Oklahoma City Thunder fall to Bucks in Milwaukee

The Oklahoma City Thunder fell to the Bucks in Milwaukee on Saturday night 108-94. Following the loss, OKC fell to 4-5, while the Bucks remained the league’s last unbeaten team at 9-0.

The Oklahoma City Thunder fought hard but could not overcome the Bucks’ responses.

In a game where the Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo and while Khris Middleton is still recovering from injury, the Thunder seemed to have the perfect setup for an upset. However, this was not the case for Oklahoma City.

The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair that included the Thunder taking an eight-point lead toward the end of the period. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied the game up at 34 with a fadeaway as the buzzer sounded.

Late in the second quarter, the Bucks began to create some separation. It was thanks, in no small part, to the defensive impact of former Thunder big man Serge Ibaka. Already having two blocks in the first quarter, Ibaka’s presence down low wreaked havoc on the Thunder’s drives and transition opportunities.

With Ibaka’s defense and the Bucks’ hot shooting, Milwaukee’s lead ballooned to 14 at the end of the first half. That momentum would carry into the second half.

The third quarter began with a couple of Jevon Carter threes to spark an 8-0 run by the Bucks to extend the lead to 22 just three minutes into the second half. Despite the deficit, the Thunder continued to fight just as they’d done all season.

As the quarter went along and the Bucks maintained their lead, OKC began to find a rhythm. Over the final five minutes of the third quarter, the Thunder hit four threes and managed to cut the Milwaukee advantage to 15 entering the fourth.

With the lead down to 12 with just over eight minutes remaining, OKC brought Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort back into the game to try and mount a comeback. Brook Lopez had different ideas.

The veteran big man rattled off seven straight points to put the Bucks back up by 19 and force the Thunder to call a timeout less than a minute after they put in their stars. From there, the game turned into a defensive struggle, and neither team scored for another three minutes. Despite their best efforts, it was too late for the Thunder to make their way back into the game.

The Thunder’s chances dwindled as their superstar was held in check for most of the game. Gilgeous-Alexander entered the night averaging over 32 points per game, with his lowest scoring output set at 24. In Milwaukee, however, SGA was held to 18 points in his 31 minutes and had a team-worst +/- of -19.

For the Thunder to win games, their star has to carry them no matter the opponent. This game was a good reminder that everyone, including Gilgeous-Alexander, is susceptible to having a bad game.

The Thunder continue their two-game road trip on Monday in Detroit, where they will look to get back in the win column against Cade Cunningham and the young Pistons.