Bulls Hold Off Bucks in Milwaukee
The Chicago Bulls snagged a 102-98 victory while on the road playing the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night.
Sunday brought a much-needed win for a Bulls team that fell short to the Detroit Pistons the night before, furthering the Bulls hopes of clinching a spot in the playoffs.
From the tip, the Bulls were shorthanded with Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson; two of the squad’s key pieces.. In the case of the Bucks, Khris Middleton and Michael Carter-Williams were sidelined out of game-time action nursing injuries.
All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol led the Bulls’ late-game charge to the finish, leaving the Bucks to stagger in their tracks.
Butler continued to handle most of the team’s ball handling in the absence of Rose, while defending the opposing team’s best player down the stretch. It was an effective game for the Bulls’ guard, whose love for isolation basketball cost them a win at home against the Pistons.
On Sunday, Butler bounced back quickly having learned from his mistakes and choosing to get his teammates more involved. The All-Star racked up 25 points, eight assists and five rebounds in 38 minutes – the most minutes of any other Bull.
Butler also took shot selections of great quality allowing him to shoot a blistering 10 for 11 from the field.
Jimmy Butler: 1st Bulls player to score 25 points while shooting at least 90% from the field since Scottie Pippen in the 1990-91 season
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 4, 2016
In looking at the statistics, the Bucks didn’t have much room for error in a game the Bulls needed to win in order to stay in the playoff picture. The Bucks, though determined to make a comeback, would never hold a lead in the contest for a number of reasons.
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Namely, Gasol was the perfect complement to Butler in a game where the Bucks sought to play a smaller lineup, effectively utilizing his 7’0’’ frame and ability to shoot the ball from mid-range to his advantage.
The undersized Bucks front court had no answer for Gasol and what he brings to the table, giving him the edge needed to nearly rack up a triple-double and finish the game with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Additionally, Sunday was unparalleled in terms of bench scoring, with a 20-point differential favoring the Bulls.
This isn’t to say that third-year forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and second-year forward Jabari Parker didn’t give the Bulls a problem down the stretch, however. At one point in the game, the Bulls held a lead as large as 19 points, only to lose some momentum in the third quarter. By the game’s end, Antetokounmpo racked up 34 points, nine assists and four rebounds, while Parker paired together a 24-point effort with 11 rebounds.
Outside of Antetokounmpo, the Bucks struggled to create their own shots. A number of players went scoreless in the minutes they played. In the end, Sunday night posed a greater meaning for the Bulls, who still have a shot at clinching a playoff spot. The Bucks’ hopes of clinching a playoff spot ended all too soon for a team that entered the season with plans of qualifying for the postseason as they did last year.
Next: Jimmy Butler wants to remain in Chicago despite trade rumors
The Chicago Bulls’ playoff lives remain on the line when they face off against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night. It was still unclear as of Sunday whether Gibson or Rose would return to the starting lineup with five games remaining on their regular season schedule.