The final time the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder squared off, the sport did not rely within the NBA regular-season standings.
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Nevertheless it was lots essential, with the Bucks posting a 97-81 win over the Thunder on Dec. 17 in Las Vegas within the NBA Cup championship recreation.
On Monday night time in Oklahoma Metropolis, the groups will meet for the primary time since that recreation.
Within the first matchup, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo collected 26 factors, 19 rebounds and 10 assists and Andre Jackson Jr. stepped up defensively to restrict Oklahoma Metropolis star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 21 factors on 8-of-24 taking pictures from the sphere.
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 21 or fewer factors on simply two events this season.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned on the time that Jackson’s defensive stress pressured him to maneuver Gilgeous-Alexander off the ball.
“Rather than having him go get the ball in the backcourt and exert a lot of effort to get the ball and get the ball over half court, we move him off the ball,” Daigneault mentioned. “It’s an attack we’ve seen with Dillon Brooks. It’s an attack we’ve seen with Herb Jones. There’s multiple ways to play him, and we’ve got solutions built in.”
Jackson embraces the position.
“I’m not afraid to step up to the plate against anybody just cause that’s my role and that’s who I’ve had to always be in order to make it this far,” Jackson mentioned. “That’s what’s going to continue to take me further is I’m not afraid of any competition, any matchup.”
The Thunder are coming off a 144-110 win over Sacramento on Saturday within the first contest of a four-game homestand.
Whereas Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 in that recreation in simply three quarters, the star for Oklahoma Metropolis was Aaron Wiggins, who had a career-high 41 factors.
The Thunder are 18-4 since falling to the Bucks within the NBA Cup, additional solidifying their place atop the Western Convention.
Milwaukee hoped its NBA Cup win could be a sign the group had turned a nook after a tough begin to the season.
That hasn’t been the case, although.
After Sunday’s 132-119 house loss to Memphis, the Bucks are simply 12-10 because the win over the Thunder.
Milwaukee has dropped three consecutive video games and 4 of its final 5. In the course of the three-game skid, the Bucks have allowed a median of 133.7 factors per recreation.
Oklahoma Metropolis may very well be shorthanded as soon as once more on Monday.
Jalen Williams, just lately named to his first All-Star group, is listed as questionable with a proper wrist sprain after lacking Saturday’s win.
Additionally listed as questionable are Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso . Caruso missed the win over Sacramento as effectively, whereas Wallace was injured early within the recreation and didn’t return.
Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis, the topic of commerce speak forward of Thursday’s deadline, missed his fifth consecutive recreation Sunday resulting from private causes.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers mentioned earlier than the sport that he was not sure if Portis would miss the competition in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Subject Degree Media