Giannis scores 39; Bucks top Thunder for 5th straight win

Updated Mar. 8, 2022 10:32 p.m. ET

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 39 points and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 142-115 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.

Antetokounmpo made 13 of 19 shots and had seven rebounds and seven assists.

Khris Middleton had 25 points and nine assists, and Bobby Portis added 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who scored a season-high point total and shot 53% (53 for 100) from the field.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points, a career-high 14 assists and eight rebounds for the Thunder. It was the sixth time in seven games since the All-Star break that Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 30 points.

Antetokounmpo drained a 30-footer at the first-half buzzer to give the Bucks a 76-65 lead at the break. He scored 18 points in the first half and helped the Bucks shoot 59.2% from the field. Oklahoma City shot 58.5% before the break. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 21 points and seven assists.

The Bucks opened the second half with a quick 9-2 run and led 105-93 heading into the fourth.

Antetokounmpo scored seven points in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer put the Bucks up 115-96.

TIP-INS

Bucks: G Grayson Allen missed the game with left hip soreness. ... Ex-Thunder forward Serge Ibaka had 14 points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes. He was greeted warmly by the fans when he checked in during the first quarter. ... Fell two points short of their season high for points in a half with 76 in the first.

Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander drained a 28-foot 3-pointer with 5.0 seconds left in the first quarter to cap off a 13-point, six assist opening period. ... Rookie Lindy Waters III scored a career-high 16 points.

INJURY UPDATE

Lu Dort, Oklahoma City’s No. 2 scorer, will miss the rest of the season after having surgery to address a cartilage tear in his left shoulder. Dort joins reserves Ty Jerome and Mike Muscala as Thunder players who had procedures on Tuesday, the team announced. Dort, a well-established defensive guard, stepped up his offensive game this season and averaged 17.2 points. The team said he is expected to return to full basketball activities before next season.

UP NEXT

Bucks: Host the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

Thunder: Visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

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