Mar 30, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis (11) knocks the ball away from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the fourth quarter at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Oklahoma City won 109-99. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder got back in the win column last night beating the Milwaukee Bucks on the road 109-99.

The Thunder had just lost the previous night on the road to the Minnesota Timberwolves but got a much better all-around performance from the team last night.

They shot 53.3 percent from the field for the game and had 24 assists to just 13 turnovers as a team.

Milwaukee hung around thanks to three-point shooting and offensive rebounding but the Thunder would outscore the Bucks 26-16 in the fourth quarter to close them out.

Ersan Ilyasova led the Bucks with 29 points and 14 rebounds. Monta Ellis had nine points and Brandon Jennings had eight as the Bucks backcourt combined to shoot 6-for-30 from the field.

Here are the Game Grades:

Kevin Durant – 38 minutes, 30 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists – A

Durant got just about what he averages last night. It was really one of KD’s best games in awhile. The turnovers were down and he efficiently scored throughout the game.

Russell Westbrook – 37 minutes, 23 points, 10 assists, 13 rebounds – A+

Westbrook was the story of the night getting his sixth career triple-double. He tied a career-high with 13 rebounds and 10 assists is the most he’s had since March 3. He shot just 6-of-18 from the field but was a force getting to the line where he went 10-for-14.

Serge Ibaka – 31 minutes, 16 points, 7 rebounds, 8 blocks – A

Ibaka also flirted with a triple-double last night as he had a season-high eight blocks. The shot blocking early in the game seemed to really get him going with the rest of his game too. He was 7-for-8 from the field with the only miss being a three-pointer. He also had three offensive boards.

Kevin Martin – 31 minutes, 17 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds – B+

This was Martin’s best game in awhile. He finally affected the game despite not shooting well from three (1-for-6). He was 5-for-6 from inside the three-point line and played 30 minutes-plus for just the third time in the month of March. The Thunder really need Martin to be playing well heading into the playoffs so hopefully he can carry this momentum forward.

Kendrick Perkins – 18 minutes, 4 points, 4 rebounds – C

Perkins didn’t play a lot as Ibaka, Nick Collison and small lineups were used more instead. Perkins also picked up four fouls in his 18 minutes.

Thabo Sefolosha – 17 minutes, 3 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound – B

Sefolosha also didn’t play much because Martin and Derek Fisher got a lot of burn. It was a quiet night from Sefolosha who just made one three but did come up with three assists which is always a good sign for him.

Nick Collison – 24 minutes, 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists – A

With Collison scoring it helped keep him on the floor instead of Perkins which is a huge win for the Thunder always. He was 5-for-6 from the field and had three offensive rebounds but somehow the Thunder were outscored by seven while he was in.

Reggie Jackson – 15 minutes, 4 points, 1 assist, 1 steal – B-

Jackson once again came in and had a couple of nice buckets. He didn’t play a ton since Westbrook was really rolling and Fisher was getting a lot of burn too.

Derek Fisher – 22 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal – B

Fisher played a lot and came in the game before Jackson did for some reason. The Thunder outscored Milwaukee by 12 while he was in there so you can’t be too hard on Fish this time.

Ronnie Brewer – 7 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist – C+

There was a Ronnie Brewer sighting last night which took everybody by surprise. He only played a little in the first half for KD. Brooks is using him in small lineups and he looks kind of out of place basically playing the four.

Scott Brooks – B+

The Thunder played well the entire game and came back in the fourth after being outscored 37-27 in the third quarter. There were some good signs from Brooks that he played Martin and Collison a lot and even Brewer a little.

Apr 9, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis (11) defends Oklahoma City Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha (2) during the game at the Bradley Center. The Thunder defeated the Bucks 109-89. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be playing a road back-to-back tonight after having lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves last night.

This is the first meeting between the Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks this season. The Thunder will play them again on their last game of the regular season.

The Bucks are essentially locks for the eight-seed in the Eastern Conference and they are two and a half games back of the Boston Celtics for the seventh seed.

The Thunder are two and a half games back of the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Thunder need to win seven of their last nine games to get to 60 wins for the season.

The Bucks look easy on paper but the Thunder have been inconsistent lately, especially on the road. The Bucks are not that bad of a team and definitely have the potential to beat the Thunder on a night like tonight.

The Thunder need their role players to step up. They’ve been losing lately despite Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook both playing well.

Kevin Martin was abysmal last night shooting 1-for-9 from the field. Serge Ibaka was decent with 10 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks but the Thunder have come accustomed to more scoring from him and could use it tonight.

