After five consecutive wins, the Chicago Bulls landed on the opposite side of the win column, falling 112–103 to the Milwaukee Bucks. As the score suggests, it was a relatively close game; aside from a brief stretch in which the Bulls built a sizable lead, they spent most of the night trying to catch Milwaukee.
Although the Bulls dropping their first game in nearly two weeks appeared to be the biggest storyline, that distinction belonged to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return—his first game since suffering a calf strain on December 3. Despite a minutes restriction, Giannis scored 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting and repeatedly got to the free-throw line, going 8-of-10.
After the Greek Freak poured in 41 points in the first matchup, Billy Donovan took a different approach to slowing down the former MVP. The Bulls’ head coach leaned into his double-big lineup more often in an effort to stymie Giannis. While it ultimately proved insufficient in preventing a Bucks victory, the effectiveness of the alignment made it clear that this look should be more than situational. It deserves consideration as Chicago’s primary lineup moving forward.
Chicago's double-big lineup deserves a starting look
Both Zach Collins and Jalen Smith—two of Chicago’s three bigs—finished with a net-zero or positive plus-minus, making them two of only four Bulls to do so. Collins posted 10 points and 10 rebounds, including four on the offensive glass, while Smith added six points and 10 rebounds, three of which came offensively.
The duo of bigs logged more minutes than starting forward Isaac Okoro, who contributed 10 points in just 19 minutes. While Okoro is a highly regarded defender, his 6-foot-5 frame limits the matchups he can handle, particularly when suiting up next to players like Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Josh Giddey, or Tre Jones.
Thus, Donovan has come to a simple conclusion: size matters, particularly in today’s NBA with increasingly massive lineups. While the Bulls have deployed Matas Buzelis at the four all season, the 200-pound forward lacks the bulk to defend most power forwards and is better suited offensively at the three.
Swapping out Buzelis seems like the most plausible solution, given Okoro’s defensive value, but that’s not happening. Buzelis is one of Chicago’s most valuable players, and he’s here to stay. That leaves Okoro as the odd man out, a reality that’s becoming increasingly clear. Collins and Smith have seen their minutes rise recently, but that trend should soon translate into a starting role alongside Nikola Vučević in the frontcourt.
Collins provides much-needed toughness and intensity, while Smith serves as a floor-spacing big whose size is equally important. In Chicago’s loss to Milwaukee, the duo helped the Bulls out-rebound the Bucks on the offensive glass and outscore them in the paint. The double-big lineup is beginning to define the team’s identity—a shift that feels increasingly inevitable.
Rather than continuing to trot Okoro out as the starting small forward, Donovan must finally commit to a dual-big lineup. Whether it’s Collins or Smith doesn’t matter; both provide what Chicago desperately needs. With several jumbo-sized matchups on the horizon, now is the perfect time for Donovan to fully buy in.