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October 8, 2026 at 4:54 AM UTC

Postgame Report

Bucks Hold Off Thunder 128-126 as OKC's Regulars Return in Preseason Loss

Milwaukee beat Oklahoma City by two at Paycom Center, sending the Thunder to 0-2 in the preseason despite 22 points from Aday Mara and a lineup closer to full strength.

Bucks 128, Thunder 126
Bucks 128, Thunder 126

The Thunder opened the home portion of their preseason schedule Wednesday night at Paycom Center and lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 128-126. It was tight enough that a possession or two either way would have changed the ending. Kel'el Ware gave Milwaukee a steady interior presence with 18 points and 12 rebounds in 25 minutes, the only double-double of the night.

It was a second straight loss for Oklahoma City, which dropped its opener 116-110 to New Orleans in Tulsa on Tuesday. That game was played largely without the regulars, and the Thunder are now 0-2. Nobody in the building was treating that as a problem, but it did leave the home crowd waiting on the real rotation.

Most of that group got its first work here. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points with five assists in 18 minutes, Jalen Williams added 16 and six assists in 19, and Alex Caruso had 12 points. Cason Wallace scored seven and handed out six assists. This was only the second of five preseason games for Oklahoma City, so the minutes stayed modest. Gilgeous-Alexander has spent the summer working on playing more off the ball, and that will be worth watching as the games pile up. One night of 18 minutes settles very little.

The young players made the most noise. Aday Mara, who had 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the opener, followed with 22 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes as a starter. Bennett Stirtz, another early standout in Tulsa, came off the bench for 20 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes. For Milwaukee, Myles Turner scored 19, Brayden Burries had 16 off the bench, and Ryan Rollins finished with 12 points and seven assists.

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