THE NBA CUP is now over for another season – and a second champion has been crowned after an incredible final in Las Vegas.
The Milwaukee Bucks have been crowned champions after a brilliant, stifling 97-81 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the MVP after an incredible triple double in the final – where he scored 26 points, adding 19 rebounds and 10 assists.
Running mate Damian Lillard added 23 points, shooting 50 per cent from three.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to just 21 points from 24 shouts as the Bucks’ incredible defense held them to only 15.6 per cent from long range.
How does the NBA Cup work?
The NBA Cup begins with the ‘Group Play’ phase, which consists of 30 teams randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on won-loss records from the 2023-24 regular season.
Each team will play each of the four teams in their group, with two games played at home and two away.
Once all 30 teams have completed their group matches, the six teams with the best standing from their Group Play games and two additional wild cards (the team from each conference with the best record in Group Play games but finished second in its group) will progress to the Knockout Rounds.
Eight teams contest the single-elimination Knockout Rounds, starting with the quarter-finals, then the semi-finals and finally the Championship Match.
It’s important to note that all 67 games across both stages of the NBA Cup will count toward the regular-season standings, except the Championship game.
NBA Cup 2024 schedule and results
Group Play
November 12
Atlanta Hawks 117, Boston Celtics 116
Detroit Pistons 123, Miami Heat 121 (OT)
Orlando Magic 114, Charlotte Hornets 89
New York Knicks 111, Philadelphia 76ers 99
Milwaukee Bucks 99, Toronto Raptors 85
Phoenix Suns 120, Utah Jazz 112
Golden State Warriors 120, Dallas Mavericks 117
Portland Trail Blazers 122, Minnesota Timberwolves 108
November 15
Miami Heat 124, Indiana Pacers 111
Orlando Magic 98, Philadelphia 76ers 86
Detroit Pistons 99, Toronto Raptors 95
Atlanta Hawks 129, Washington Wizards 117
Cleveland Cavaliers 144, Chicago Bulls 126
New York Knicks 124, Brooklyn Nets 122
Los Angeles Lakers 120, San Antonio Spurs 115
Houston Rockets 125, Los Angeles Clippers 104
New Orleans Pelicans 101, Denver Nuggets 94
Oklahoma City Thunder 99, Phoenix Suns 83
Golden State Warriors 123, Memphis Grizzlies 118
Minnesota Timberwolves 130, Sacramento Kings 126 (OT)
November 19
Boston Celtics 120, Cleveland Cavaliers 117
Brooklyn Nets 116, Charlotte Hornets 115
Denver Nuggets 122, Memphis Grizzlies 110
Dallas Mavericks 132, New Orleans Pelicans 91
San Antonio Spurs 110, Oklahoma City Thunder 104
Los Angeles Lakers 124, Utah Jazz 118
November 22
Philadelphia 76ers 113, Nets 98
Boston Celtics 108, Washington Wizards 96
Milwaukee Bucks 129, Indiana Pacers 117
Chicago Bulls 136, Atlanta Hawks 122
Houston Rockets 116, Portland Trail Blazers 88
Golden State Warriors 112, New Orleans Pelicans 108
Dallas Mavericks 123, Denver Nuggets 120
LA Clippers 104, Sacramento Kings 88
November 26
Chicago Bulls 127, Washington Wizards 108
Milwaukee Bucks 106, Miami Heat 103
Houston Rockets 117, Minnesota Timberwolves 111 (OT)
San Antonio Spurs 128, Utah Jazz 115
Phoenix Suns 127, Los Angeles Lakers 100
November 29
New York Knicks 99, Charlotte Hornets 98
Atlanta Hawks 117, Cleveland Cavaliers 101
Memphis Grizzlies 120, New Orleans Pelicans 109
Orlando Magic 123, Brooklyn Nets 100
