It will be the Milwaukee Bucks against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup championship game.
The top seeds from the East and West both enjoyed semifinal wins on Saturday, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the Bucks to a win over the Atlanta Hawks and the Thunder outlasting the Houston Rockets in a clash of defensive-minded squads.
The championship is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET in Las Vegas, with a prize pool of more than $500,000 per player up for grabs. The game will not count for regular season standings or stats.
Shai Gilegous-Alexander goes off while Thunder grind down Rockets
The No. 1 NBA team in defensive rating is the Thunder. The No. 2 NBA team in defensive rating is the Rockets.
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They certainly looked the part at T-Mobile Arena. It wasn’t pretty at times, but the Thunder will take it after outlasting Houston in a 111-96 win.
The first half was slow in particular, which ended with the Rockets up 42-41 and both teams shooting below 33% from the field. It was OKC that woke up first, taking a double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter and eventually expanding it to 15 points.
The defensive intensity didn’t stop Shai Gilegous-Alexander from hitting 32 points, his 13th 30-point game of the season, plus eight rebounds, six assists and five steals.
Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Jalen Williams also contributed at least 19 points each, with Hartenstein getting the better of Rockets standout big man Alperen Şengün (13 points on 6-of-16 shooting, four turnovers, five fouls).
Giannis Antetokounmpo overwhelm the Hawks
Antetokounmpo finished just shy of a triple-double with 32 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in the win. He shot 10-of-15 from the field, too. Damian Lillard wasn’t far behind with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds, though he went just 5-of-14 from behind the arc.
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Trae Young did everything possible to keep the Hawks in it in the third quarter after a tight opening half in Las Vegas. He shot 6-of-7 from the field in the period and put the Hawks in the lead entering the final period.
Finally, though, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks surged ahead down the stretch. They mounted a quick 7-1 run late in the fourth quarter, powered by three short buckets from Antetokounmpo, to finally separate from the Hawks. Antetokounmpo sealed the deal in the final minutes, too, with a wild block on Clint Capela at the rim to break up an alley-oop.
Young led the Hawks with a near-triple-double of his own. He finished with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for Atlanta, which dropped to 14-13 on the season with the loss. Jalen Johnson finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and De’Andre Hunter added 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
How to watch NBA Cup championship game in Las Vegas
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
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Channel: ABC
Here’s how it all went down at Yahoo Sports:
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER55 updates
‘I want us to put our names on it’
Among concerns the league has a competition problem, the veteran coach made his stance known after the Bucks advanced past the Hawks to the NBA Cup final: “There’s nothing wrong with saying you want to win something.”
Click the photo to read more about the Bucks’ win to advance them into the NBA Cup championship. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Jabari Smith Jr.: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Dillon Brooks: 14 points, 5 rebounds
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FINAL: Thunder 111, Rockets 96
The Thunder are headed to the NBA Cup championship game. They’ll take on the Bucks on Tuesday night.
We had a brief “tussle” between Sengun and Wallace, who got into a brief shoving match, but it ended without much happening. Double technicals have been handed out after a review, and we carry on.
That’s a 10-3 run from the Thunder, and their lead is suddenly up to 13 at the midway point of the fourth quarter. They’re just six minutes away from securing a spot in the title game against the Bucks.
We talk a lot about Jabari Smith not filling those early expectations but man, that kid plays hard and goes after it on defense. I’m taking stock on anyone who’s selling.
If there is one critique of SGA, and there won’t be many, sometimes he’s looking for the foul more than the bucket,
The shooting hasn’t improved, with Houston at 34% and OKC at 41%. Super competitive game in terms of feel.
End of 3: Thunder 75, Rockets 69
Both teams finally seem to have settled in. SGA is up to 24 points to lead the Thunder, and Amen Thompson has 15 for Houston off the bench. Alperen Sengun is still at just four points for the Rockets while shooting 2-of-10 from the field.
Steven Adams is headed to the locker room now after an awkward fall under the rim.
That’s an 11-0 run for Oklahoma City over the last 90 seconds or so, and it looks like we finally have some movement. SGA, Dort and Williams all hit 3-pointers for the Thunder.
Hartenstein tipped in a bucket for the Thunder, and the third quarter is officially underway. We’ll see if the offense picks up across the board here soon.
HALF: Rockets 42, Thunder 41
Amen Thompson leads all scorers with 13 points off the Rockets’ bench, and SGA has 12 points to lead the Thunder. He’s shot 3-of-12 from the field.
Both teams have combined for six 3-pointers, and neither team is shooting better than 33%. This is also the fewest points that the Thunder have put up in a half all season.
SGA is still struggling to get anything to fall. He just missed a layup, but drew a pretty weak foul to get to the line. He then split his free throws.
It’s a rough night for him. He’s just 1-of-9 from the field now with seven points.
Jalen Williams with the perfect finish:
J-Dub hits a jumper and falls after a contest. An animated Floyd Mayweather yells at a ref, “Call the foul!”
This IS Vegas after all…
End 1: Rockets 20, Thunder 18
Kenrich Williams leads all scorers with seven points off the Thunder’s bench. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went 1-of-8 from the field, too.
The game is not for the faint of heart. Competitive but not high on aesthetics.
Well, we’re off to a slow start. Both teams have shot a combined 3-of-17 and 2-of-8 from the field to start this one.
The Holton Street Bridge nearly ready to reopen after a rehab project
The Holton Street Bridge in Milwaukee is nearly ready to reopen after a rehabilitation project. A public reopening ceremony on will take place on July 16.
A teen was shot in Milwaukee on the afternoon of July 14, and the Milwaukee Police Department is asking the public for information about the incident.
