Thunder 125-96 Bucks (3rd February 2025) Game ReCAPT

Oklahoma City-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points in 22 minutes, and Oklahoma City Thunder directed the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 125-96 Monday night.

Milwaukee was without wounded stars Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton and turned what could have been an exciting Omatch of the NBA Cup final, which Milwaukee won in a blowout.

Gilgeous-Alexander, NBA’s leading goal scorer, showed no grace. He scored 21 points on 9-for-11 shooting in the first quarter when Thunder took a 39-22 lead. He scored 30 in the first half when Thunder took a 78-44 lead. He left the game too well with 6:17 back and thunder in front of 96-54.

Ousmane Dieng ended with 21 points and seven rebounds, and Isaiah Joe added 18 points for Thunder, who improved to 39-9 despite all-star Jalen Williams sitting out with a sprained right wrist.

Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP with nine straight all-star games, deals with right patella tendinopathy. Lillard has a tender left groin. Lopez has back tenderness. Middleton’s workload is limited as he comes back from operation outside the season to each of his ankles.

It was too much for Bucks to overcome in their fourth straight loss. Bucks had scored at least 100 points in each game in regular season since scoring 99 points against Toronto on November 12.

Ryan Rollins led Bucks with 16 points.

Takeaways

Bucks: It was about what could be expected of a team that rested all its stars playing against the team with the second best record in the league.

Thunder: Oklahoma City didn’t let down. Thunder chased the Bucks reserves as if they were regular starters, forcing bucks to 37.6% shooting.

Keying moment

Oklahoma City’s Jylin Williams hit a 3-Pointer as the time expired in the first half.

Key State

Oklahoma City shot 64.4% through the first three quarters.

Up next

Bucks visits Charlotte and Thunder -host Phoenix on Wednesday night.

——

AP NBA: