Too strong! The Thunder defeated the Bucks 116-112. In this battle, I have to admit 6 realities

On October 15th, the NBA preseason game ushered in the showdown between the Bucks and Thunder. So far, the Bucks have won 3 games in the preseason, showing good resilience, defeating the Heat, Pistons and Bulls. In the game against the Bulls, the Bucks blossomed more, with 6 players on the team scoring in double figures. Antetokounmpo scored 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. Turner and Kuzma both performed amazingly. The former scored 19 points and 6 rebounds, the latter 19 points and 5 rebounds. Turner scored 5 of 8 3-pointers, and Kuzma scored 2 of 4 3-pointers! During the game, we could see the good chemical reaction between Turner and Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo broke through and passed the ball to Turner on the outside. This simple tactic has been tried and tested. Turner is undoubtedly the younger and upgraded version of Luo!

Looking back to last season, although the Bucks ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 48 wins and 32 losses and successfully advanced to the playoffs, they encountered "Waterloo" in the first round - losing to the Indiana Pacers with a score of 1-4, falling to the same opponent for two consecutive seasons. Such a loss makes the team's offseason lineup adjustments imminent. In the end, the Bucks waived Lillard, one of the core players, through extended terms, and introduced Turner through a trade in an attempt to reconstruct the interior defense and offensive system and inject new competitiveness into the team. At the same time, in order to appease Antetokounmpo, the Bucks management also signed Antetokounmpo's third brother! After all, retaining the core of the team is the fundamental reason for the Bucks to compete for the championship in the future.

As last season's championship, the Thunder's core action in the offseason is clear-to reward the heroes who won the championship and lay a solid foundation for defending the title and long-term competitiveness. The team has finalized three blockbuster contract extensions: retaining the core Alexander with a maximum salary of 285 million for 4 years, renewing Jaywe with a 289 million for 5 years, and locking in Holmgren with a 239 million for 5 years. From the perspective of salary structure, this core lineup can at least support the team's two-year championship window and provide stability for the road to defending the title. Last season was a "season of glory" for Alexander. Not only did he lead his team to win the championship, but he also completed a Grand Slam of personal honors. Now he is regarded by many American media as a strong contender for "the league's best" in the new season. His dominance on both offense and defense is the core of the Thunder's defense.

The Thunder's lineup has strong continuity, and the core framework of last season's championship has been completely retained, which means that the team does not need to spend too much time on developing a chemical reaction. Perhaps it is this hard power and future potential that gives the Thunder enough confidence to focus on training in the preseason. Since winning the championship last season, the team's overall morale and self-confidence have improved significantly. Even if winning is not the primary goal in the preseason, details can be polished through actual combat. Judging from the current plan, the Thunder will maintain the basic framework of 10-11 player rotation in the new season. The depth of the lineup is enough to cope with the test of a long season. Although the road to defending the title has challenges, the team is fully prepared. Alexander, who has only played one preseason game before, will start this game. The other four starting players are: Harten, Caruso, Dort and Carson Wallace.

Game review: After the game started, Alexander quickly controlled the rhythm, led the Thunder to seize the initiative with his comprehensive performance of sudden inside and outside shots, and quickly established a double-digit lead. At the critical moment, Antetokounmpo stepped forward and continuously hit the inside to score to stop the bleeding; then Trent and Porter Jr. fired with full firepower from the outside, hitting three-pointers one after another to narrow the point difference. After the Bucks put on the bench, the offense became more vigorous, leading by 4 points at the end of the first quarter. At the beginning of the second quarter, the Bucks continued their hot state and launched an 8-2 offensive wave to expand their lead to 10 points. The Thunder immediately launched a counterattack and clenched the score with an 8-0 offensive. At the critical moment, Alexander once again exerted his strength and teamed up with Harten to score consecutive points. Harten even unexpectedly hit a three-pointer, helping the Thunder lead by 8 points at halftime.

In the second half, the Thunder started rotation mode. The Bucks' main lineup took the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, and a 9-1 shock wave directly tied the score. After that, the offensive efficiency of both sides declined, and the shooting percentage was not high. After the third quarter, the Bucks led by 3 points. In the final quarter, the two sides continued to compete in rotation, and the Thunder regained consciousness on the outside, hitting three-pointers one after another to regain the lead, and the game entered a fierce stage. In the end, Giang hit a key three-pointer to help the Thunder expand their lead to 5 points, successfully defended the victory, and narrowly defeated the Bucks 116-112.

