SGA, Thunder host Bucks in rematch of NBA Cup Final on TSN
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Canadian superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues his MVP-calibre campaign as the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA Cup Finals rematch on Monday night.
The Bucks emerged victorious in the NBA Cup Finals over the Thunder with a 97-81 victory in Las Vegas. Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 21 points, four rebounds and two assists in the losing effort.
Two months later, Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the NBA in scoring at 32.4 points per game while also averaging 6.0 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals on 52.8 per cent shooting.
This is now the third straight season that the Hamilton, Ont. native has averaged at least 30 points per outing, helping him earn top-five finishes for MVP in each of the past two years.
As things currently stand, the 26-year-old point guard is a heavy favourite to win the award with FanDuel SportsBook listing his odds at -500 to win the honour.
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has the third-shortest odds at +5000 behind Nikola Jokic, but the two-time MVP will miss Monday's contest while dealing with right patella tendinopathy.
If Gilgeous-Alexander does go on to win the MVP, he will become just the second Canadian to capture the award after Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash went back-to-back in 2005-06.
The Thunder come into the matchup occupying the top spot in the Western Conference with a record of 38-9. They have emerged victorious in seven of their past 10 games, and are two wins off from tying the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the Association.
Milwaukee has dropped their past three contests, and could be in tough against the Western Conference’s best without Antetokoumpo or Khris Middleton, who is having his workload capped following surgery on both ankles this past offseason.
The Bucks hold a record of 26-21 on the year, good for the fifth spot in the East and third in the Central Division.
They have gone 9-13 on the road this season, while the Thunder have been nearly unbeatable on home court, winning 20 of 23 games at Paycom Center on the year.