Oklahoma
Milwaukee Bucks vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction, Odds and Picks
The stage is set for the NBA Cup Final as the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in a battle of star power and elite defense. The Bucks have found their rhythm after a slow start. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are thriving, averaging 32.7 and 25.7 points per game, respectively. Milwaukee’s offense has surged to 7th in field goal percentage (48.4%) and 3rd in three-point efficiency. Bobby Portis’ return to the lineup has bolstered rebounding and scoring, and in NBA Cup play, they’ve dominated with a +11.6 point differential. However, Milwaukee’s path has been soft, with wins against the struggling Magic and lowly Hawks in their “playoff” games, raising questions about their readiness for this stage.
The Thunder, meanwhile, are among the Western Conference’s elite, despite missing Chet Holmgren for much of the season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30.3 ppg) and Jalen Williams (21.7 ppg) anchor a solid offense, but defense has been OKC’s hallmark. They boast the league’s top defensive rating, force the most turnovers, and rarely make mistakes. In NBA Cup play, their defense has been stifling, holding opponents to just 97.6 points per game—this while surviving a much tougher path through the Mavericks and Rockets.
Milwaukee’s efficient offense faces its toughest test yet against OKC’s relentless defense. With the total set at 216, officiating might favor a higher-scoring showcase, but the Thunder’s defense will remain a factor. I like the Thunder’s team total to eclipse 110.5, whether in a close contest or a blowout win. I dislike both sides of the spread and I am being cautious of playing the game over due to OKC’s defense. Fireworks are expected for what promises to be an electric final.
Bucks vs Thunder Prediction: Thunder Team Total Over 110.5 (-108) available at time of publishing. Playable to 112.5
Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City.
Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more.
Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com.
Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters.
Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK.
NORMAN — Oklahoma gained its first offensive commitment from the 2024-25 transfer portal on Monday.
Stanford offensive lineman Luke Baklenko announced on Instagram that we will be joining the Sooners in the fall.
“Thank God for this amazing opportunity and thank you to everyone who helped me along the way,” Baklenko said in his post. “Back to work!”
Shortly after announcing his pledge with the Sooners, Baklenko confirmed his commitment on X (formerly Twitter).
Boomer Sooner!
Thank you God. Thank you for the incredible partnership @vaynersports @Gdub_22 and @MikeMcCartney7 @OU_Football @vaynersports #Oklahoma #boomersooner@PeteThamel @PeteNakos_ @BruceFeldmanCFB pic.twitter.com/EJRioNjUzD
— Luke Baklenko 🇺🇸 (@LukeBaklenko) December 16, 2024
Thank you @CoachVenables @OU_CoachB
A sophomore in 2024, Baklenko played a key role for the Cardinal. He participated on 646 offensive snaps at right tackle after logging 370 snaps there as a true freshman in 2023.
He struggled to adjust to college football as a freshman, posting a 39.5 PFF (Pro Football Focus) pass blocking grade. But Baklenko’s numbers significantly improved in 2024, as the tackle posted a pass blocking grade of 56.3 and a run blocking grade of 52.3.
Baklenko started nine games in 2024 and played in 11. He started in all five of his game appearances in 2023 as well.
Out of high school, Baklenko was rated a 3-star prospect by 247 Sports. He chose Stanford over offers from UCLA, Boston College, Arizona, Arizona State and others.
As a transfer, Baklenko is the No. 21 offensive tackle and No. 290 overall player, per 247 Sports.
Stanford is coming off its first season as a team in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cardinal finished 3-9 (2-6 ACC) and tied for 15th out of 17 teams in the conference.
Baklenko is only the second commitment Oklahoma has picked up from the 2024-25 transfer portal. The Sooners landed a commitment from Kennesaw State punter Jacob Ulrich on Friday.
So far, Oklahoma has lost 23 players to the transfer portal.
OU’s coaching staff is in full rebuild mode as roster deletions will likely continue while new additions begin to commit. The Sooners began hosting transfer hopefuls last week, and had several visitors over the weekend.
Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6) will play against Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27 in Fort Worth.
Join News 9 Sports Director Dean Blevins, News On 6 Sports Director John Holcomb, and Toby Rowland for this week’s edition of the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz.
Sunday, December 15th 2024, 11:57 pm
By:
News On 6,
News 9
OKLAHOMA CITY –
This week on the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz, Dean Blevins, John Holcomb, and Toby Rowland begin the show with their opening takes.
Toby’s Top 3 OU, OSU, TU Update
Thunder Report: Thunder At The NBA Cup Championship
Viewer Question
OU, OSU, TU, ORU Basketball Recap
High School Football Championships Play The Percentages
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