MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 40 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds and the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder withstood multiple injury-related absences to trounce the Milwaukee Bucks 122-102 on Wednesday night.
The Thunder won for the seventh time in eight games despite playing without Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring), Isaiah Hartenstein (strained right soleus), Alex Caruso (strained right adductor), Aaron Wiggins (sore right groin) and Jaylin Williams (bruised left glute).
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Oklahoma City Thunder's Ajay Mitchell tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots past Milwaukee Bucks' Cole Anthony during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Oklahoma City Thunder's Brooks Barnhizer tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Pete Nance during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Oklahoma City Thunder's Kenrich Williams tried to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Pete Nance during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Ryan Rollins during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Gilgeous-Alexander picked up the slack, as the reigning MVP shot 16 of 19 from the floor.
According to Sportradar, this marked just the second time since at least the 1980-81 season that a player had at least 40 points and 10 assists in a game while shooting 80% or better. Coincidentally, the other instance was just a day earlier, when Toronto’s Immanuel Quickley had 40 points and 10 assists while shooting 11 of 13 in the Raptors’ 145-127 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.
Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell scored 18 points in the first half and ended up playing 25 minutes before leaving with a hip bruise. Kenrich Williams also scored 18 points for the Thunder, who shot 54.4% from the floor.
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo had 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
The Bucks were missing Myles Turner due to a sprained left ankle and Kevin Porter Jr. because of a strained oblique. Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Turner was day to day, but that Porter is “not going to play anytime soon.”
Porter's injury resulted in more playing time for Cole Anthony, who responded with 17 points off the bench. Bobby Portis added 15 points and a career-high nine assists.
Milwaukee lost despite getting 46 points from its bench.
Oklahoma City scored the game’s first seven points and never looked back while closing a four-game trip in which it went 3-1. Milwaukee committed eight of its 16 turnovers in the first quarter as the Thunder built a 38-18 lead.
The margin never dropped below 14 the rest of the way as Oklahoma City led by as many as 25.
Thunder: Host the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
Bucks: Host the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Oklahoma City Thunder's Ajay Mitchell tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots past Milwaukee Bucks' Cole Anthony during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Oklahoma City Thunder's Brooks Barnhizer tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Pete Nance during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Oklahoma City Thunder's Kenrich Williams tried to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Pete Nance during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Ryan Rollins during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Campaigning began Thursday for Bangladesh’s first national elections since the 2024 uprising that ousted longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The major political parties held campaign rallies in the capital, Dhaka, and elsewhere ahead of Feb. 12 election, which is seen as the most consequential in Bangladesh’s history as it follows Hasina's ouster and is being held under an interim government with voters also deciding on proposed political reforms.
The interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has pledged to hold a free and fair election, but questions were raised after his administration banned Hasina’s former ruling Awami League party. The Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have historically dominated the country’s electorate.
There are also concerns about the country's law and order situation, but the government says they will keep the voting peaceful.
Yunus assumed office three days after Hasina left the country for India on Aug. 5, 2024, following the deaths of hundreds of protesters and others in a violent crackdown.
With the Awami League excluded from the election, a 10-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party, is seeking to expand its influence. Jamaat-e-Islami has long faced criticism from secular groups who say its positions challenge Bangladesh’s secular foundations. A new party formed by student leaders of the uprising, the National Citizen Party, or NCP, is also part of the alliance.
Tarique Rahman, BNP chairman and the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is widely seen as a leading contender for prime minister. His party has drawn strong support rooted in the political legacy of his mother, who died last month. Rahman returned to Bangladesh last month after 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom.
Rahman is launching his campaign in the northwestern city of Sylhet with an address to a rally later Thursday and is scheduled to visit several other districts in the coming days.
Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP are set to begin their campaigns in the capital, Dhaka.
The election will also include a referendum on a national charter, with the interim government seeking campaigning for voters to support what it describes as a new political course built on reforms. The charter was signed last year by 25 of the country’s 52 registered political parties. The Awami League opposed the idea and several other parties declined to sign the document.
The July National Charter, named after the uprising that began in July 2024 and led to the fall of Hasina, is currently nonbinding, but the supporters of the charter say a referendum is needed to make it legally binding and a part of the constitution. Only Parliament can change the constitution in Bangladesh.
The interim government says the charter would bring more checks and balances to avoid authoritarian administrations, including by giving the presidency more authority to balance what had been a powerful prime minister position. It also proposes term limits for legislators, and measures to prevent conflicts of interest, money laundering and corruption.
Supporters of Bangladesh's National Citizen Party hold a campaign rally ahead of next month's national elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Supporters of Bangladesh's National Citizen Party hold a campaign rally ahead of next month's national elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Supporters of Bangladesh's National Citizen Party hold a campaign rally ahead of next month's national elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Head of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus, center, looks at an exhibit during the inauguration of the July Uprising Memorial Museum, once the official residence of Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Head of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus, second right, with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, second left, watch an audio visual during the inauguration of the July Uprising Memorial Museum, once the official residence of Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Head of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus, center, with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, center left, looks at an exhibit during the inauguration of the July Uprising Memorial Museum, once the official residence of Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Head of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus, center, with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, inaugurate the July Uprising Memorial Museum, once the official residence of Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)
