📅 Published on: 2024-12-17 21:39:22

⏱ Duration: 00:18:10 (1090 seconds)

👀 Views: 65866 | 👍 Likes: 606

📝 Video Description:

On NBA Today, Richard Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins and Chiney Ogwumike preview the 2024 NBA Cup Championship matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

✔️ Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/youtube
✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn
✔️ Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
✔️ Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/SUBSCRIBEtoNBAonESPN
✔️ Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV

#ESPN

🎙 Channel: ESPN

🌍 Channel Country: United States

📂 Tags:

bucks vs thunder,bucks vs thunder preview,nba cup championship,nba cup final,espn nba cup,nba cup espn,nba cup bucks,nba cup thunder,nba,nba cup,oklahoma city thunder,nba highlights,nba on espn,nba espn,espn,milwaukee bucks,thunder vs bucks,bucks,basketball,game highlights,nba today espn,espn nba today,espn nba,nba today,espn nba today news,giannis,giannis antetokounmpo

🕵️‍♂️ Transcript:

and let’s show you how they’ve gotten here the Bucks they’ve won 12 of 15 games tied with the Celtics for the best in the league in that span the Thunder meanwhile have gone nine out of 10 they’ve won nine of their last 10 games and the Thunder they continue to blow teams out here they’re beating teams by just over 12 points a game on Pace to be the fourth best in NBA history it would put them somewhere between the 96 bulls and 17 Warriors which is a pretty good company when you’re talking all time and both teams feature you just get to the basket Giannis is scoring 21.5 paint points per game something that hasn’t been done since Shaq in his MVP season here’s both Stars leading into this game for me it’s just creating more art creating more moments that I can remember creating more Legacy you know for myself or something that my kids can look back to and say damn my my dad was a a bad mfer when he used to play talented group obviously uh they speak for themselves obviously their head of their snake presents its challenges now we uh at the end of the night have to be who we are um and have to take the fight to them um I think if we do that we’ll we’ll be all right pleas so these are two teams Richard that are hoping to use this NBA cup as a springboard to meet their goals right for the rest of the regular season and they have high postseason aspirations as well what can we learn about these teams tonight well I I think for me we get to find out if the Bucks have really truly turned around their season I think they’re trending in all the right directions they’re playing outstanding basketball currently but they are 4-8 against teams that are above 500 and that’s a a very very big difference since what OKC but if you’re really turning your team around and this is the Bucks of old or of new with Dame you need to start see him start beating very good teams and it could start tonight are you wear the gloves for the entire keep them all I know you asy I know you ashy it’s all look the main the thing that stands out to me the most about the Milwaukee Bucks is Yiannis the Copo not only is he all in but the world get to see the best player in the world take stage tonight you know what I mean and Yannis has been dominating in great fashion not just offensively but defensively it was rumor circulating the Yiannis want giis one out all of a sudden he had that one moment where he damn near broke down what was it about a month half ago after this postgame interview and all of a sudden you see we saw we are witnessing Giannis take his game to a whole another level which I didn’t believe he could and that’s crazy but perk and Richard the Bucks they’ve already won a championship Giannis already has MVPs this is all about OKC they can prove to the world that they are the real deal and that they have truly arrived y’all this champ this team has not won a championship other than 1979 when they were the Seattle superponics this is their best shot and it starts with winning the cup I think a lot of people have questioned okay last year leading the West now they’re doing it again they’re doing it without CH hren you get him back this is a team that we can see entitled contention for years to come so this is a big deal for the Thunder because we already know who this Buck team is supposed to be it’s the first time we’re going to get to see these two teams go head to-head Richard are you going to start doing the Thriller out here well hold on hold on one second shout out to my boy Dave for early Christmas present but you need it you sweating it’s a little F thank you the head isoss sometimes when you’re a little older sweating a little bit it happens the Milwaukee Bucks know a thing or two about that because this game it actually pits the oldest team in the NBA against the fourth youngest team in the Thunder the Bucks are the oldest team in the NBA and it seems that this has been a talking point for the bucks