Bucks Erase a 22-Point Hole to Beat Oklahoma City

By the Bucks Nightly Desk · Thursday, October 8

Milwaukee trailed by 22 points in the first half at Oklahoma City on October 7 before rallying to win 128-126 in the preseason. Rookie Nate Ament left that same game with a sprained left ankle and is now day-to-day.

Bucks Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Oct. 5

Milwaukee opened the preseason at home and lost to Minnesota, 97-116. Ryan Rollins led the scoring with 15, while Kel'el Ware added 14 points to go with 12 boards. It was a shaky first look at Taylor Jenkins' rotation, two days before the trip to Oklahoma City.

Oct. 6

Milwaukee signed center Johni Broome, adding depth up front one day before the trip to face the Thunder. Guard John Butler Jr. left the roster the following day, a swap that trimmed the frontcourt logjam without changing the twenty-one names set to open camp.

Oct. 7

In Oklahoma City, Milwaukee trailed by as many as 22 points in the first half. Myles Turner scored 19 and finished plus-16, Kel'el Ware had 18 points with 12 boards, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Jim Owczarski reported Brayden Burries tied the game at 122 with a dunk, then made the free throws that put Milwaukee up four with 7.4 seconds left. Final: 128-126.

Oct. 7, later

Nate Ament sprained his left ankle driving to the lane and left the game, per Owczarski's reporting; he returned briefly to shoot free throws before exiting for good. The rookie is now day-to-day, with an estimated return of October 11 — the same day Milwaukee next takes the floor.

Now

Milwaukee sits at 0-0 with the regular season two weeks out. Broome has joined the roster and Butler Jr. has left it, leaving twenty-one players in camp. Three preseason games remain before the opener, with Ament's ankle the lone injury to track.

Next Milwaukee's next game is October 11 at Charlotte, the date Ament's ankle is expected to allow his return; the regular-season opener follows October 21 at Washington.

Did the Bucks win their preseason game at Oklahoma City?

Yes. Milwaukee trailed by 22 points in the first half and won 128-126 on October 7.

Is Nate Ament hurt?

Ament sprained his left ankle against the Thunder on October 7 and is day-to-day, with a return estimated for October 11.