3 Takeaways from the Milwaukee Bucks' win over the Oklahoma City Thunder

No Giannis. No problem.

Matthew Dugandzic | Nov 6, 2022

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The dream start to the season has continued for the Milwaukee Bucks, as they won their 9th straight game to start the year, beating the young and dangerous Oklahoma City Thunder 94-108 in the Fiserv Forum. Here are the three key takeaways from a great team win.

Next man up

Even though Giannis Antetokounmpo sat down and load-managed for the first game of the season, the Bucks didn't miss a beat. Giannis decided to rest with left knee soreness, and that opened up opportunities for the rest of the team to step up and show out.

Brook Lopez led the way, scoring 25 points (10-16 FG), as he voiced his excitement about getting the chance to lead the team.

“It's kind of exciting," Lopez said of playing without Giannis “Giannis gets a chance to rest, to refill his cup and we get a chance to get better and see what it's like without him on the court and get better in that way.”

Bench production

Aside from Lopez, Jrue Holiday was present and solid as always, notching 10 points with 13 assists, but the biggest help came from the role players. Jevon Carter and Grayson Allen got hot from deep and hit five three-pointers, finishing with 18 and 19 points respectively.

To add to the production from the outside, the usual suspect Bobby Portis Jr. had an energetic output, scoring 12 points and grabbing a whopping 21 rebounds.

“I think we all knew that we’d all have to chip in,” Lopez said. “You look across the board … everyone who (played) had an impact.”

Also, rookie MarJon Beauchamp got his first career start in Antetokounmpo's absence.

Historic start and pace

The 9-0 record is keeping the Bucks dominantly at the top of the NBA power rankings and standings, as the fact they are not even at full power is raising the question of how good this team could be, and if any records could be broken.

The franchise record has already been broken, and this is the best start in the NBA since the 2015/2016 Warriors. That Warriors team went to start 24-0 before eventually losing conveniently in Milwaukee.

How long the Bucks' streak will continue is up for question, but every game from now on will be a must-watch, as the Bucks could be breaking some records, especially if they get healthy to the max.

What's next

The Bucks are going back out on the road, as they are set to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.

Published Nov 6, 2022

MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.