Playing without Jalen Williams, the Thunder fell 110-93 to the Milwaukee Bucks at Paycom Center on Thursday night.

The Oklahoma City struggled to find offensive rhythm for long stretches and could not overcome a balanced Milwaukee attack that featured seven players in double figures.

“Just trying to find some continuity and flow on offense,” Chet Holmgren said. “I feel like parts of the game were clunky and we weren’t quite able to execute on that end as well as we wanted to. … It was a bad cycle.”

Thunder missing key pieces

The Thunder are still without Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain). The team said both players will be re-evaluated following the All-Star break. Williams left the game early on Wednesday night in Phoenix after missing multiple games in a row.

Milwaukee was also short-handed, missing Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain) and head coach Doc Rivers, who was away attending a funeral. Assistant Darvin Ham served as acting head coach.

Even so, Oklahoma City had trouble keeping pace.

Isaiah Joe led OKC with 17 points, while Holmgren added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Alex Caruso helped spark a brief rally with multiple three-pointers, including one that capped an 8-0 run to tie the game at 40 early in the second quarter.

But the Bucks quickly responded with a decisive 20-4 surge and never fully relinquished control.

Dieng hurts former team

Former Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng, traded by Oklahoma City just before the deadline, led Milwaukee with 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks in a strong two-way showing.

AJ Green added 17 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis chipped in 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Milwaukee led 67-55 at halftime and blew the game open in the third quarter, holding Oklahoma City to just 16 points to build an 89-73 advantage entering the fourth.

Topić’s moment provides bright spot

The biggest positive for Oklahoma City came in the form of rookie Nikola Topić’s long-awaited NBA debut.

The No. 12 pick in the 2024 draft who missed last season with a torn ACL and later battled testicular cancer, checked in late in the first quarter to a loud ovation from the Paycom Center crowd.

Topić knocked down his first NBA basket on a mid-range jumper early in the second quarter and finished with two points, one rebound and one assist in 12 minutes.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault stressed the team’s measured approach.

“It was just like a unique pocket to get him in with our team with very little expectations from a performance standpoint,” Daigneault said. “He’s in the infant stages of returning to full game shape. What chemotherapy does to your body is really remarkable.”Holmgren emphasized the bigger picture.

“Anybody who’s battling cancer is fighting for their life… it just speaks to the strength of Topić and who he is as a person,” Holmgren said. “First of all, we’re just happy that he’s back to good health and that he’s out there.”

Looking ahead

The loss sends Oklahoma City into the All-Star break searching for improved health and consistency at 42-13.

“You hate to have to take that into the break and sit on it,” Holmgren said. “But that’s what happened and we’ve got to come out and be better out of the break.”

For the Thunder, getting stars back and continuing to build Topić’s minutes will be key storylines when the schedule resumes Friday the 20th against the Nets.