The Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.
Former Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng led the Bucks with 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks.
Dieng was traded by the Thunder before the deadline after being the 2024 G League Finals MVP and a reserve on their main roster.
Meanwhile, both teams were missing key players: head coach Doc Rivers was away for a funeral and Giannis Antetokounmpo was still sidelined with a right calf strain.
The Thunder also played without reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal injury) and co-star Jalen Williams (right hamstring injury). Both will be reevaluated after the All-Star break.
AJ Green added 17 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds.
On the other end, Isaiah Joe scored 17 points and Chet Holmgren added 16 points and 13 rebounds for Oklahoma City.
Nikola Topic had not played this season after being diagnosed with testicular cancer and was now making his NBA debut.
The 2024 12th overall pick also missed his freshman season with a torn ACL, entering the game late in the first quarter to a loud ovation.
Topic scored his only basket on a shot from near the free throw line early in the second.
He finished with two points, one rebound and one assist in 12 minutes.
The Bucks controlled most of the first half, but a flurry from Holmgren kept the Thunder relatively close. Holmgren scored 11 points in the final 3:10 of the first half, but the Bucks led 67-55.
Milwaukee extended its lead in the third, taking a 16-point lead and leading 89–73 in the fourth before jumping to a 24-point lead in the final quarter.
Both teams play after the break: the Bucks in New Orleans, while the Thunder host the Nets.
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