The Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the short-handed 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, having been the G League Finals MVP in 2024 and a reserve on their main roster.
Meanwhile, both teams were missing key players: head coach Doc Rivers was out 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 strain) and co-star Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain). Both will be re-evaluated 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 hand, 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 now made his NBA debut.
The 2024 12th pick overall also missed his first season with a torn ACL, entered the game late in the first quarter, and received 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 by 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 edge and leading 89-73 into the fourth, before reaching a 24-point lead in the final quarter.
Both teams will play after the break: the Bucks at New Orleans, while the Thunder host the Nets.
