Giannis Antetokounmpo has always believed in teamwork, and throughout the course of this National Basketball Association (NBA) Cup he has mentioned the term “team basketball” a couple of times. Working well together paid off for the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec 17,

Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. each scored 13 for the Bucks, who joined the Los Angeles Lakers as the only champions of the 2-year-old event. A 19-5 Milwaukee run in the second half turned what was a five-point game into a 19-point game early in the fourth, and the Bucks kept control the rest of the way.

Players have bought into the in-season NBA Cup. “It's been fun,” Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Obviously the added stakes in the game gives it a little bit of a different feel.