headed into this game here’s what Doc Rivers told me yesterday about their age Gap here all these young teams are flying around and we’re going to come in with our little canes and Wheelchairs and play them you know and we got to get our you got to make this game a physical game that’s for sure comes down to one game and that’s it you know I don’t think nobody at least with us looking at it like oh we old and all of that and they young I don’t think nobody’s on our side is looking at it like that uh so Richard since we’ll do age before Beauty here what am the old here am I really you are what will the key to the game be your hair doesn’t tell you that I sweating does why is it so hot it’s you a it’s all right early onset um so no what I would say is what I would say is like the the key for who who are we talking about the key for for the game for the game you’re forgetful M my good old I got a lot no no no for me I I I think the way the Bucs can rebound if they can get second possessions look we know that they’re not a great current shooting team or they’re not as good as they would like to be so for me I think that if they can really dominate The Glass KET second opportunities that’s big Hold Up Wait A Minute Richard you said something that is kind of not true it’s time to go shot for shot me versus big per perk I’m going to take the buck side of things because their shooting has actually improved the last few games we all know that Giannis owns the paint but Damen Lillard owns the perimeter and so if you see on this breakdown what Dame is able to do he has the fourth most pick and rolles on offense and so when you’re able to see him get downhill in situations like this Dyson Daniels a great defender as his matchup watch this just the idea of a pick and roll he flares shakes his Defender and now there’s a close out but it’s too little too late he knocks down the three again averages 25.7 points per game all of his numbers are up from last year he’s more settled he’s more cool in this offense now here this is what I love you have to guard him everywhere he gets downhill we talk about Shay we talk about Giannis driving Dame has owned this side of the basketball too being able to attack the paint but also knocking down shots on the perimeter and look at this this is what I’m talking about rich last 15 games this team is shooting 41% the Milwaukee Bucks from three which is the best in the NBA so if they carry that moving forward it’s going to help but perk I know defense is a big factor here too yanis is clearly focused on tonight and he’s putting up numbers so far this season that nobody has done in NBA history he’s on Pace for the first season with at least 32 points 10 rebounds and six assists in league history so Giannis he seems to be I don’t know Chan he seems to be standing on something you remember when I walked in here today you remember what I told you what our MO is today we standing on business we standing on business we still standing on business Richard you’re not a part of this cuz damn it I’m standing on business even more [Music] bam this my camera that’s going to be your camera but standing on business huh today today it is big business because it is all the way up on the arena you damn right look NBA cup for all the marbles we got the best player in the world and Yiannis an Copo showing on stage tonight damn it he got to stand on business he’s leading the league and scoring he’s leading the league and points in the paint he’s going against the number one defense what you going to do Yiannis are you going to have one of those subpar nights or you going dominate in great fashion and show why you Yiannis an the kopo the two-time MVP Defensive Player of the Year Finals MVP this is your time damn it you want the 500k you say it’s life changing although you already got a big bag well go get it what you do cuz them young boys ain’t backing down tonight yis out the Koop has to stand on business in order for them to get this win tonight he seems focused perk in a new way what has impressed you the most here about about y I think I’m going stay here you want to stay should I join you because I agree room on that little St it’s one thing to watch him play via television it’s another thing to look at the numbers the 32.7 points per game the 1% from the field the 21 points per game in the paint it’s another thing to see what he does in person and we had the luxury of being able to do that here in Vegas in the semi-finals and that man is Relentless he just keeps coming after you and after you he’s trying to run through your chest downhill I think one aspect of about giannis’s game that is underrated is his ball handling ability he will bring the ball up and then he will play two main action with Dame and then if you look at these numbers I mean his mid-range has really developed not just getting to the pain look here a career year 47% shooting over four field goals attempted in the midrange it’s slow but it’s steady he’s trying to develop his shot but more