NBA Cup final: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder predictions and odds
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks are competing for the second annual NBA Cup tonight. T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is the venue for the NBA's 83rd regular season game. While the game will not mean much in terms of the league standings, it comes with a hefty monetary reward for the winner: $500,000 for each player on the winning team.
Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo headline the contest. Both players are MVP candidates who could use the boost from this featured game to increase their odds of winning the MVP Award. Of course, only a win will help, and the Thunder have been the best team in the NBA this year.
That said, the Bucks boast arguably the best player in Antetokounmpo. If Milwaukee can get the Greek Freak going near the rim, the Thunder will have a hard time stopping their offense. After both semifinal games delivered incredible action, anticipation is high for the finals. Here's everything to know for tonight's NBA Cup Finals.
Predictions for 2024 NBA Cup Finals:
USA Today:
- Jeff Zillgitt: Thunder 112, Bucks 100
- Lorenzo Reyes: Thunder 108, Bucks 101
Nikola Velickovic, Vegas Odds: UNDER 213.5
Velickovic writes, "The Bucks will need Damian Lillard at his best to beat the Thunder. Dame must drop at least 25 buckets for his team even to stand a chance. Meanwhile, OKC’s strenth is harsh defense and very versatile offense, with SGA leading the way. For the time being, the best pick here is under 213.5 points, which is the current total line. It’s one game, and the intensity will be very high."
Stephen Noh, SportingNews: Thunder to win big
Noh writes, "The Bucks are good, but the Thunder are better. This should be a comfortable win for Oklahoma City, which looks like the strong favorite to make it to the other championship game in June."
Bucks vs. Thunder: NBA Cup Finals odds
The Oklahoma City Thunder are favorites to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks, according to BetMGM.
Odds as of Monday, Dec. 16
- Spread: Thunder (-4.5)
- Moneyline: Thunder (-200); Bucks (+165)
- Over/under: 215.5
How to watch Bucks vs. Thunder in NBA Cup Finals
- Date: Tuesday, Dec. 17
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT
- Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- TV: TNT
- Stream: Sling
Watch NBA Cup Final with a free trial subscription with Sling
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