The Thunder have rarely lost back-to-back games this season and Milwaukee doesn’t seem like the kind of team that will give the Thunder a second straight loss.

The Bucks are at their best when they play well defensively, where they rank 12th overall in the league. They will need to make the Thunder less efficient to have a chance of beating them tonight, since their offense is ranked just 21st overall on the year.

The Bucks are also ranked 12th in offensive rebound rate and if Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are high-volume shooters tonight, they’ll need to work to get extra chances to beat the Thunder.

The Bucks are third in the NBA in turnover rate which will be another key for them. You can’t afford to turn the ball over and give a team like the Thunder more possessions than you for no reason.

The Thunder have at least been good defensively of late, even in some of their losses. Since Milwaukee isn’t much of a threat offensively, this should be a pretty good matchup for the Thunder and they should bounce back with a win tonight.

The game will tip at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Milwaukee Bucks Team Overview

The Bucks finished 9th in the Eastern Conference last season with a record of 31-35, four games back of the 8-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.

The big move for the Bucks last season was trading away Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson in exchange for Monta Ellis. The backcourt of Ellis and Brandon Jennings is one that doesn’t mesh perfectly but will still give teams trouble to match up with.

Ersan Ilyasova had a breakout season for the Bucks last year averaging 13.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Milwaukee went ahead and re-signed Ilyasova this summer.

The Bucks drafted John Henson and Doron Lamb. They traded for Samuel Dalembert and signed free agent Joel Pryzbilla to fill the void Bogut left at center.

The Bucks have not gotten noticeable better for next year if at all. They may be able to compete for the 8-seed in the East but that’s about it.

Last year

The Oklahoma City Thunder played the Bucks once last season and beat them by 20 in Milwaukee.

Russell Westbrook led the way with 26 points in 26 minutes. Kevin Durant had 19 points and shot 5-for-14 from the field. James Harden had 16 off the bench.

Serge Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha had nice games. Ibaka had 13 points and five blocks in 27 minutes. Sefolosha had 14 points and seven steals in 31 minutes.

Ilyasova led the Bucks with 18 points but had only two rebounds. Jennings had 13 points and Drew Gooden had 14.

Ellis had nine points and seven assists and was 3-for-12 from the field. Ellis had 48 points in a game vs. the Thunder last season while he was still with the Warriors.

The matchup

The Bucks had the 17th best offense in the league last year in terms of points per possession. They were 11th best on spot-up plays and 22nd best on pick-and-roll plays, both which combined for nearly 40 percent of their offense.

The Thunder had the 5th best defense last year but were closer to average defending those two types of plays.

The Bucks were solid defensively ranking 12th in the NBA overall in PPP. They were 6th best vs. spot-up plays which is always a sign of a good defense. They ranked just 24th vs. isolation plays and 20th vs. the pick-and-roll which makes the Thunder an especially tough team to defend for them.

Next year

The Thunder will play the Bucks twice next year with the first meeting coming March 30 in Milwaukee. The Thunder will then host the Bucks on April 17.

The Bucks are not really a team that should give the Thunder much trouble as shown in their one regular season meeting last year. The Bucks are a nice team that will win some games in the Eastern Conference but the talent and athleticism on the Thunder side is really hard for Milwaukee to slow down.

If somehow Jennings and Ellis can fall in love playing together and develop a strong chemistry in the backcourt then that is a dynamic that could propel the Bucks to a few more wins than they would normally project out to. Otherwise, Milwaukee won’t be making much noise come playoff time.

Here are draft grades for every team:

New Orleans Hornets
No. 1 overall – Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
No. 10 overall – Austin Rivers, G, Duke
No. 46 overall – Darius Miller, G/F, Kentucky

The Hornets really couldn’t go wrong possessing the first overall pick in the draft and chance to take Anthony Davis. Davis has a chance to be a franchise changer and playing alongside Eric Gordon in New Orleans is a good start. The Hornets took Rivers 10th overall which is what they wanted to do. The Hornets believe Rivers can play some point for them although he is a scoring guard at heart. Gordon is a good playmaker himself though so the two may be able to share ball handling duties a la Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. The Darius Miller pick is nice too. He is an athlete that could make it in the NBA and was a teammate of Davis’ at Kentucky.

