The Oklahoma City Thunder will face their biggest test yet as they meet the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup championship game on Tuesday night. With the Thunder looking to secure their first major achievement as a rising force in the West, Jalen Williams will play a key role in helping slow down Milwaukee’s star-studded lineup.
Williams, averaging 21.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.0 assists this season, has thrived in his third NBA season, particularly with Chet Holmgren sidelined. But against a physical Bucks team led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Williams may have to expend more of his energy on defense than offense.
Here’s a featured Jalen Williams prop bet to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook for the NBA Cup final:
Best Jalen Williams Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Jalen Williams Under 27.5 Points + Assists (-110)
While Williams has been one of Oklahoma City’s most reliable contributors, this matchup presents a unique challenge. While he will likely remain productive regardless, the Thunder not having Holmgren in the lineup will make it more challenging to contain Antetokounmpo.
Williams will likely spend time focusing on slowing down Antetokounmpo. As Williams acknowledged, slowing down elite players like Antetokounmpo is not an individual effort, but a collective effort.
“Whenever you’re guarding really good players, it’s not about just one person guarding somebody,” Williams said about guarding Antetokounmpo. “It’s about a team effort. … We’ll have a good game plan in place, but it’s going to come down to how well we execute as a team.”
The Bucks’ defense started the season poorly, but has improved to ranking 13th in defensive rating (112.3) on the season. While they don’t have the elite on-ball defenders that Oklahoma City deploys, Milwaukee certainly is formidable enough to potentially hold Williams under the 27.5 line for points + assists.
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