LOS ANGELES – In a showdown of National Basketball Association (NBA) title contenders, the Milwaukee Bucks went guns blazing as their “weapons” humbled the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-93 at Fiserv Forum on March 24.
It was the first time since Jan 31 that they had their preferred starting line-up of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Malik Beasley after injuries robbed the two-time NBA champions of their star players over the past few months.
Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds. Middleton had his second career triple-double – and first since 2018 – with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Bucks, whose defensive effort kept the Thunder to a season-low point production on 37.1 per cent shooting.
“With a full team out there, we realise what we can do as a team,” said Middleton. “We have so many guys, so many weapons that can carry us, or guys that can make a play or just attract a crowd.
“My teammates were knocking down a lot of shots for me. It was a good win against a good team. But we’ve got to keep building on this for the rest of the season.”
Added Antetokounmpo: “I just feel this appreciation feeling of having everybody healthy and available to play, because when we’re not healthy, sometimes we play well, sometimes we don’t, sometimes we create this excuse in our minds that like, ‘OK, when he gets back, we’re going to be better.’
“But now we’re all here. There are no more excuses.”
The first half was tightly contested, with Milwaukee edging it 48-47. The third quarter started in the Bucks’ favour as Oklahoma City struggled from the field.
The Thunder did not make a field goal for more than six minutes to start the half, and the Bucks went on an 18-2 run, taking a 66-49 lead.
From there, Milwaukee went on cruise control. The Bucks went into the fourth with an 82-64 advantage. Milwaukee outscored the Thunder 70-46 in the second half, with the visitors scoring just 17 points in the third quarter.
The Bucks grew a lead to as many as 26. It is just the eighth time Milwaukee have held opponents under 100 points this season. Milwaukee, who had seven players hit double figures, grabbed a season-high 57 rebounds.
“It was our most connected game,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “We were so physical. You could see it. Offensively, we took what was there instead of forcing it.”
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored only 12 points, his second-worst game total of the season. It snapped a 29-game run of at least 20 points a game for the NBA’s No. 2 overall scorer this term. Josh Giddey led the Thunder with 19 points and Jalen Williams finished with 18 points.
“They were firing on all cylinders,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They have guys who have won a lot in this league. We had a chance to see where we stack up against that.
“Didn’t go our way, how we wanted to perform, but a lot of lessons learnt.”
Oklahoma City fell to 49-21, tumbling a half-game behind the Denver Nuggets for the Western Conference lead. They are a half-game ahead of third-placed Minnesota Timberwolves.
Milwaukee improved to 46-25, second in the Eastern Conference by three games over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Over at the Crypto.com Arena, James Harden lost his first meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers since being traded by the Sixers last November. Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey each scored 24 points to lead the 76ers to a 121-107 road win.
The Sixers, still without injured 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, pulled ahead early and stopped a late fightback from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Harden had 12 points, going 0-of-6 from three-point range, but the 34-year-old guard – a former MVP and three-time NBA scoring champion – added a game-high 14 assists. Kawhi Leonard and reserve Norman Powell each scored 20 points to lead the hosts.
Meanwhile, Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn was suspended two games and Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr was banned for one game by the NBA on March 24 after they fought during a game.
The altercation took place five seconds into the second quarter of Houston’s 147-119 home victory over Utah on March 23. Both players were issued technical fouls and ejected from the game.
Dunn was suspended for initiating an altercation and throwing a punch at Smith, who received a one-game fighting ban.
AFP, REUTERS