Police said a 16-year-old was shot in the 2700 block of North 44th Street around 4:23 p.m., according to a news release. The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
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Milwaukee police are looking for unknown suspects.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Milwaukee Police Department at 414-935-7360 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or submit a tip through the P3 Tips app.
Adrienne Davis is a general assignment and breaking news reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.
MILWAUKEE – The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Milwaukee and all of southeastern Wisconsin from noon Tuesday through 8 p.m. Wednesday, with heat index values expected to reach the upper 90s to around 100 degrees.
While the advisory is expected to end Wednesday evening, hot and humid conditions are forecast to continue through the remainder of the week.
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Forecast conditions can change, so everyone is encouraged to monitor local forecasts and follow guidance from the National Weather Service.
Milwaukee County cooling sites
What we know:
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Cooling sites are available throughout Milwaukee County.
For an updated list of cooling locations, heat safety information, and resources on preventing heat-related illness, visit the City of Milwaukee website or call 211.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
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Staying safe during extreme heat
What you can do:
Stay cool
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Limit outdoor activities, especially during the hottest part of the day.
Spend time in air-conditioned buildings whenever possible such as libraries, shopping centers, or community centers.
If you have an air conditioner, make sure it is installed and working properly.
by Jake Dale / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service July 13, 2026
In a cavernous attic studio stands Squire Robinson.
A painting titled “Her Love” by Squire Robinson.
Next to him on the ground is an unfinished painting of his. Hung above him are numerous paintings that he’s finished in the past year.
The walls are filled with works of art, crafted by the various artists who also call 100% MKE, a nonprofit arts studio and workspace at 217 N. Broadway, home.
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Robinson’s art doesn’t just stand among them – it stands out.
Maybe it’s the saturated reds that prevail in each of his pieces.
Maybe it’s the bold strokes that create the even bolder figures that call his paintings home.
Either way, Robinson’s art has a tangible effect for those with the eyes to see.
“Sometimes the most important piece of art is that you feel. His art makes you feel,” Richard Badger Jr. said. Badger, who goes by the artist name Coyote Rich, is also an artist in residence at 100% MKE.
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A painting titled “Solitude” by Squire Robinson.
Robinson first fell in love with art through his grandfather, who painted signs for corner stores. Early memories of drawing contests with his grandfather enchanted Squire into the art world.
Later, Robinson drew comics and superhero characters, foreshadowing the powerful figures he paints today.
“My style has always been there, it’s just evolution, it grows and changes,” Robinson said.
Robinson, a 2024 graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, has always had a certain fascination with Renaissance-era paintings.
Yet despite his appreciation of the style, something was missing.
“I appreciated the technique and skill, but I just couldn’t really relate to it,” Robinson said.
For him, the lack of diversity made the style feel distant.
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Black culture in art
Now, Robinson’s style flows through the powerful Black people he paints.
“I took some of that flavor and remixed it to something that is more me,” Robinson said. “My inspiration comes from Black culture, music and my dreams.”
Two of Robinson’s paintings, titled “4 Deep” (left) and “The Thinker” (right), hang on a wall at 100% MKE.
Robinson’s own personality is vehemently present in each of his pieces.
“His art has a very strong personality behind it,” said Nelle Speerschneider, a co-founding board member of 100% MKE.
By the end of a lengthy creative process, Robinson’s pieces are saturated with color and shapes that make viewers stop and stare. For Robinson, that’s the goal.
“To me, good art is when you can just stare at it and sit with it and think,” Robinson said. “If you see my work and walk right past it, then I didn’t do something right.”
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A sketch and painting supplies belonging to Squire Robinson sit on a table.
A painting titled “Cupid’s Wrath” by Squire Robinson.
Music and the flow state
Robinson said when he is met with a blank canvas, he doesn’t begin with a person or a setting; he starts with the mood. Then, with the help of music, he lets his art flow.
“I don’t try to contain the style, it’s just all me,” Robinson said.
Music is a big deal for Robinson. So much so that he can’t paint without it. Robinson’s taste in music, from classical and jazz to his love for Kendrick Lamar, seeps into his art.
“Squire’s art makes me feel like music,” Badger said.
Robinson said music helps him loosen up and get out of a funk.
“It helps me escape and enter that flow state,” Robinson said.
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He said music supports his ethereal creative process.
“Sometimes when I paint, I feel like I’m being guided by something higher than me,” Robinson said.
Squire Robinson lays out a mockup of a future painting on a canvas at 100% MKE on June 17.
Milwaukee made
As a young figure in the Milwaukee art scene, Robinson wears the city on his sleeve.
“Growing up in Milwaukee made me hard in the sense of staying true to myself,” Robinson said.
At 100% MKE, Robinson offers a unique voice. “It’s nice to have his youthful and urban take in the studio,” Speerschneider said.
Badger said young artists like Robinson are vital for pushing the scene forward.
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“They’re the driving force of what Milwaukee looks and feels like,” he said.
A smaller painting by Squire Robinson sits on a windowsill.
A smaller painting by Squire Robinson sits on a windowsill.
A smaller painting by Squire Robinson sits on a windowsill.
Future goals
Going forward, Robinson wants to become an art therapist, someone who uses the medium of art to process emotional challenges.
“Art has always been a way to self-express and get my own feelings out,” Robinson said. “That’s why the tone of my paintings matters the most, because those feelings are what I’m trying to evoke.”
As for his art career, Robinson says his finest work is yet to come.
“I haven’t created my best one yet.”
Squire Robinson poses for a portrait in front of a couple of his paintings at 100% MKE on June 17.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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