Grade: A+

Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 28 overall – Perry Jones, III, F, Baylor

To win a championship, sometimes it takes a little luck. The Thunder got the steal of the 2012 NBA Draft with the No. 28 pick. Perry Jones III we knew was going to fall because of concerns mainly surrounding his knee but sliding this far to a franchise that is perfect for him just seems unfair to the rest of the league. It was a Spurs-like snag for OKC and they know it already. Jones III has lottery talent and top-5 pick potential. One knock on him is that he never really stepped up and dominated and was more of a supporting role type of mindset and player. Well, come on down to OKC that sounds just fine!

Grade: A+

Charlotte Bobcats
No. 2 overall – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
No. 31 overall – Jeffrey Taylor, G/F, Vanderbilt

The Bobcats were supposed to either trade the No. 2 pick or take Thomas Robinson if they couldn’t. Instead, they shocked everyone selecting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist second overall. MKG is a player that will shine no matter where he plays, even in Charlotte. He has the potential to be the second best player in this draft class and it was a wise choice to make here by Michael Jordan. Jeffrey Taylor is a good pick too in the second round. Taylor was projected to go a little earlier in the draft and is a nice value find at 31.

Grade: A

Washington Wizards
No. 3 overall – Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
No. 32 overall – Tomas Satoransky, G, Czech Republic

The Wizards got the man they wanted at No. 3 but had to hold their breath and pray before doing so. As the Bobcats were shopping the No. 2 pick, any team that may have gotten it was probably going to take Bradley Beal second overall. The Wizards desperately wanted an elite shooter and wing to place alongside John Wall and they believe Beal is that guy. Beal measured just under 6-foot-5 so he’s not huge but he is physical and can do a lot of things on a basketball court. Tomas Satoranksy in the second round apparently is friends with Jan Vesely which makes that pick awesome too.

Grade: A

Sacramento Kings
No. 5 overall – Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

It was impossible not to fall in love with Thomas Robinson watching him break down after being selected fifth overall by the Kings. He won over a lot of fans with that reaction. Robinson is touted as one of the surest things at the top of this draft. The Kings wanted him bad too at No. 5, more than anybody else. Sacramento was going to pull off a trade with this pick with Houston if Robinson was off the board but obviously that didn’t happen. Robinson and DeMarcus Cousins are going to be able to get a lot of rebounds playing together.

Grade: A

Detroit Pistons
No. 9 overall – Andre Drummond, PF/C, Connecticut
No. 39 overall – Khris Middleton, SF, Texas A&M

The Pistons are extremely happy that Andre Drummond fell to them. Before the draft, they were hoping for this but planning to settle on John Henson. Drummond has as much upside as anyone in this draft. There are questions surrounding him but he is very young. It was the right pick here for Detroit without question. Khris Middleton isn’t someone that jumps out as a great pick here but at No. 39, there’s not a lot to expect.

Grade: A

Milwaukee Bucks
No. 14 overall – John Henson, PF, North Carolina
No. 42 overall – Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

The Bucks were pretty happy to see John Henson at No. 14 especially after trading down from 12 with Houston. Henson is the kind of guy Milwaukee wanted and someone who will block a lot of shots and grab some rebounds but really needs to put on some weight first. Doron Lamb is another player they were happy to see at No. 42. He could have gone in the first round and is an irrational confidence guy who can shoot and play some D too.

Grade: B+

Cleveland Cavaliers
No. 4 overall – Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
No. 17 overall – Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

It wasn’t a huge shocker that Cleveland took Dion Waiters No. 4. They were planning on possibly doing so and after being unable to trade up to No. 2 and take Beal, Waiters was the next guy on their list, probably just ahead of Harrison Barnes. It wasn’t an overly popular pick but Waiters has an NBA-ready body and next to Kyrie Irving should do well. With Tyler Zeller sliding in the draft, the Cavaliers pulled the trigger on a trade with Dallas to get to No. 17 and take the North Carolina center. They gave up three picks for Zeller so they must really like him. Now with a core of Irving, Waiters, Thompson and Zeller, Cleveland’s future looks kind of alright.

Grade: B

Portland Trailblazers
No. 6 overall – Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
No. 11 overall – Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
No. 40 overall – Will Barton, SG, Memphis

Before the Draft, Portland was intent on keeping their 6th and 11th picks and they also loved Damian Lillard. Six may sound high for Lillard but Portland did something smart: picking their favorite guy and not caring where they did it. They then filled a need at 11 with Meyers Leonard, the center from Illinois. Portland was projected in some mocks to take Andre Drummond and either Austin Rivers or Jeremy Lamb. That sounds a little better than what they ended up with. They get Will Barton at No. 40 which is another solid value pick as he was projected late-first by many.