importantly his Relentless mindset is literally a joy to behold just how how hard he plays you can’t take that for granted in the NBA and then the intangibles Chan his leadership and he talked about it you heard a snippet of it in the conversation that we had right but he was talking about how he feels like his voice is is needed with this team and he doesn’t want to be an inconsistent voice he wants to deliver over and over again so that they know that he is going to be the steady force of the ship I love the sound we played earlier in the show when he was talking about we don’t have more there is not a game pass tonight to hear that sort of stakes in December to hear that sort of focus after getting out to a 2 and8 start this is a man who was on a mission a man who was want to win and you know what he said I just want to underscore this he said he he was talking about win or lose tomorrow and then he corrected himself and he said we’re not going to lose there is no way we are going to lose this game that’s the intention he has and see that’s and see that’s what you love that’s what you love for real Malik I’m glad Jo harped on a lot of things but that’s what you love about jannis the Copo when you talk about the perfect franchise player he’s that as the motor the fr the professionalism all across the board but one thing we have to notice right now he is like having a career year for as his assist so he’s actually trusting his teammates and the big to Big passing with Brook Lopez well but he needs help right and that’s always been Giannis can’t win he can win a game on his own he can’t win every game on his own you good yeah he can’t win every game on his own this is why they got Damen Lillard and we’ve seen their partnership Blossom more tonight what will it take for them to be the team that stands and holds the NBA cup again the Oklahoma City Thunder number one defense in the NBA they will have a strategy to try to stop Dame by doubling him or trapping him there’s no stopping being Yannis the only goal is to contain him maybe build a wall around the paint and force others to beat you now the other could be one of the best clutch time shooters in Dame but this is a team that we’ve seen work on a string which is why I’m so excited about this match up it’s strength on strength offense versus defense yeah Giannis came into the season with a fire he posted on social media when the schedule came out and they weren’t playing on Christmas day hey you know what we deserve to be there as well and now we are seeing that come to fruition in the NBA cup the man who drives as the lead offense though is of course Shay guils Alexander the Thunder have an offensive efficiency of 119 with him on the court that would rank fourth in the league and their 102 efficiency would be last with him off of the floor so he is very important to this squad Tim McMahon is here with us covering the Oklahoma City side of all of this McMahon the spotlight it has never been brighter here for sgaa what is his mentality as he is stepping into this role yeah I asked Mark uh dagot about this yesterday and he said SGA is always the coolest guy in the room it doesn’t matter what room he’s in and look SGA is a fierce competitor but he’s not fiery you know he says look it doesn’t matter who I’m playing is I don’t differentiate I’m always trying to take their head off but he’s not the kind of guy who tries to do too much he’s not going to be flying through the lane doing a back flip and trying to dunk the ball he stays within himself and and that’s part of his greatness and and and again for him it doesn’t matter it was Luca dones a couple games ago it’s j s kopo now he’s not thinking about outplaying the other star he’s thinking about thriving with his teammates Tim thank you so very much there looks like there’s a couple of folks behind you who are actually though doing back flips and I know you just champing at the bit to go and join them so for now I will say adios Amigo please do not hurt yourself back there on the other side of tonight’s matchup Dame yanis they’ve combined to average nearly 59 points per game over the Bucks last 15 games that’s the most by a Duo in that stretch Milwaukee has also won 12 of their last 15 that’s tied for the best in the NBA Jamal Collier he covers the Milwaukee Bucks for us and he is joining us now because he recently wrote a story Jamal that is up now on espn.com and it details the relationship between Yannis atent kmo and Damen Lillard how has that relationship grown between these two superstars yeah Malika jannis said it over the weekend that their chemistry is as strong has ever been and you can see that on the court they’re the highest scoring duo in the NBA that Dame Tanis assist combo it’s a top 10 uh duo in the NBA so far but from my reporting in this story their teammates really said that their leadership has taken an even greater step forward this year and that’s not really the uh natural inclination for both Giannis and DNE they’re guys who like to lead