Ousmane Dieng’s first double-double carries Bucks past Thunder
Ousmane Dieng scored a season-high 19 points while leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a 110-93 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
Dieng was playing for the first time as a visitor in Oklahoma City after being dealt by the Thunder at last week's trade deadline. He ultimately was shuffled to the Bucks in a series of trades.
The fourth-year veteran added 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks in his first career double-double. His rebounding and block totals were each career highs.
The Bucks took control with a 20-4 run in the second quarter after Oklahoma City came back from an eight-point deficit to tie the game.
Kyle Kuzma scored nine points in the stretch while Dieng scored six.
The Thunder never pulled closer than seven points after that Milwaukee surge.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers was attending a funeral and was not with the team in its final game before the All-Star break. Darvin Ham served as Milwaukee's head coach on Thursday.
AJ Green added 17 points for the Bucks, who had seven players score in double figures.
Playing without primary ballhandlers Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, plus sixth man Ajay Mitchell, the Thunder struggled to generate consistent offense.
It was just the second time this season the Thunder finished with fewer than 100 points.
The 93 points were the fewest for Oklahoma City in the regular season since March 24, 2024 -- when the Thunder also were held to 93 points by the Bucks.
Oklahoma City was also without Isaiah Hartenstein, who missed the game due to injury management.
Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't played since Feb. 3 with an abdominal strain, the same injury that has kept Mitchell out since Jan. 21.
Williams aggravated a hamstring injury on Wednesday in the Thunder's win over the Phoenix Suns. That contest was Williams' second game after missing 10 games due to the ailment.
Oklahoma City did get a lift Thursday.
Nikola Topic, the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft, made his NBA debut, entering to an ovation late in the first quarter.
Topic missed all of last season with a knee injury sustained before the draft, then was diagnosed with testicular cancer shortly before the season.
Topic finished with two points in 12:22.
Isaiah Joe led the Thunder with 17 points, while Chet Holmgren added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The Bucks won five of their last six games heading into the break while Oklahoma City's two-game winning streak was snapped. Milwaukee improved to 5-4 since Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a calf injury.