BBNBA: Bucks roll Thunder on SGA's career night

Last year’s UK basketball team may not have given us many fond memories on or off the court, but you wouldn’t know it from what they’ve done since. Kentucky’s 2021 draftees carried the day for the BBNBA on Tuesday, alongside a typically excellent performance from our favorite Oklahoma City hyphenate. Let’s get right to it.

Gilgeous-Alexander posts flashy double-double in loss

Another day that ends in Y means another brilliant showing from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a losing effort. This time, the hapless Thunder matched up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, and it went about exactly as you’d expect. Milwaukee cruised from start to finish for an easy 142-115 road victory, led by Antetokounmpo’s 39 points. It was the fifth straight win for the Bucks and the third straight loss for OKC.

Incidentally, it was also the third straight game with exactly 33 points for Gilgeous-Alexander. That also happens to be his average in seven games since returning his recent ankle injury on Feb. 24. If you take out the game he got injured in, SGA’s totals in his last 10 games look a little something like this: 29, 29, 31, 32, 36, 37, 29, 33, 33, 33.

OKC’s record in those games is 2-8.

SGA tonight:

33 PTS
8 REB
14 AST
3 STL
11/18 FG

Shai has the same amount of 30p/10a games as LeBron, Jokic, and Ja this season. pic.twitter.com/k8EaHDMul9

— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 9, 2022

This latest performance might be his most impressive yet, especially if you look at those passing numbers. Gilgeous-Alexander posted a career-high 14 assists on Tuesday, dishing the rock at will in the paint. It’s not easy getting those kinds of numbers when your best secondary option is… *checks notes* … Aleksej Pokusevski?

finding the open man 🤝@shaiglalex | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/mJzWs7vxv3

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 9, 2022

The good news is, those draft odds are improving by the day. With the NBA’s fourth-worst record as of Wednesday, the Thunder have tanked their way into prime position for the Jabari Smith/Paolo Banchero sweepstakes. And if they miss out there, there’s always Chet Holmg–actually, you know what, I don’t want to speak that into existence. The Thunder do NOT need any more freakishly athletic stickmen on their roster. Roll the highlights…

Rookies looking good

Who would’ve imagined that not one, not two, but THREE members of the 2020-21 UK roster would be getting rotational minutes in the NBA this year? Certainly not I. But here we are in March of 2022, and Isaiah Jackson, Brandon Boston Jr. and Olivier Sarr are all contributing to their respective teams.

Jackson, the No. 22 pick in last summer’s draft, has been solid all year for the Pacers when healthy. He’s averaging 7.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on the year while shooting nearly 60% from the field. In his past seven games, he’s topped double-figures in scoring five times and recorded his second double-double on Friday. In Tuesday’s close loss to the Cavaliers, Jackson totaled 12 points on 6-7 from the field with eight boards and three blocks. The rook is COOKING.

Isaiah Jackson has rejected an INSANE 20 shots over Indiana’s last seven games 👀

The rookie is avg. 2.9 BLK during that span!

This is officially an IJAX stan account. pic.twitter.com/x3s3wZl8iF

— Jacob W. Dunne (@AintDunneYet) March 9, 2022

Meanwhile, in L.A., the second-round pick Boston continues to serve as a valuable reserve for the Clippers. In last night’s loss to the Warriors, he put up 10 points and two steals in 18 minutes, his longest run in a game since January. I’m not sure where this shot-making determination was last year, but you gotta be happy for the guy:

Tough bucket by @bboston_.

📺 @NBAonTNT | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/eq49zhhtoG

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 9, 2022

Lastly, Sarr played double-digit minutes in the Thunder game once again. This one’s more of a factor of OKC’s tanking than anything, but there’s no denying he’s made the most of the opportunity. After dropping 11 points on Sunday, Sarr followed it up by making his only three-pointer and adding two blocks in Tuesday’s loss.

The 2022 BBNBA rookie class may not be the most conventional, but it’s getting it done.

News & Notes:

• Devin Booker sat out his third straight game in safety protocols Tuesday, but he’s expected to return against the Heat tonight (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.). In other news, he and Kendall Jenner are reportedly “not in any rush” to get married. This has been your weekly Kardashian family update.
• ICYMI, former UK teammates P.J. Washington and Keldon Johnson showed some love for each other with a recent jersey swap. All the feels & whatnot.
• Wednesday’s Game of the Day is Heat-Suns, but if you have a League Pass subscription, there’s another tasty BBNBA matchup at 8:00 when SGA’s Thunder take on KAT and the Timberwolves.

FULL STATS FROM TUESDAY:

Player	Result	Points	FG (3PA)	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	Turnovers	Minutes	+/-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)	142-115 L vs. MIL	33	11-18 (3-3)	8	14	3	1	5	35	+4
Isaiah Jackson (IND)	127-124 L vs. CLE	12	6-7	8	1	0	3	3	22	-3
Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC)	112-97 L @ GSW	10	3-8 (2-5)	1	2	2	0	1	18	+4
P.J. Washington (CHA)	132-121 L vs. BKN	4	1-7 (0-5)	8	5	1	0	0	37	-15
Olivier Sarr (OKC)	142-115 L vs. MIL	3	1-3 (1-1)	0	0	0	2	1	11	-5
Rajon Rondo (CLE)	127-124 W @ IND	0	0-3 (0-1)	2	4	0	1	0	11	-15
Nick Richards (CHA)	132-121 L vs. BKN	DNP – Coach’s Decision	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Devin Booker (PHX)	102-99 W @ ORL	DNP – Protocols	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Today in the NBA

7:00 – Celtics @ Hornets (Washington, Richards)

7:00 – Bulls @ Pistons (Diallo)

7:30 (ESPN) – Suns (Booker) @ Heat (Adebayo, Herro)

8:00 – Hawks (Knox) @ Bucks

8:00 – Lakers (Monk, Davis*) @ Rockets (Wall*)

8:00 – Thunder (Gilgeous-Alexander, Sarr) @ Timberwolves (Towns, Vanderbilt)

8:00 – Magic @ Pelicans

8:30 – Knicks (Randle, Quickley, Noel*) @ Mavericks

8:30 – Raptors @ Spurs (Johnson)

10:00 (ESPN) – Trail Blazers (Bledsoe) @ Jazz

10:00 – Nuggets (Cousins, Murray*) @ Kings (Fox, Lyles)

10:30 – Wizards @ Clippers (Boston Jr.)

* – inactive