by example and kind of let their play do the talking but this team was 2 and8 they really needed somebody to help fill that void as Dame said and both Yiannis and Dame especially during this NBA cup have taken turns leading this team providing the voice providing motivation we saw it with Dame a couple weeks ago in that game against Detroit that helped get the Bucks here and then we saw it on Saturday night Giannis was the guy leading the the Hawks in the pregame huddle really motivating and rallying his team and the Bucs have responded they are 12-3 since that 2 Anda start is the best record in the NBA and their stars are starting to click and finally look like they you know first intended when they brought these guys together yeah it really feels like there’s a ren nude sense of focus here for their smuke bucks group and that focus is only rivaled by you just staring down the barrel of this camera as people are literally doing acrobatics around you so please be safe Jamal we will see you a little bit later for this game back here on set though it’s time now for a little fill in the blank so this is how this is going to go I’m going to give you two a sentence and you’re going to fill it in on your whiteboard write down the phrase that you want to use all right cool yes let’s go for itend Perkins you are going to start SGA he will blank the Bucks tonight let me not cheat and look over oh we’re really we’re getting Fancy with it no I just want them can you see that oh why does the Kay look like your finger just like look I mean I’m trying the sun in my eyes and they listen he will you ever had deer meat roasted yeah that’s what’s going to happen tonight okay SGA think about this the Bucks yes they team defensively has stepped up to the plate because you have Giannis and Brook Lopez but perimeter wise the Milwaukee Bucks their perimeter defense stinks and when you talk about SGA who’s the best offensive perimeter player in the league who thir in the league and scoring he’s going to have it his way tonight and dominate I have not had it but that’s a shame cuz I’m from Texas I should dear me all right I guess that’s what we’re having we’re going to have to make a reservation to go do that all right the the Thunder the Thunder’s defense will blank Milwaukee chenet okay you can’t say cook again I got you it’s got to be something different no cursing no this is a team where’s my is this my camera they will bite this is a team that is known for barking but their defense has bite and if you look at this matchup on both ends what you didn’t like the bark do it again you are a shihu I’m not great at this but the good thing that they are they have bite to this defense it’s not just barking in post games they are a menace when it comes to the perimeter and that’s what concerns me for the milwauke bucks because we all know that their perimeter defense is lacking their perimeter shooting is a little bit it’s a little bit better 40% over the last 10 or so games if they’re able to bring that defensive pressure on the perimeter it’s going to be a longer night for Milwaukee and what was that just one more time it’s time for a little top of the top of this NBA cup shall we start with a a little Steph Curry this is in the the group stage when Steph had the dagger oh yeah and then the night night oh no that’s like nightmares for US Post players having to be out there I I swear step emotions was like the NBA finals or something look at that look at that last to the Bay too so there was a little extra something there and then Isaiah hardstein meets doton connect at The Rim here a oh been balling you talk about putting your body on the line he’s a game changer for any franchise man we saw what he did it with the next now you’re seeing it with a thunder just imagine when Czech gets back too then we got Jaylen Brown that’s a that’s a this was aggressive yeah this was aggressive that was that was like that was really Bel that was grown man like that was it was Big Daddy that was grown man which rtire Big Daddy or grown man I think grown man grown man bu where’s this in the game ceiling block this past weekend on Clint capella he just he discarded Brook Lopez he says I got this yeah this was it I mean call the laws that was abuse in the era of Threes And dunks this right here did it for me Mean Mug all right bro at number one remember when uh John Mor said that he wasn’t dunking anymore and then he stuck his neck in the damn basket God bless eyes at The Rim literally he’s like there it is one of the most fun players to watch in the NBA oh man it’s so fun that the Memphis Grizzlies are good again this season [Music]

🔗 Watch on YouTube

🚀 Related Hashtags: #FULL #NBA #CUP #CHAMPIONSHIP #PREVIEW #39We #witnessing #Giannis #game #LEVEL39 #Perk

Disclaimer: This video is embedded directly from YouTube. All rights to the video and content belong to the original creator, ESPN. For more details, please visit the original source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWkLWDSSSgE.