Oklahoma City Thunder Defeat Mavericks To Reach NBA Cup Semifinals

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered an impressive performance with 39 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 118-104 win over the Dallas Mavericks. This victory in the NBA Cup quarter-finals snapped Dallas's seven-game winning streak. Gilgeous-Alexander excelled by hitting 15 of 23 shots and matching his season high with five successful 3-pointers.

The Thunder's defence was pivotal, effectively containing Luka Dončić. Oklahoma City's league-leading defence limited Dončić to just 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting. The Mavericks star also committed six of Dallas's 18 turnovers, highlighting the Thunder's defensive prowess throughout the game.

Jalen Williams contributed significantly with 18 points for Oklahoma City, while Isaiah Hartenstein added a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. The Thunder, already leading the Western Conference standings, secured their eighth win in nine games. They will head to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals on Wednesday to face either the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets.

Klay Thompson made an impact for Dallas by scoring 19 points, including five 3-pointers. Naji Marshall also added value off the bench with another 19 points. Despite these efforts, Dallas couldn't overcome Oklahoma City's strong performance and solid defence.

Bucks' Late Surge

In another thrilling match-up, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points as the Milwaukee Bucks narrowly defeated a depleted Orlando Magic team, winning 114-109 to advance to the NBA Cup semi-finals again. Damian Lillard was instrumental late in the game, tying it at 106-106 with a step-back three-pointer before securing Milwaukee's lead with a dunk.

Lillard scored nine of his total 28 points in the final minute of play. Antetokounmpo also contributed defensively with seven rebounds and four blocks. Bobby Portis added depth from the bench with 22 points and ten rebounds. These three were Milwaukee's only players scoring in double figures.

Magic's Challenges

The Magic faced challenges without key players Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner due to injuries. They shot only 44.1 percent from the field and struggled from beyond the arc, making just six out of their 27 attempts. Jalen Suggs led Orlando with a valiant effort, scoring ten consecutive points in the fourth quarter but ultimately missed his last three shots.

Milwaukee will now travel to Las Vegas for Saturday’s semi-final against either the New York Knicks or Atlanta Hawks. Last year, they reached this stage but fell short against Indiana Pacers in the inaugural tournament.