NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder cruise past Bucks
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 31 points and eight assists to help the Oklahoma City Thunder post a 121-105 victory over the host Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night.
Isaiah Hartenstein scored a career-high 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting and collected 12 rebounds as the Thunder (56-12) won their third straight game and 10th of their past 11. Oklahoma City set a franchise record for most road wins (27) in a season.
Isaiah Joe made five 3-pointers and scored 19 points off the bench for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren added 16 points and eight rebounds and Alex Caruso had 10 points for the Thunder, who led by as many as 25.
READ: NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sizzles in Thunder win over Pistons
BUCKET. GETTER.
Now 62 straight games of 20+ points for SGA 🤯 pic.twitter.com/elIJRl77LW
— NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2025
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season and 52nd of his career.
Damian Lillard scored 19 points, Gary Trent Jr. added 12, Kevin Porter Jr. had 11 and Kyle Kuzma tallied 10 for the Bucks (38-29), who lost for the fourth time in the past six games.
Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort both sat out with hip injuries for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder shot 51.7 percent from the field and made 10 of 29 from 3-point range. Gilgeous-Alexander was just 11 of 27 from the field.
Oklahoma City held a 50-34 rebounding advantage.
Milwaukee knocked down 39.8 percent of its attempts, including 13 of 34 from behind the arc.
READ: NBA: Thunder swept Celtics, their next meeting would be in the Finals
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 14 first-half points as the Thunder led 53-41 at the break. Lillard had 13 points in the half for Milwaukee.
Oklahoma City created some distance with a 10-2 run in the second quarter. Holmgren’s 3-pointer capped the run and gave the Thunder a 43-34 lead.
The margin was later five before the Thunder scored 13 straight points — seven to end the second quarter, six to start the third — for a 59-41 advantage. Gilgeous-Alexander hit a jumper to end that surge with 10:36 left in the third.
The Thunder led 92-74 entering the final quarter before scoring the first seven points. Joe’s trey increased the margin to 25.
The Bucks rallied within 112-97 on Antetokounmpo’s basket with 3:38 to play. The margin was 13 with just over three minutes left before Oklahoma City scored the next five points to seal it.
