Bucks roll past Thunder, 118-93
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 24: Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots the ball against Jae Crowder #99 and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half at Fiserv Forum on March 24, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wiscons
MILWAUKEE - Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, Khris Middleton recorded his second career triple-double and the Milwaukee Bucks trounced the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-93 on Sunday.
Middleton had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double since Jan. 20, 2018.
Milwaukee broke open a close game in the second half as Oklahoma City (49-21) fell out of the Western Conference lead. The reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets (50-21) didn’t play Sunday and moved a half-game ahead of the Thunder.
Oklahoma City posted its lowest point total and shot its lowest percentage (.371) of the season. Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 12 points — the first time since Jan. 19 he was held below 20 — and sat out the entire fourth quarter after the Bucks had built a lopsided lead.
RELATED: Check out the new and improved FOX Sports app
This marked the first time since a Feb. 3 victory at Dallas that the Bucks had Antetokounmpo, Middleton and seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard on the floor for the same game. It was the first time since a Jan. 31 loss at Portland that they had their preferred starting lineup of Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Middleton, Brook Lopez and Malik Beasley.
Middleton had missed 16 straight games with a sprained left ankle and also sat a victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday due to injury management. Lillard also had a sprained left ankle that caused him to sit out two games in early February. Antetokounmpo returned Thursday after missing two games due to an issue with his left hamstring.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Milwaukee had seven players score in double figures. Bobby Portis had 15, Lopez 14, Lillard and Pat Connaughton 11 apiece and Jae Crowder 10.
Josh Giddey scored 19 and Jalen Williams added 18 for the Thunder.
The Bucks led 48-47 at halftime and broke open the game by outscoring Oklahoma City 18-2 in the first six-plus minutes of the third quarter. Oklahoma City didn’t make its first basket of the third period until Williams converted a layup with 5:38 left that ended a 16-0 Milwaukee spurt.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android
Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort appeared to take a hit to the head under the basket as Williams scored, causing the swingman to leave the game.
The Bucks ended up winning the third period 34-17 as the Thunder matched their lowest point total for any quarter all season.