Milwaukee Bucks vs Oklahoma City Thunder Preview: A Thunderous Occasion

Author’s note: The preview doubles as the game thread post for all preseason games.

The Milwaukee Bucks regular season is nine days away. They will play their final preseason road game in Oklahoma where they will take on a young and intriguing Oklahoma City Thunder.

Where We Are At

It took some time, but we saw what to expect in the new superstar partnership between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. We saw PnR, Horns, fast transition offense, and a couple of threes in the new-look Bucks. The Bucks were victorious against the Los Angeles Lakers last Sunday with a final score of 108-97. There was still some rust to be knocked off but I was encouraged to see Lillard get to the free throw line and Giannis being efficient with 16 points on ten field goal attempts. The Bucks without Giannis, Lillard, and Khris Middleton beat the Chicago Bulls and fell short to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Thunder are an interesting team to pay attention to. A team many expected to be at the bottom of the standings finished with a respectable 40-42 record finishing 10th in the Western Conference. After defeating the New Orleans Pelicans in the first Play-In tournament game, OKC lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander ttook a leap and made All-NBA First team, Jalen Williams made the All-Rookie First Team and jOsh Giddey was named to the NBA Rising Star game. The Thunder did all of this without their 2022 first-round draft pick Chet Holmgren, who was out all season with an injury, showed a team with promise. The Thunder won their first preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs but have lost their last two preseason games against the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets.

Injury Report

Khris Middleton was the only Milwaukee player not to be featured in the Lakers game and we will still be in a wait-and-see status with him. The Thunder rested Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Chet Holmgren, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, and Isiah Joe in their defeat against the Charlotte Hornets this past Sunday.

Player to Watch

MarJon Beauchamp is one of the players fighting for rotation minutes and potentially a starting spot. While the stars sat, Beauchamp took on more responsibility on the offensive side taking 11 field goals each game against the Bulls and Grizzlies. It was a mixed bag as he shined against the Bulls but struggled with his shot against the Grizzlies. Against the Lakers, he had a reduced role only playing 15 minutes but was 3/5 from the field and made his only three-point attempt. MarJon development will see him with peaks and valleys and will be something to monitor these finals preseason games and early in the regular season.

For the Thunder, Chet Holmgren is someone to keep an eye on. The rookie seems to have the tools to flourish in the league, but his frame will be something he will need to fill out or face the wrath of getting bullied around by guys like Giannis.

How to Watch

Whatever the hell a “Bally Sports App” is at 7:00 PM CDT ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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