Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 points and Chet Holmgren added 22 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 125-107 win over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
The Thunder (56-25) have won four consecutive games to move into a three-way tie for the top spot with Denver and Minnesota in the Western Conference after the Nuggets lost and the Timberwolves won on Friday.
The Bucks (49-32) have dropped seven of their past 10, and they fell into a tie with the New York Knicks for the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee holds the tiebreaker.
All NBA teams have one game remaining, on Sunday.
In Milwaukee’s dominating 118-93 win over the Thunder on March 24, Giannis Antetokounmpo helped slow down Gilgeous-Alexander, who had just 12 points.
On Friday, with Antetokounmpo sidelined due to a thigh injury, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 14 in the first quarter alone as Oklahoma City scored 41 in the quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot just 3 of 12 from the field after the first quarter, though.
It didn’t matter.
The Thunder’s lead was never seriously threatened after the second quarter.
Oklahoma City ripped off a 20-5 run in the second quarter, with Aaron Wiggins scoring 10 of his points during the stretch that put the Thunder ahead 67-48.
Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton ripped off 10 points and two rebounds in the first 2:03 of the second half to help the Bucks pull within 11.
Milwaukee was within 10 just before the midpoint of the third quarter before the Thunder quickly scored seven consecutive points to stretch the lead back out.
The Thunder finished 52.8 percent from the floor, with Wiggins adding 19 off the bench and Jalen Williams scoring 17.
Gordon Hayward started for Oklahoma City in place of Josh Giddey, who missed his first game of the season due to a right hip contusion.
The Bucks are now 4-4 without Antetokounmpo, who won’t return in the regular season after getting injured in a Tuesday win over Boston.
Middleton and Brook Lopez scored 18 each to lead the Bucks.
Oklahoma City scored 27 points off Milwaukee’s 19 turnovers.
–Field Level Media