Grade: B

Golden State Warriors
No. 7 overall – Harrison Barnes, G/F, North Carolina
No. 30 overall – Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt
No. 35 overall – Draymond Green, F, Michigan State
No. 52 overall – Ognjen Kuzmic, C, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Despite his overall disappointing feeling, many still feel Harrison Barnes can be an All-Star in the NBA. Getting him at No. 7 was a pretty solid pick for the Warriors, who are starting new next year post-Monta Ellis and with Andrew Bogut. Festus Ezeli with the last pick of the first round is understandable too and he is a high-character guy who will work hard for them. Draymond Green is another good pick to get in the second round. The Warriors didn’t have a flashy draft but they made some value picks and that’s always a good strategy.

Grade: B

Houston Rockets
No. 12 overall – Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
No. 16 overall – Royce White, F, Iowa State
No. 18 overall – Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky

The Rockets were stockpiling draft picks with one thing on their mind: Dwight Howard. That hasn’t happened yet and now feels like it won’t. They were hoping to move up to No. 5 to take Andre Drummond but since Thomas Robinson fell to the Kings there, they weren’t trading that pick. The Rockets will settle for three pretty solid players starting with Jeremy Lamb at No. 12 who has a lot of pro potential as a scorer. When they took Royce White at No. 16, you knew they weren’t trading their picks anymore. White has gotten a lot of buzz this draft as a more athletic Boris Diaw who plays a little like Charles Barkley too. Terrence Jones two picks later is another talented forward that can do a variety of things. You always feel players Daryl Morey drafts are guys who can find a spot in the NBA. The Rockets just had bigger sights for this draft than this.

Grade: B

Phoenix Suns
No. 13 overall – Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

It’s just about official now that Steve Nash is on his way out in Phoenix. Kendall Marshall is their point guard of the future. Marshall was one of the best assists men in college the past two seasons and has drawn comparisons to Mark Jackson and Andre Miller so yeah, he’s not quick. He’s fun to play with and will make the players around him better. They like that in Phoenix.

Grade: B

Chicago Bulls
No. 29 overall – Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

The Bulls were either going backup point here or combo-guard shooter. Marquis Teague is a talented player with this pick and someone who may be able to play alongside Derrick Rose some. It’s nothing special for the Bulls but a good pick nonetheless. Bulls fans were dying for Perry Jones III to slip one more pick into their laps.

Grade: B

Toronto Raptors
No. 8 overall – Terrence Ross, SG, Washington
No. 37 overall – Quincy Acy, PF, Baylor
No. 56 overall – Tomislav Zubcic, PF, Croatia

The Raptors would have loved to see Harrison Barnes fall one more pick into their laps. They would have loved even more to move up and snag Dion Waiters. They settle for Terrence Ross who can do things that will make him have a solid NBA career: shoot threes and defend. Quincy Acy in Round 2 could be a Reggie Evans type which is something this franchise has experience with. Tomislav Zubcic will not come over right away. If Toronto gets Steve Nash, a lot of their problems will appear solved.

Grade: C+

Orlando Magic
No. 19 overall – Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
No. 49 overall – Kyle O’Quinn, C, Norfolk State

The Magic are in a weird situation and have been ever since Dwight Howard started pouting. Howard ran their head coach and GM out of town and still wants out himself. He hasn’t gotten it yet but it’s really only a matter of time. Orlando’s picks of Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O’Quinn may have been logical, but they won’t make their fans feel better yet

Grade: C+

Boston Celtics
No. 21 overall – Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
No. 22 overall – Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
No. 51 overall – Kris Joseph, SF, Syracuse

We knew Jared Sullinger would drop, we just didn’t know how far. The Celtics are in a rebuilding stage now and looking to bulk up their front court with Sullinger and Fab Melo. The Celtics were hoping for Royce White here or to trade up and take Doc Rivers’ son Austin Rivers in the lottery. The best case scenario for Kris Joseph (taken No. 51 overall) is Gary Forbes, according to DraftExpress.

Grade: C+

Philadelphia 76ers
No. 15 overall – Maurice Harkless, SF, St. John’s
No. 27 overall – Arnett Moultrie, PF/C, Mississippi State

Philadelphia fans are not happy with the decision to take Maurice “don’t call me Moe” Harkless 15th overall. When you draft a guy who plays the same position as your best player at No. 15, it never feels like it makes sense. Harkless came out after just one year at St. John’s and is said to have some pro potential but he’s nothing special. The 76ers traded up with Miami to get Arnett Moultrie at No. 27. It’s just another lateral move here for Philly. Their fans want more than that.

