It was a stunner in Oklahoma City tonight as two teams on opposite ends of the standings met for the second and final time this season. Even without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder were heavily favored in the matchup at home against a depleted Bucks squad without Giannis Antetokounmpo or Myles Turner. Yet, somehow, it was Milwaukee who pulled out the 110-93 win in a major upset.
Ousmane Dieng was the unlikely hero in this one with 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and four blocks on 58.3% shooting and 50.0% shooting from three. Starting guard AJ Green dropped 17 points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal, and zero blocks on 42.9% shooting and 45.5% shooting from three. Off the bench, Bobby Portis added 15 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, four steals, and zero blocks on 54.5% shooting from three.
For the Thunder, Isaiah Joe was the leading scorer with 17 points, four rebounds, two assists, zero steals, and zero blocks on 45.5% shooting and 44.4% shooting from three. Chet Holmgren had a solid night with 16 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, zero steals, and two blocks on 41.7% shooting from the field. Finally, Jared McCain poured in 13 points, three rebounds, two assists, zero steals, and zero blocks on 33.3% shooting.
The Thunder have flexed their depth before, like against the Suns last night, but several factors played a role today that gave the Bucks a major advantage. In the end, after finishing that first quarter with a five-point lead, the Bucks played with a steady confidence that carried them through the game.
Injuries Changed The Game
With stars missing on both sides (including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jalen Williams), it evened the playing field in what would have otherwise been a major blowout for the Thunder. The Thunder won their previous matchup back in January by 20 points, but things went much differently this time.
Coming off the second night of a back-to-back, the Thunder didn’t carry the same spark they usually do. Offense was a major struggle for them, as evidenced by their 37.3% shooting from the field (15-45 from three). Ultimately, the lack of any on-ball shot creators limited what the Thunder were able to do tonight, leading to just 93 points in an ugly, messy performance.
Role Players Stepped Up
The Bucks have been struggling to stay competitive all season, but multiple guys stepped up in an impressive, cohesive effort. Without the typical stars in uniform, they had to rely on the role-players to come through, and they more than delivered. In total, six different Bucks players scored in double figures, giving the Bucks a consistent flow of offense from multiple sources
If the Bucks can get this production from the supporting cast when Giannis and Turner are healthy, they might be able to make a run that puts them back in the play-in picture. For now, wins like these are good for building confidence and chemistry among the players, and especially for scorers like Kyle Kuzma and Cam Thomas.
Costly Turnovers Killed Momentum
The Thunder have cooled off after a historic start, and the downfall could be related to their sloppy offense. This game was yet another example of that concerning trend, with OKC totaling 16 turnovers as a team, which converted into 19 points for the Bucks. Aaron Wiggins alone had four turnovers, leading to some questions about his place in the rotation.
Ultimately, without their vocal leader and offensive playmaker on the floor, the Thunder struggled to find any kind of rhythm. If we learned anything tonight, it’s that Oklahoma City still has some bad tendencies offensively. Miscommunications and simple misjudgements were common, highlighting a lack of focus within the team’s ranks. In short, the turnovers were a symptom of their headspace tonight, and the results show that they need this All-Star break more than anyone.
