The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a 110-93 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Thursday night, dropping their record to 42-14 overall despite Isaiah Joe’s 17-point performance.
Former Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng led the charge for Milwaukee, posting an impressive 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks against his former team. The 6-foot-9 Frenchman, who was traded by Oklahoma City just before the deadline, made a significant impact in his return to Paycom Center.
Both teams competed without key players. The Thunder were missing reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and co-star Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain), while the Bucks played without All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain). Milwaukee was also without head coach Doc Rivers, who was attending a funeral, with assistant Darvin Ham stepping in.
AJ Green contributed 17 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis added 15 points with 12 rebounds. For the Thunder, Chet Holmgren recorded 16 points and 13 rebounds alongside Joe’s team-leading 17 points.
The game featured a special moment when Nikola Topic made his NBA debut for the Thunder. The No. 12 pick in the 2024 draft, who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and previously missed his first season with a torn ACL, received a loud ovation from the crowd. Topic finished with two points, one rebound, and one assist in 12 minutes of play.