Grade: C

Denver Nuggets
No. 20 overall – Evan Fournier, SG, France
No. 38 overall – Quincy Miller, G/F, Baylor
No. 50 overall – Izzet Turkyilmaz, PF, Turkey

The Nuggets surprisingly went with Evan Fournier at No. 20 despite some talent sitting on the board. Fournier will not come over to the NBA next season but was the highest rated international prospect of the draft. The Nuggets clearly weren’t looking to try and strike gold with late first round picks this year. They’ve already accomplished that with Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried. Their pick at No. 38 felt a little better. Some fans wanted Quincy Miller with the 20th pick so getting him this late is a win in that sense. Miller is young with a ton of potential but has the usual question marks. Denver went with another international product late in the second round that we won’t see in the NBA right away.

Grade: C

Atlanta Hawks
No. 23 overall – John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
No. 43 overall – Mike Scott, F, Virginia

Nothing special here for Atlanta. John Jenkins could be decent but he won’t turn any heads. He can really shoot it though and might get some run for the Hawks where Josh Smith is on the way out. It would have been great if Atlanta had decided to draft Marquis Teague here and run an all-Teague backcourt with his brother Jeff. Love the Mike Scott pick.

Grade: C

Dallas Mavericks
No. 24 overall – Jared Cunningham, G, Oregon State
No. 33 overall – Bernard James, C, Florida State
No. 34 overall – Jae Crowder, F, Marquette

It doesn’t seem like Dallas was trying to do a ton in this draft. They dealt their 17th overall pick to Cleveland probably because there was no one they were in love with. They got three picks back for it and didn’t do anything crazy with them. One of the cooler moments in the draft though was Bernard James having his name called and walking to the podium. The crowd started chanting “U-S-A” because James served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dallas’ main priority this offseason is wooing Deron Williams and/or Dwight Howard.

Grade: C

Memphis Grizzlies
No. 25 overall – Tony Wroten, Jr., PG, Washington

The Grizzlies wanted a point guard and a lot of mocks had them going with Marquis Teague but they choose Tony Wroten, Jr. instead. Jay Bilas calls Wroten, Jr. a taller Rajon Rondo. That means he’s a good passer and can’t shoot a lick. Maybe it’s what Memphis needs and there is some upside there.

Grade: C

Utah Jazz
No. 47 overall – Kevin Murphy, SG, Tennessee Tech

Utah has enough young players from the last few drafts that they didn’t care too much about this year. Kevin Murphy is the only player from this draft to score 50 or more points in game last year in college. Why not?

Grade: C

Miami Heat
No. 45 overall – Justin Hamilton, C, LSU

Miami could have had Perry Jones III at No. 27 and it would have been just as scary as OKC getting him if not more so. They just didn’t want to have to pay a first rounder this year. Their cap space will be tight the next few seasons. They trade down here and get a 7-footer which they need. Something tells me we won’t see a ton of Justin Hamilton playing for the defending champs.

Grade: C

San Antonio Spurs
No. 59 overall – Marcus Denmon, G, Missouri

The Spurs drafted him so he’ll be an All-Star in four years. Marcus Denmon feels a little Patty Mills/James Anderson. The Spurs probably aren’t expecting too much from Denmon though.

Grade: C

New York Knicks
No. 48 overall – Kostas Papanikolaou, F, Greece

Not doing anything here. The home crowd really loved this pick at least.

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Clippers
No. 53 overall – Furkan Aldemir, PF, Turkey

Love this pick. He may never play in the NBA but he is a great rebounder and can only score on putbacks, according to Fran Fraschilla. What’s not to love?

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Lakers
No. 55 overall – Darius Johnson-Odom, SG, Marquette
No. 60 overall – Robert Sacre, C, Gonzaga

Darius Johnson-Odom plays the wrong sport. He’d be an awesome football player and used that to his advantage in college for Marquette. He will look a lot smaller in the NBA. If Robert Sacre is playing for the Lakers next season, it won’t be a good thing.

Grade: C-

Brooklyn Nets
No. 41 overall – Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas
No. 54 overall – Tornike Shengelia, PF, Georgia
No. 57 overall – Ilkan Karaman, PF, Turkey

Brooklyn not trying to go crazy here. They are just praying for Deron Williams and Dwight Howard to hookup in their new city. Tyshawn Taylor might make it as a backup point in this league but nothing more. Tornike Shengelia goes by “Toko” and is a 6-foot-9 scorer who is good at attacking and can score around the rim well but has no jumper. Ilkan Karamen has a ton of tattoos and may “never play in the NBA” according to Fran Fraschilla.

