The OKC Thunder finally continued their preseason slate, after a week off they took on the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks for their second of four preseason games. The Thunder faced off with a fully healthy Bucks squad, including the two-time MVP, Finals MVP, Mr. 50 piece Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks also rolled out Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday giving their home fans a preseason treat and first look at their champs. The big celebration will come on ring night, October 19th, but it makes sense why Milwaukee elected to use tonight as the night to get their veterans back in action in front of their faithful fans. Oklahoma City was without Derrick Favors, Vit Krejci, and Kenrich Williams in this game.
The OKC Thunder fall in preseason game number two
This game showed the disparity between a championship-level team, and a team pegged for last in the Western Conference. Try as they might, the Oklahoma City Thunder could not find an answer defensively. In the first half, the Bucks shot 80-percent(!) from the floor, their lowest percent shot was 52-percent from the top of the key three-point line.
It is great to have Oklahoma City Thunder basketball back in our lives, even in lopsided games like this one. The 2021-22 NBA season is not about the scoreboard for the OKC Thunder, it is about individual growth, team growth, and storylines. While each game will do more good for the reverse standings than the playoff standings, there is something to be learned each time out for the Thunder.
So what did we learn during this game on ESPN against the Bucks? The lone national spotlight game this Oklahoma City squad will get this season (not counting the four NBATV games). We learned a lot about the defense, Lu Dort’s offense, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s awesomeness, and a fantastic rookie report. So settle in, get a snack, a cup of coffee, and let’s dive into this game as we will for every Thunder contest this season.