Minnesota Timberwolves 93, LA Clippers 92
Detroit Pistons 130, Indiana Pacers 106
Miami Heat 121, Toronto Raptors 111
Boston Celtics 138, Chicago Bulls 129
Oklahoma City Thunder 101, Los Angeles Lakers 93
Portland Trail Blazers 115, Sacramento Kings 106
December 3
Philadelphia 76ers 110 Charlotte Hornets 104
Washington Wizards 87 Cleveland Cavaliers 118
Milwaukee Bucks 128 Detroit Pistons 107
Orlando Magic 106 New York Knicks 121
Indiana Pacers 111 Toronto Raptors 122
Utah Jazz 106 Oklahoma City Thunder 133
Memphis Grizzlies 116 Dallas Mavericks 121
San Antonio Spurs 104 Phoenix Suns 93
Golden State Warriors 115 Denver Nuggets 119
Houston Rockets 111 Sacramento Kings 120
Portland Trail Blazers 105 LA Clippers 127
Knockout Round
December 10
- Orlando Magic 109 Milwaukee Bucks 104
- Dallas Mavericks 104 Oklahoma City Thunder 118
December 11
- Atlanta Hawks 108-100 New York Knicks
- Golden State Warriors 90-91 Houston Rockets
December 14
- West Semi-final: Oklahoma City Thunder 111 Houston Rockets 96
- East semi-final: Milwaulkee Bucks 110 Atlanta Hawks 102
December 17
- Championship Match – Milwaulkee Bucks 97 Oklahoma City Thunder 81
NBA Cup Group Play final standings
East Group A
- 1. New York Knicks (4-0, +30 point differential) — advanced
- 2. Orlando Magic (3-1, +45 point differential) — advanced
- 3. Philadelphia 76ers (2-2, -3 point differential) —eliminated
- 4. Brooklyn Nets (1-3, -39 point differential) —eliminated
- 5. Charlotte Hornets (0-4, -33 point differential) —eliminated
East Group B
- 1. Milwaukee Bucks (4-0, +50 point differential) — advanced
- 2. Detroit Pistons (3-1, +7 point differential) — advanced
- 3. Miami Heat (2-2, +20 point differential) — eliminated
- 4. Toronto Raptors (1-3, -17 point differential) — eliminated
- 5. Indiana Pacers (0-4, -60 point differential) — eliminated
East Group C
- 1. Atlanta Hawks (3-1, +15 point differential) — advances
- 2. Boston Celtics (3-1, +23 point differential) — eliminated
- 3. Cleveland Cavaliers (1-2, -1 point differential) — eliminated
- 4. Chicago Bulls (2-2, +6 point differential) — eliminated
- 5. Washington Wizards (0-4, -74 point differential) — eliminated
West Group A
- 1. Houston Rockets (3-1, +40 point differential) — advanced
- 2. LA Clippers (2-2, +16 point differential) — eliminated
- 3. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-2, -13 point differential) — eliminated
- 4. Portland Trail Blazers (2-2, -27 point differential)
- 5. Sacramento Kings (1-3, -16 point differential) — eliminated
West Group B
- 1. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-1, +45 point differential) — advanced
- 2. Phoenix Suns (3-1, +30 point differential) — eliminated
- 3. Los Angeles Lakers (2-2, -24 point differential) — eliminated
- 4. San Antonio Spurs (2-1, +3 point differential) — eliminated
- 5. Utah Jazz (0-4, -54 point differential) — eliminated
West Group C
- 1. Golden State Warriors (3-1, +8 point differential) — advanced
- 2. Dallas Mavericks (3-1, +46 point differential) — advanced
- 3. Denver Nuggets (2-2, +6 point differential) — eliminated
- 4. Memphis Grizzlies (1-3, -11 point differential) — eliminated
- 5. New Orleans Pelicans (1-3, -49 point differential) — eliminated
Who won the NBA Cup in 2023?
Last year’s winners were the Los Angeles Lakers after LeBron James and Co beat Indiana 123-109 to claim the title in the first-ever edition of the in-season tournament.
Anthony Davis starred with an incredible 41-point, 20-rebound performance.
