In a battle of two of the NBA’s best, it was the Milwaukee Bucks that came out on top against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 118-93, at the Fiserv Forum on Monday (PHL time).
Following a closely-contested first half, the Bucks surged ahead with a commanding 21-9 run in the third quarter, extending their lead to 14.
Milwaukee finished the third quarter with 34 points as compared to the Thunder’s 17, which matched their lowest point total for any quarter all season.
Employing their imposing defense, the Bucks effectively kept the Thunder from penetrating the paint, forcing Oklahoma to rely heavily on outside shooting, which proved unsuccessful.
The hustle leads to the and-one! pic.twitter.com/UMvjxE6SAb
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) March 25, 2024
Meanwhile, Milwaukee capitalized on both perimeter shots and interior dominance.
Giannis Antetokounmpo asserted his dominance in the game with 30 points, 19 rebounds, and four assists, while Khris Middleton finished with his second career triple-double of 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
THIS ALLEY-OOP FROM KHRIS TO GIANNIS! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/DJOnMLGsdY
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) March 25, 2024
Five other Milwaukee players finished with double-digit scoring.
This also marked the first time since their victory over the Dallas Mavericks last February 3 that the Bucks had Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Damian Lillard on the floor for the same game.
OKC struggled to find opportunities close to the basket, ultimately losing the battle inside by a significant margin, 58-32.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander faced considerable challenges against the Bucks' aggressive defense, resulting in a subpar performance of 12 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
Despite his typically high efficiency, Gilgeous-Alexander shot only 41 percent from the field, missed all three of his attempted three-pointers, and even faltered at the free-throw line.
But amidst the Thunder's difficulties, Josh Giddey stepped up for the team, delivering an impressive performance with 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.
With the win, Milwaukee affirms its second spot in the Eastern Conference with a 46-25 record, while Oklahoma City drops to second in the West with a 49-21 record, half a game behind the Denver Nuggets.
