The Oklahoma City Thunder secured a commanding 125-107 victory over the injury-depleted Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.
Spearheaded by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 23-point performance, the Thunder bolstered their hopes of clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Entering the game trailing the Denver Nuggets by just one game, the Thunder found themselves tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference standings, with only two games remaining in the regular season.
With Denver’s loss to San Antonio and Minnesota’s victory over Atlanta, the three teams now stand neck and neck at the top of the conference.
Facing the Thunder without their All-Star duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Milwaukee struggled to find its footing throughout the game.
Despite the absence of their star players, the Bucks had an opportunity to secure the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a win. However, their loss to the Thunder leaves their seeding uncertain, with their final game against Orlando holding significant implications.
Chet Holmgren contributed 22 points and nine rebounds, while Aaron Wiggins added 19 points for the Thunder. Their collective effort, coupled with efficient shooting, propelled Oklahoma City to their fourth straight win.
Despite a valiant effort from Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, who each scored 18 points for the Bucks, Milwaukee struggled to contain the Thunder.
