When the Milwaukee Bucks clinched their spot in the NBA Cup championship game, plenty of the team’s younger and lesser-paid players were exuberant in the locker room.

The Thunder are among the top tier of NBA title contenders, racing out to an early lead in the Western Conference despite dealing with a litany of injuries in the frontcourt. The Bucks started the season wobbling on the edge of true disaster before Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard dragged them back from the abyss by,

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo headline the NBA Cup finals. Both MVP candidates can utilize the national platform to boost their MVP cases. While the Thunder have been the league's best team, the Bucks are always a viable title threat and have recently played better.