TV: Bally Sports Oklahoma | Radio: WWLS 98.1 FM OKC
By Paris Lawson | Broadcast and Digital Reporter | okcthunder.com
Game Day: OKC vs. MIL
The Thunder opens a home-road back-to-back with a matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks inside of Paycom Center. The contest marks the final game of the Thunder’s three-game homestand and after battling and falling short of a comeback against the Utah Jazz on Friday, the group looks to close out its home stint on a high note.
WHAT TO WATCH
- Rebounding Numbers – Keep an eye on the battle of the boards between these two teams as the Thunder and the Bucks both sit in the top 10 in the league in rebounds per night. Milwaukee is coming off a performance where the group out-rebounded the Phoenix Suns 48-27. The last time these two teams met, both squads pulled down 53 rebounds each, but the Thunder took the edge on the offensive boards racking up 11 offensive boards compared to six for the Bucks.
- 3-Point D – OKC will have another test of its 3-point defense against Milwaukee on Tuesday. The Bucks average the fourth-most 3-pointers made and attempted per game. Additionally, Milwaukee’s offense generates 37.3 percent of its total points from behind the arc which is also the fourth-highest mark in the league.
- Points in the Paint – While the Bucks generate a significant portion of their offense from deep, the Thunder prefers its looks closer to the rim. In its last game against the Jazz, the Thunder poured in 54 paint points at a 60 percent clip compared to 28 points for Utah on 47 percent. The plus-26 paint point differential tied for the largest margin of the season for the Thunder.
NOTABLE
Stepping in as starting center, Thunder forward Darius Bazley racked up three blocks in the Thunder’s matchup against the Jazz on Sunday. Bazley now has 10 games this season with three or more blocks, including the Thunder’s first meeting with the Bucks back in November. The 10 games mark the third most by a Thunder player in a single season in OKC history. Bazley leads the Thunder with 67 blocks this season which also ranks 18th overall in the NBA.
QUOTABLE
SCOUTING REPORT
Milwaukee (40-25) enters Paycom Center as the winners of four consecutive contests. Most recently, the Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns in a rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals. In that game, Khris Middleton caught fire and finished with 44 points on 16-of-27 from the field. Point guard Jrue Holiday also chipped in 24 points of his own while Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with a 19-point, 13-rebound double double.