Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Milwaukee Bucks: NBA Preview
The northwest Division title holders, Oklahoma City (OKC) Thunder will face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night at Oklahoma City Arena to play their final game of the regular season.
Oklahoma City Thunder are all geared up to carry the action in the upcoming playoffs, however they are still some uncertainties about their seeding in the Western Conference and against whom will they be facing in the first round
playoff series.
Oklahoma City leads the season series against the Buck 1-0. However, the last encounter between the two sides went right down the wire and it was Kevin Durant’s brilliance in the clutch moments that ultimately carried the Thunder
to a 82-81 victory. This time around though, OKC are passing through a purple patch. Having won five in a row they will be rearing to finish the regular on a high note. The Bucks, on the other hand will be looking forward to avoid a season sweep.
After losing two straight games in the start of the month, Thunder have bounced back tremendously. In their last five games, OKC have beaten the Denver Nuggets twice and have also gunned down the two-time defending champions Los
Angeles Lakers. The leading scorer of the league Kevin Durant shared a game-high 31 points with the All-Star Kobe Bryant to thrash the mighty Lakers with a comprehensive 120-106 decision.
The prolific star Durant displayed another top scoring performance in the last victory against the lowly Sacramento Kings at Power Balance Pavilion on Monday night. He racked up a game-high 32 points and gathered 10 rebounds to
spearhead his team for another magnificent 120-112 victory.
Durant said after the victory. "We were confident last year too. I just didn't know what to expect for the playoffs. Of course, it's physical, it's a little different, crowds are better. But the preparation was something I wasn't
used to. But now I know. I should be ready, locked in and focused."
Oklahoma City Thunder currently hold the fourth spot in the West but their final rank will be determined after Wednesday’s game. The team has managed to win 55 games this season and stands a chance to snatch the third spot from
the Lakers before going into the playoffs. The Thunder are performing exceptionally well in the recent showdowns and have won 10 games in the last 12 meetings.
Conversely, the Milwaukee Bucks has failed to make it in the top eight this season and stands at the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference with 34 victories and 47 defeats. The line-up has struggled on the road as the managed to
win only 12 games off their home court.
The Bucks will be setting foot on the court with two straight wins though and with the determination of ending the season on a high note. John Salmons was incredibly instrumental in both of the last two win and scored a total of
56 points in those games.
Brandon Jennings and Salmon will be the key players for the visiting Bucks if they are to overshadow resurgent OKC.
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