Bulls 116, Bucks 111 – December 28, 2024

Having lost to the Bucks two games prior and giving up 50 fourth-quarter points to the Hawks, the Bulls had a clear chip on their shoulder entering Saturday night.

They put together a strong opening frame against a Bucks team still down from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee scored just 25 points in the quarter on 9-27. While the Bulls were certainly on the receiving end of some missed shots, they deserve credit for their activity on this end of the floor. Almost every attempt in the frame was decently contested and they did a good job of keeping the Bucks out of the paint.

Meanwhile, the Bulls did everything they could to take advantage of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence at the other end. We saw them start the night with a staggering 20-2 lead in points in the paint. Even better, they assisted on 11 of their first 14 field goals, meaning they did a great job of finding cutters and keeping the Bucks’ defense on its toes to create driving lanes. With one of the best rim protectors in the league off the floor, this was the smart approach by the Bulls.

Speaking of smart, Billy Donovan gave us a fun wrinkle in the first half. When Jalen Smith was ruled out shortly before the game, he opted to go with Torrey Craig as a five. The Bulls continued to set him up with back-to-back threes as big man Brook Lopez struggled to keep up with him. Doc Rivers eventually called a timeout and the Bucks were able to adjust, but it was a smart lineup move that helped keep the Bucks at arm’s length in the first half.

The only reason the Bucks even found themselves within a single possession at the halftime buzzer was because of a big mistake by the Bulls. Up 58-49 with 1:58 left, Lonzo Ball fouled Khris Middleton on a three-point make. The refs continued to review the play and ruled that the ball landed in Middleton’s end zone, leading to a flagrant 1. The Bucks would hit the free throw and get the ball back, leading to Lillard laying it in to complete the 6-point possession. . This cut the score to 58-55 and would help Milwaukee go into the locker room up just 62-60.

The third quarter was ugly, which largely worked in the Bucks’ favor. Neither team shot better than 36 percent from the field, but this gave Milwaukee a chance to tie the game and steal the lead with just one quick run. Damian Lillard and Bobby Portis combined for back-to-back threes midway through the quarter to give the Bucks their first lead of the game at 75-72. They would go on to take a one-point lead into the fourth quarter.

The same motivated Chicago team we saw start the game along with a 10-2 run. They played with tempo and sent Milwaukee’s defense into a spiral. That is … until Damian Lillard had enough. The guard scored 11 straight points in the quarter to put Milwaukee back on top 99-95. Six of those points came at the free throw line.

Still, the Bulls refused to go away in the best possible way. The team’s youngsters completely took over the game down the stretch. Coby White, in attack mode all night long, scored 8 points in the final 4:23 of action. We also saw Josh Giddey put the Bulls ahead 109-108 with a clutch three before playing good defense to set up a Patrick Williams fastbreak score. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bulls ran away with a surprising 116-111 victory.

We all know I think it’s in the Bulls’ best interest to pile up losses. But if they want to beat teams like the Bucks, that’s EXACTLY the way I want to see it done. The young, developing talent on this roster made the right plays at the right times.

Player characters

Josh Giddey – A
Statistics: 23 PTS, 15 RIB, 10 AST

After recording his second triple-double of the season, I think we can safely declare this Josh Giddey’s best game as a bull. He did a good job of controlling the tempo of the game and encouraging his teammates to play downhill. The Bulls were +18 when he was on the floor tonight and it showed.

Duh, he is the one Ankin Law: “Making it Personal” Player of the Game.

Coby White – A-
Statistics: 22 PTS, 4 AST, 2 RIB

Coby White passed the eye test with flying colors tonight. He repeatedly took advantage of the Bucks’ lackluster perimeter defense, finishing 7-8 from inside the paint. Without him, especially down the stretch, this one likely slips away from the Bulls.

Nikola Vucevic – B
Statistics: 23 PTS, 13 RIB, 5 AST

The big man may have only shot 10-24 from the field, but he hit a pair of threes in a tight fourth quarter and did a nice job on the offensive glass (5 OREBs).

Patrick Williams – B-
Statistics: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK

Patrick Williams started the night hungry. He scored the team’s first bucket of the night after attacking Khris Middleton off the dribble and hitting a sweet 15-footer. We also saw him fly right past Bobby Portis at the top of the key for a strong finish at the rim. As the game wore on, however, Williams slipped back into his quiet ways offensively. At least he remained committed to the defense.

Zach LaVine – C+
Statistics: 15 PTS, 7 AST, 6 REB

It wasn’t the kind of scoring night we’re used to from Zach LaVine, but he kept the ball moving and hit a couple of key free throws.

Box Score

See the full box score here.