Grade: C-

Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 58 overall – Robbie Hummel, SF, Purdue

Kevin Love, Chase Budinger and now Robbie Hummel. Good luck rest of league.

Grade: C-

Indiana Pacers
No. 26 overall – Miles Plumlee, PF, Duke
No. 36 overall – Orlando Johnson, SG, UCSB

This may have been the worst draft pick ever, worse than Sam Bowie. With names like Perry Jones III, Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli on the board, Indiana elects to take the worst Plumlee brother, Miles. If they weren’t Indiana and known for their white hoopsters, this would be an even worse pick. It’s still so horrible though words can’t describe it. There’s nothing that could make this pick ever make sense. They get Orlando Johnson from UCSB in the second round who was a 20-point scorer last year and might do something for them.

Grade: F

Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-89 in the Bradley Center to capture their second win in two days.

The Thunder played the best they have on offense since their win over the Bulls eight days ago. Oklahoma City shot 48.1 percent from the field and made 8-of-20 threes.

Russell Westbrook led the way with 26 points and seven rebounds. Westbrook’s highlight of the night came at the end of the first half when he calmly hit a stepback trey over Brandon Jennings to give the Thunder a 61-47 lead at the break.

Kevin Durant played distributor tonight leading the team with eight assists to go along with his 19 points.

Thabo Sefolosha had one of his best games scoring 14 points and a career-high seven steals.

The Thunder owned the Bucks in the paint and on the glass early as the Bucks didn’t get a rebound until under six minutes to play in the first quarter. Oklahoma City had 13 offensive rebounds in the contest and Serge Ibaka helped protect the rim with five blocks for the second night in a row.

After scoring 48 points against the Thunder in a Golden State uniform earlier this season, Monta Ellis was held to just nine tonight. Ersan Ilyasova led the Bucks with 18 points but only had two rebounds.

The Thunder did whatever they wanted tonight and looked like the team they were a few weeks ago, rolling through opponents with the best record in the conference.

Milwaukee was out of sync and collected five technicals in the game with Larry Sanders being ejected after throwing an elbow at Nick Collison.

The Thunder (42-15) are off tomorrow and will return home Wednesday night to host the Los Angeles Clippers (34-22).

Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Thunder (1-game winning streak)
107.2 Offensive Efficiency (2nd)
99.8 Defensive Efficiency (9th)
95.5 Pace (6th)
57.0 True Shooting % (1st)
51.3 Rebound Rate (6th)

Bucks (1-game losing streak)
102.8 Offensive Efficiency (13th)
102.3 Defensive Efficiency (16th)
96.0 Pace (4th)
52.2 True Shooting % (19th)
48.5 Rebound Rate (26th)

The Thunder finally got back on track with a tin last night over the Toronto Raptors, snapping their three-game losing streak. Tonight it gets tougher as they travel to take on the new-look Bucks.

The Bucks have won their last four games and are just one game back of the Philadelphia 76ers for the eight seed in the Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee made headlines earlier this season trading away Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson to Golden State for Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh. Milwaukee now has one of the more interesting backcourts in the NBA with Ellis and Brandon Jennings.

In 13 games with the Bucks so far, Ellis is averaging 16.6 points per game, down from 21.9 in his time with Golden State this season. Ellis scored 48 points against the Thunder earlier this season.

With the two smaller guards expect Russell Westbrook to again look to go into the post tonight. Westbrook scored 15 points last night and hasn’t had a big game in awhile so he might be due tonight.

Kevin Durant will have to try and figure out how to score on Carlos Delfino and Mike Dunleavy tonight. So that shouldn’t be hard.

The Bucks do have some weirdly efficient lineups this year led by one of the league’s anomalies, Ersan Ilyasova. He’s averaging around 13-9 this season but has had some huge statistical nights especially when it comes to rebounding.

This isn’t a team that the Thunder should take lightly tonight. The aggressiveness of Oklahoma City will be crucial. There’s no need to settle for jump shots when Milwaukee doesn’t exactly have a lot of rim protectors.

The Thunder haven’t been playing too well lately during their three-game losing streak and the first two and a half quarters of last night’s game. Things will have to change tonight or the Bucks are going to shock the Thunder.