In this battle, I have to admit 6 realities -

1. Alexander has evolved again! In this game, Alexander returned and scored 8 of 10 in the half, 1 of 3 for 33 points, 6 of 8 free throws, 23 points, 5 assists and 3 steals, showing the dominance of the league's top scorer. His explosive scoring ability under pressure is no accident - last season he led the Thunder to win the championship and achieve a personal honor Grand Slam. Now he has quickly entered the state in the preseason. His efficient scoring performance in the half not only continued the scoring stability in the past, but also showed his absolute control of the rhythm of the game in the new season. His scoring relies not only on talent, but also on precise rhythm changes and critical ball judgment. This "plug and play" ability allows the Thunder to remain competitive during the championship window. Combined with the strong continuity of the Thunder's lineup and the complete background of the championship team, Alexander, as the absolute core, can not only deliver top personal data, but also drive the team to win, and has a high probability of locking in the MVP for the new season.

2. Antetokounmpo, Antetokounmpo was a bit "unruly" in this game. He didn't have a strong desire to win in the first half. He made 3 of 6 free throws and 4 of 6 free throws. He scored 10 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. In the whole game, he scored 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Compared with the overwhelming pressure on the offensive end, Antetokounmpo obviously has his own ideas: As the absolute core of the Bucks, Antetokounmpo's health and condition directly determine the team's upper limit for the new season - after being eliminated in the first round last season, the team cut Lillard in the offseason and recruited Turner to restructure the system. The core goal of the preseason is to run the lineup, rather than compete for a temporary victory. Antetokounmpo's move is not only to protect his own health, but also to give the substitutes and new players more room for practical running-in. After all, for him, there is no need to go all out in the preseason, and the most critical part is to inspect his teammates..

3. Porter is very important to the Bucks! After Lillard was bought out by the Bucks with an extension clause, there was a gap in the team's backcourt on the ball-holding and scoring end, and Kevin Porter Jr. happened to become a key role in filling this gap. In the preseason game against the Pistons, he made 4 of 4 shots and efficiently contributed 10 points. He proved his adaptability with zero mistakes. Today, he had 5 assists and 4 assists in the first half. He made 3 of 4 3-pointers and scored 12 points and 3 assists. He played 24 minutes in the game and got 4 rebounds in 15 minutes. Compared with Lillard's tactical weight when he is on the court, Porter is better at playing an "efficient end point". His breakthrough points and mid-range jumpers can make up for the shortcomings caused by Lillard's departure. However, Porter is not mature and stable in the series organization. He made 4 mistakes in this campaign, which is the best proof. If he can assume the responsibility of a combo guard, he will become Antetokounmpo's biggest helper in the new season. On the contrary, once this efficiency is low and becomes a loophole on the defensive end, it will be difficult for the Bucks to go further in the new season.

3. Hartenstein's progress in the Thunder can be called a "qualitative leap". He has grown from a marginal rotation in the past to an indispensable support point inside the team. On the offensive end, his pick-and-roll value has been greatly improved. In cooperation with Alexander's pick-and-roll, he can accurately complete the pass. In addition, he has also developed a stable mid-range jumper; on the defensive end, his progress is even more critical. His awareness of protecting the frame has been significantly enhanced. His average rebound rate has increased to . As an important addition to the Thunder's defending lineup, Hartenstein's transformation has strengthened the team's interior depth. In today's game, Harten scored 22 points, making 6 of 10 shots, 1 of 2 3-pointers, and scored 13 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assist.

4. Cole Anthony should be reused! After Lillard left the team, the Bucks signed Cole Anthony for $3.65 million for one year, becoming a valuable piece of puzzle to fill the vacancy in the backcourt. Although the 25-year-old point guard's statistics for the Magic declined last season, he quickly realized his value after joining the Bucks. Against the Thunder today, he played 19 minutes and scored 21 points on 7 of 11 shots and 5 of 6 three-pointers. He was very efficient. As the No. 15 pick in the first round of 2020, Anthony's talent is naturally not very low. His ability to create opportunities after breaking through the penalty area is top-notch in the Bucks. As a 1.88 meter point guard, his career average of 4.3 rebounds per game reflects his positive side. In the system dominated by Antetokounmpo, Anthony can not only serve as a substitute to hold the ball in series attacks, but also rely on his sudden scoring ability to break the deadlock. He can also become a shooter lurking on the outside and should be reused by Rivers.

5. The Thunder's strength is unique in the league. The Thunder have too many scoring players. Even though many of the team's core rotations have been exempted from the game in this campaign, the Thunder still showed strong strength. The pressure is high. Young people like Holmgren, including Jaylen Williams, have been making progress. The Thunder has many first-round picks and has been adding fresh blood. Youngblood and Barnheiser have shown a certain degree of immediate combat ability. They still have a high probability of winning the championship this year.

6. The Bucks have many new players joining this year, and their combat capabilities are not bad. However, the contract that Lillard was bought out is a flaw, which is equivalent to a quasi-All-Star star being absent for a long time. This does affect the Bucks' upper limit. If the Bucks do not have a stable and strong point in the backcourt, it will be difficult for the Bucks to go further, and Antetokounmpo's departure next year will be inevitable.