The OKC Thunder are consolidating their position atop the Western Conference after picking up a 121-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the Fiserv Forum tonight. Despite being healthy, the Bucks couldn’t match up to the Thunder and were largely uncompetitive all night.
The Thunder were led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31 points (11-27 FG) and eight assists. Isaiah Hartenstein shone with 24 points (11-15 FG) and 12 rebounds, while Chet Holmgren had 16 points (6-9 FG) and eight rebounds. Isaiah Joe came off the bench for 19 points (6-12 FG) and six rebounds, while Alex Caruso contributed 10 points (4-6 FG) and five assists.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 21 points (7-15 FG), 12 rebounds, and 10 assists while Damian Lillard put up 19 points (3-9 FG). Gary Trent Jr. had 12 points (4-11 FG) and two steals off the bench while Kevin Porter Jr. contributed 11 points (3-9 FG). Kyle Kuzma struggled with 10 points (4-11 FG).
Let’s take a deeper look at this game and analyze its major takeaways.
OKC Team Defense Is Stifling
The OKC Thunder have the best defense in the NBA by a considerable margin, leading the league with a 107.2 defensive rating, 2.6 points better than the No. 2 ranked Houston Rockets. Their defense has been their calling card for most of the season and it definitely was the impetus of their win tonight.
The Bucks shot dreadfully all game, going 33-83 (39.8 FG%) from the field. They thankfully had a somewhat decent three-point shooting night with 13-34 (38.2 3P%) but it was just enough to help them avoid a catastrophic blowout loss with their core healthy. OKC have built their season success on a team defense which seems infinitely portable against matchups and keeps having success.
One of the biggest reasons for their success tonight was the rhythm interior duo Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren have developed. After not sharing the court for most of the season due to injuries, their presence in the paint completely killed the Bucks offense and ensured Giannis had a quiet night even though he had a fat statline.
Comprehensively Outrebounded
One of the biggest issues for OKC over the last two seasons has been rebounding. They couldn’t rebound at a high enough clip in the Playoffs last season, losing to the interior-heavy Dallas Mavericks and addressing their hole at center by signing Isaiah Hartenstein. Unfortunately, Hartenstein was injured to open the season and returned after Chet picked up a major injury. They didn’t play together till earlier this month.
Their presence on the inside has allowed the Thunder to become a far more effective rebounding team, grabbing 50 boards to the Bucks’ 34 tonight. Holmgren and Hartenstein combined for 20 rebounds alone, with their impact on that front showing, as their presence has allowed the active perimeter players to fight for long rebounds and emerge successful at least in their matchup against Milwaukee tonight.
If the Thunder have patched their holes as a rebounding team, they literally have zero holes for any team to exploit in a Playoff matchup. Their inevitability as contenders is hard to avoid, especially when you consider Jalen Williams wasn’t on the court and the All-Star caliber forward should return in time for the Playoffs.
Bucks Don’t Have Enough Talent
The Bucks made drastic moves to address their roster issues at the trade deadline. They traded franchise legend but injury-prone forward Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma to add a high-level scorer who can be an impactful defender and rebounder. He had one rebound all game tonight and struggled to create any real offensive impact, being outscored by other winter acquisition Kevin Porter Jr.
The Thunder focused on neutralizing Giannis and Lillard, which worked enough to ensure none of their options had any room to operate. It was similar to how a Playoff defense matches up with their opponents, highlighting the attention to detail OKC is playing with compared to the Bucks who are still looking for a consistent rhythm with their new big three.
Outside Giannis, Lillard, and the streaky Kuzma, the Bucks simply don’t have enough elite options. Brook Lopez has lost a step at age 38 while Bobby Portis is suspended for the rest of the regular season, making them exceptionally soft on the inside. There’s no remedy for their problems, making their Playoff success hopes bleak.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
