LOS ANGELES — Milwaukee’s Ousmane Dieng starred against his former team as the Bucks beat the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, 110-93, on Thursday (Friday in Manila) in a morale-boosting win ahead of the NBA All-Star break.
The game in Oklahoma City lost some star power with OKC’s reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missing a fifth straight contest with an abdominal strain and Milwaukee’s two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting out a ninth straight game with a calf strain.
French forward Dieng, who landed in Milwaukee after being dealt by the Thunder before the trade deadline this month, reminded Oklahoma City what they gave up with 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots, connecting on an efficient seven of 12 shots from the field including three three-pointers.
AJ Green added 27 points and Bobby Portis had 15 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for Milwaukee, who had seven players score in double figures.
The Thunder had won two straight since back-to-back losses to Western Conference rivals San Antonio and Houston.
But with Jalen Williams joining Gilgeous-Alexander on the sidelines with a hamstring strain, Oklahoma City trailed virtually all the way.
Guard Isaiah Joe scored 17 points and center Chet Holmgren added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who still take a Western Conference-leading record of 42-14 into the All-Star break.