Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put together his seventh career game of at least 30 points and 5 steals on Saturday night in Las Vegas to lead his team to a 111-96 win over the Houston Rockets in the second semifinal of the Emirates NBA Cup. The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the day 110-102 to clinch the other Finals’ spot. Tuesday’s final will take place at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.
Gilgeous-Alexander, on 8-for-21 shooting, scored 20 points in the second half and was 14-for-15 from the line in the game. He also recorded 8 rebounds and 6 assists to go along with his 5 steals. His seventh career game of at least 30 points and 5 steals tied Gary Payton for second in the Thunder/Supersonics’ franchise history.
With his patience offensively and ability to find gaps, Gilgeous-Alexander uses his handle effectively to navigate and get to his spots. He plays very controlled and is the ideal player to lead this young Thunder group. Isaiah Hartenstein played a terrific game with 21 points and 8 rebounds on 9-for-12 shooting, a needed performance playing against one of the top big men in the league in Alperen Sengun. Sengun was 6-for-16 with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Jalen Williams added 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8-for-20 for the Thunder, while Lu Dort hit on five triples for 19 points and had 9 rebounds.
Amen Thompson, with 19 points on 9-for-15 and 7 rebounds, led the Rockets, while Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 14 apiece.
Despite a 49-43 rebounding advantage, the Rockets turned the ball over 16 times to the Thunder’s 12. At 17-9, the Rockets are one of the top teams in the league, a group that plays hard and has very good young talent. Fred VanVleet (3-for-15, 1-for-11 from downtown) and Jalen Green (5-for-14, 1-for-8 from downtown) combined for just 20 points and struggled in a major way in a game where they were needed. The Rockets will no doubt use the defeat as a learning experience.
The Thunder, 20-5, head into Tuesday’s final having won five consecutive games, with back-to-back quality wins over the Dallas Mavericks and the Rockets.
It will be the first matchup of the season between the Thunder and Bucks. In 2023-2024, the teams split the season series, Milwaukee winning at home 118-93 and the Thunder winning at home 125-107. Gilgeous-Alexander was just 5-for-12 for 12 points in the Buck win, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and 19 rebounds on 13-for-18 shooting. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 on 7-for-21 in the 18-point Thunder victory last season, a game in which the Bucks competed sans Antetokounmpo.
Tuesday’s matchup should be a great one, especially at the guard spot with Gilgeous-Alexander against Damian Lillard. Lillard put up 25 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds in Saturday’s semifinal win over the Hawks but was just 8-for-21 and 5-for-14 from deep. Antetokounmpo was terrific with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists on 10-for-15 shooting, while making 12-of-18 free-throws.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 35 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds, going 9-for-18 from the field and 14-for-17 from the line. Like the Rockets, the Hawks are a quality young group with talent. At 14-13, they are well-coached under Quinn Snyder. The Bucks, meanwhile, head into Tuesday’s clash at 14-11, and are 10-3 over the last month.
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Warriors trade for Dennis Schroder
The Golden State Warriors made a move to add to their guard play on Saturday, trading for Brooklyn Nets’ point guard Dennis Schroder, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. De’Anthony Melton and three second-round picks are headed to Brooklyn, and a second round pick is joining Shroder in San Francisco.
Shroder, 31, is averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists on the season. He was one of the lone veterans on an otherwise young Net team, taking a leadership role. He is shooting 45/39/89 this season from the field, downtown, and the free-throw line.
Shroder’s ability in the clutch will add to the Warriors shot making with Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield. He gives head coach Steve Kerr a bonafide option to spell Curry and/or play with him in spots. The Warriors are currently 14-10, fifth in the Western Conference.
The Nets, meanwhile, are 10-15, and sit at 10th in the Eastern Conference. Melton, 26, was averaging 10.3 points on 41 percent shooting this season before a left ACL injury ended his season in late November. Melton will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
Shroder is also an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, so there is no financial burden for the Warriors going forward.
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Jared McCain Out Indefinitely
Philadelphia 76ers’ budding rookie Jared McCain will be out indefinitely with a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee. The injury is another blow to a 76er team that has had Paul George for only 13 games this season and Joel Embiid for just six. Embiid will continue to miss time, as he suffered a sinus fracture against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. There is no timetable for Embiid’s return, according to ESPN’s Charania.
McCain is averaging 15.3 points on 46 percent shooting in 26 minutes per game, and was one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year.
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