Jalen Williams Stats Tonight: How did Thunder star fare against Bucks in Emirates NBA Cup Final? (Dec. 17)

Jalen Williams has cemented himself as the second option for the OKC Thunder behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Williams has been the Thunder's Swiss Army knife on both sides of the ball. He can play multiple positions, including center after the team had no healthy big men.

But how did the Thunder star fare tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup? Williams finished the game with 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. He played well defensively, but was unable to get himself going.

The Thunder fell way short in the Emirates NBA Cup Final as the Bucks beat them 97-81. They were limited to just 14 points in the third quarter and 17 points in the final period. It's just a bump in the road for the young team, with this loss not even part of their overall regular season record.

Here are Jalen Williams' stats for the game:

Players	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	+/-
Jalen Williams	18	4	3	2	3	2	2	33:52	8-20	1-4	1-2	-5

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How did Jalen Williams fare in the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Final?

Jalen Williams had a solid first quarter, finishing with four points and two blocks. He limited Giannis Antetokounmpo to just six points though it was a collective effort by the Thunder. Antetokounmpo has been playing fantastic this season, so it was a positive for the Thunder to slow him down.

In the second quarter, Williams added seven points to his tally with Milwaukee taking a one-point lead at halftime. The Thunder were lucky to not be down big due to their defense. They were cold from beyond the arc, going 1-for-17.

However, things took a quick turn in the third quarter, with Jalen Williams scoring just three points in the opening minute of the period. Williams and the OKC Thunder could barely make a basket mainly due to the Milwaukee Bucks' suffocating defense.

Things fell apart in the final period as Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a triple-double on the Thunder to win the Emirates NBA Cup. Antetokounmpo finished with 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists, with Milwaukee winning 97-81.

They limited Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander thanks in large part to the collective efforts of players such as Andre Jackson Jr., Taurean Prince, Pat Connaughton and Gary Trent Jr.

Some will downplay the NBA Cup, but winning it would have a positive impact on the Thunder, especially on their players who are not on big contracts. The winning team would have won at least $500,000 for each player.

Now, the Thunder will have a day off before resuming their regular season schedule on Thursday. They fly to Florida to face the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat in back-to-back nights. They'll be back home before Christmas when they welcome the Washington Wizards on Dec. 23.