MILWAUKEE — Brook Lopez scored 25 points and the Milwaukee Bucks extended their season-opening winning streak to a franchise record nine games with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the bench, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-94, on Saturday night (Sunday, Manila time).
Antetokounmpo sat out for the first time this season. He was listed as "questionable" with left knee soreness after recording his first triple-double of the season a night earlier in Minnesota. He did not go through warmups ahead of the game, and head coach Mike Budenholzer said before that game that the league's second-leading scorer at 32.6 points per game would get the night off.
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With Antetokounmpo out, Lopez led Milwaukee on 10-of-16 shooting that included four of the Bucks' 17 3-pointers. Jevon Carter and Grayson Allen each added five 3s and finished with 18 points and 19 points, respectively. Bobby Portis notched fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 21 rebounds. Jrue Holiday also finished with a double-double, scoring 10 points with 13 assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander connected on 7 of 16 shots and led Oklahoma City with 18 points. Josh Giddey scored 15 points and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl 12.
Milwaukee forward Giannis Antetokounmpo cradles a basketball as guard Pat Connaughton blows on it after it was tipped onto the bench in second half action.
After finishing the opening quarter tied at 34, the Thunder trailed by as many as 24 before hitting four 3-pointers in the closing minutes of the third. Oklahoma City opened the fourth on a 7-2 run that cut Milwaukee's lead to 95-85 with 10:22 to play.
The Bucks responded with an 11-2 run over the next three minutes to put the game away.
TIP-INS
Thunder: The loss was Oklahoma City's third in four road games this season. … Gilgeous-Alexander came into the game averaging 32.3 points, good for third in the league and just 0.3 points behind Antetokounmpo.
Bucks: With Antetokounmpo sitting out for the first time this season, first-round draft pick MarJon Beauchamp got his first career start Saturday night.
UP NEXT
Thunder:At Detroit Piston on Monday.
Bucks: At Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
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