Mar 16, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) passes the ball away from Milwaukee Bucks guard Taurean Prince (12) in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Thunder capped off their road trip with another impressive win against a playoff team.

Oklahoma City’s three-game swing out East ended with a 121-105 win against the Milwaukee Bucks. After falling to the Bucks in the NBA Cup Final, the Thunder have swept the season series against a Bucks team that has given them issues over the past few seasons.

It appeared the Bucks were going to give the Thunder some trouble again throughout the opening stages of the game, with the Thunder trailing after the first quarter. However, a dominant defensive performance in the second quarter helped give the Thunder some momentum for the rest of the night.

Shifting to an offensive attack in the third quarter, the Thunder took an 18-point lead into the final frame and ended the night with a 24-1 record against the East. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was his usual self in the win, dropping a game-high 31 points and adding eight assists to propel the Thunder once again.

Let’s dive into three lessons that can be learned from yesterday’s game.

Mar 16, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reaches for the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) and forward Jaylin Williams (6) in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

One of the top takeaways from the Thunder’s NBA Cup loss was the Bucks’ size and how it caused a number of issues for the West’s top team. While Chet Holmgren was unavailable for that contest, he helped make a difference in Milwaukee.

Holmgren finished with 16 points and eight rebounds while starting alongside Isaiah Hartenstein, who had one of the best games of his career. He finished with a career-high 24 points and added 12 rebounds to help set the tone inside for Oklahoma City.

Thanks in large part to the work of those two, the Thunder outscored the Bucks 60-36 in the paint. While Giannis Antetokounmpo had a solid performance and ended with a triple-double, the Thunder still held him and Brook Lopez to a combined 29 points on 23 shots.

Over the past couple of months, the Thunder’s shooting has improved and gotten back near the mark they were at last season. However, some nights, the shots won’t come at a high rate or won’t fall at an efficient clip. The Thunder saw both of those realities in Milwaukee.

Oklahoma City shot 10-of-29 from deep, which is tied for third-fewest attempts in a game this season. Still, one player made it seem like the Thunder were blistering hot from deep at times.

Isaiah Joe bounced back from a rough night in Detroit on Saturday to shoot 5-of-9 from 3-point range on his way to a 19-point outing. Sunday marked Joe’s sixth game this season with at least five threes as he tied his third-highest scoring performance of the year as well.

Perhaps the largest criticism of the Thunder over the past two seasons has been their youth and inexperience. When going against veteran teams like the Bucks, this seems to be a key factor in how many preview and pick the matchup. While the Thunder’s youth is often considered a detriment, it was a point in their favor on Sunday night.

With both teams coming off of a win on Saturday, there was a quick turnaround into this battle. The Bucks’ starting five also made up their top five in minutes played, which features five players 29 or older, with Kyle Kuzma being the youngest. Meanwhile, the Thunder’s entire rotation consisted of only two players older than 29 in Kenrich Williams and Alex Caruso. 

With four players under 25 playing key minutes, the Thunder’s ability to keep fresh players on the floor and not lose their youthfulness has been a major factor in their run to 56-12. As the playoffs near, the Thunder will have a few more back-to-backs to deal with, and their personnel will be a top reason for success.

After the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 16-game winning streak was snapped on Sunday, the Thunder are within one game of the top record in the league and could make up some more ground over the next week. Finally home after one of the most daunting road trips of the season, the Thunder will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday and the Charlotte Hornets on Friday before heading back out on the road.

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