Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo put on a scoring clinic on Monday night, leading their respective teams to victories and securing spots in the NBA Cup semi-finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander fired up the Oklahoma City Thunder, dropping 39 points in a 118-104 win over the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference quarter-final.
The Thunder hit a season-high 20 three-pointers, with Gilgeous-Alexander contributing five of them. He also added eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
OKC surged in the third quarter, extending their slim halftime lead to a commanding 90-73 advantage.
Despite 19 points from Klay Thompson and 16 from Luka Doncic, the Mavericks couldn’t overcome the Thunder’s onslaught.
OKC will face either the Golden State Warriors or the Houston Rockets in the next round.
Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo’s 37-point performance guided the Bucks to a 114-109 victory over the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference quarter-final.
Milwaukee’s star was joined by Damian Lillard, who scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, including a game-tying three-pointer and key free throws in the final minutes.
Lillard also dished out nine assists. The Bucks will face either the Atlanta Hawks or the New York Knicks in the semi-finals, aiming to improve on last year’s semi-final exit.
Both teams will now turn their attention to the Las Vegas stage for the final stages of the inaugural NBA Cup.