Early in the season, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Jordan Nwora said one of the key indicators of a successful season would be playing rotational minutes when the championship-caliber team was completely healthy.
It might be time for him to set his sights even higher.
Heading into a road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Nwora is coming off what Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said was “clearly” the best game of the second-year forward’s career.
Not only is Nwora carving out a spot in the rotation, but he played virtually the entire fourth quarter in Sunday’s 132-122 win over the Phoenix Suns in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals.
“I think it’s really big for me,” Nwora said. “When I’m in those moments playing in big games, playing down the stretch, that’s something I can learn from and get better from as opposed to sometimes watching. I think that’s better for me.”
Nwora’s stat line Sunday wasn’t overwhelming – 12 points, five rebounds, one steal in 26 minutes – but he displayed the all-around growth in his game, especially on the defensive side.
“The trust his teammates have in him, the trust that’s growing with all of us in Jordan, it’s a big day,” Budenholzer said. “Really proud of him, really happy for him.”
Nwora has yet to play a game against the Thunder in his career. He was inactive for the only other meeting this season between the teams — a 96-89 Milwaukee home win on Nov. 19 — and didn’t play in either of the Bucks-Thunder games last season.
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo has had plenty of success against Oklahoma City. In 16 career games against the Thunder, Antetokounmpo is averaging 12.3 rebounds, more than a rebound more per game than he’s had against any other team.
In the teams’ first meeting of the season, Antetokounmpo had 19 rebounds – all on the defensive end.
In that game, the Bucks nearly let an early 20-point lead slip away before finally putting the game away late.
Milwaukee comes into Tuesday’s game on a four-game winning streak, averaging 125.0 points per game in that stretch.
The Thunder have dropped back-to-back games and seven consecutive at home.
While Oklahoma City has struggled recently, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has not.
Over the six games following the All-Star break, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 33.3 points, 6.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds in more than 35 minutes. He had missed the previous 10 games before the break with a sprained right ankle.
“It speaks for itself,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said of Gilgeous-Alexander’s recent play. “Obviously he’s really cookin’.”
In Sunday’s 116-103 loss to the Utah Jazz, Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, four steals and no turnovers in more than 38 minutes.
“It’s amazing to play with him,” Oklahoma City’s Darius Bazley said. “He’s closing games better, he’s adding more stuff to his game. … His game just keeps getting sharper.”
The Thunder have leaned heavily on Gilgeous-Alexander the last two seasons during their rebuilding phase, but never more so than recently. Rookie Josh Giddey (hip) has missed all but one of those post-break games and figures to be out for at least another two weeks.
Oklahoma City has played its last three games with just nine players available, and figures to be shorthanded again Tuesday.
–Field Level Media