus far has been long-range shooting. The Bucks have made 38.9% of their threes, which is exactly what they average on the season, shooting 7-for-18. On the other hand, the Thunder have only made one of 17 attempts from beyond the arc. If the Thunder’s threes start falling, they could find themselves taking over in the second half.

Giannis is leading the way for the Bucks with 14 points (6-9 FG), six rebounds, and five assists. Lillard isn’t far behind with 12 (3-6 FG, 2-4 3PT), three rebounds, and four dimes.

The Thunder are being paced by Hartenstein who has 14 points on perfect 5-5 shooting and seven rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander has 10 points but is struggling shooting thus far, making just 4 of his 13 FG attempts.

😬It’s getting tense😬

Things are getting chippy in Las Vegas with both of these teams batting and wanting to win the Emirates NBA Cup Championship. Hartenstein did not like some of Andre Jackson Jr.’s actions and the two have some words, with each earning a technical foul.

🆙Like an elevator🆙

Prince starts driving to the lane from the corner, pulling over Hartenstein and opening up the rim for Giannis to get up and throw down the lob.

The back-and-forth affair continues, with the Bucks now holding a one-point lead, 47-46. Antetokounmpo is now tied with Hartenstein for top scorer with 14.

🧱Perimeter defense🧱

Cason Wallace shows why the Thunder have an elite perimeter defense with this block on an AJ Green three-point attempt.

The block was part of an 11-2 run by the Thunder that got them back the lead they still hold onto, 46-43 in the final minutes of the second quarter.

🌊Coast-to-coast🌊

Jalen Williams cuts off the Lillard pass to Bobby Portis and takes it all the way to the hole for the layup on the other end.

The Thunder still hold a one-point lead, now 36-35 just a couple of minutes into the second quarter. Lillard and Hartenstein are the leading scorers with 12 a piece.

📕First quarter in the books📕

Gilgeous-Alexander nails a triple giving him 10 first-quarter points and helping the Thunder take a 28-27 lead into the second quarter.

Despite shooting 57.1% as a team in the first, Oklahoma City only has a one-point lead as the Bucks have been hot from three, making 5-9 of their long-range attempts.

8️⃣-0️⃣Run

Lillard caps an 8-0 run by the Bucks with his first made three of the game, giving Milwaukee their first lead of the night, 20-19.

🗣📢Make your voice heard🗣📢

Tonight’s Emirates NBA Cup MVP will be decided by the fans. Get your vote in for who you think deserves it.

⚔️Dueling dunks⚔️

First Gilgeous-Alexander earns himself an open lane and goes straight to the bucket with it. Then Giannis spins and finds his way to the rim for the dunk.

🎥We’re live🎥

Bucks vs. Thunder for the Emirates NBA Cup is officially underway, as Gilgeous-Alexander hits the first bucket of the game.

🙌Get hype🙌

The Bucks huddle for some words from Giannis ahead of tip-off.

Starting5️⃣’s are live

The Thunder will start Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein.

The Bucks will start Lillard, Andre Jackson Jr. Taurean Prince, Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez.

☔️Dripping in Vegas🎰

Players from the Bucks and Thunder arrived at the T-Mobile arena earlier today in their championship best.

🌟Stars get loose🌟

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Damian Lillard warm-up ahead of tonight’s Emirates NBA Cup Final.

Down a man

Khris Middleton will not play tonight due to an illness.

✍️Notes for tonight’s game✍️

  • Both of these teams are 12-3 in their last 15 games and come into tonight’s matchup as two of the hottest teams in the NBA. 
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sit at No. 2 and No. 3 respectively on the Kia MVP Ladder. 
  • The Bucks are third in the NBA in three-point shooting with 38.9% accuracy, while the Thunder have given up the lowest percentage of made threes at 33.1%. If the Bucks cannot convert on their long-distance attempts, they may face an uphill battle to topple the Thunder.

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