Bucks wrap up top seed in NBA with 105-92 victory over Bulls
MILWAUKEE (AP) Wrapping up the top seed in the NBA playoffs was the order of business for the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
Despite being without the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo and losing Khris Middleton to an injury early in the game, the Bucks made a second-half push to beat the Chicago Bulls 105-92. The Bucks went on a 15-0 run in the third quarter to overcome a 10-point deficit and pulled away in the fourth quarter.
Bobby Portis had 27 points and 13 rebounds, starting in place of Antetokounmpo, and center Brook Lopez finished with 26 points.
“It's definitely a great achievement," Lopez said. “It's cool because we've had a lot of different lineups throughout the year, and regardless of who we've put out on the floor, our guys have come out with the right mindset and have been going out there to succeed.”
Antetokounmpo was ruled out before the game because of right knee soreness. He had 28 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists against Washington on Tuesday night.
Point guard Jrue Holiday scored 20 points and had a season-high 15 assists while adding eight rebounds, and he led the second-half surge. Jevon Carter had 16 points in a starting role.
Middleton started for the Bucks, but played just eight minutes before exiting with right knee soreness. He was 0 for 3 from the floor.
Milwaukee improved to 58-22 as it won its third straight game. The Bucks lead fellow Eastern Conference foe Boston by three games with two games remaining.
Wes Matthews played 30 minutes off the bench and harassed Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan throughout the game, helping limit DeRozan to eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. He did not score a basket until early in the fourth quarter.
“He's one of the best scorers this league has seen,” Matthews said. "We've been battling for 14 years now and he;'s one of my favorite players to play against, one of my favorite players to watch.
“The biggest thing is to try to keep him off the free throw line, try to make him as uncomfortable as possible. He's got an array of moves. You have to be willing to take that challenge.”
DeRozan said of his poor shooting night, “It won't happen again. I guarantee you.”
Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Coby White added 14 points, and Zach LaVine had 13.
The Bulls started the night in 10th place in the East and already having clinched a play-in berth. They will not be able to move up during the final two games after Atlanta won on Wednesday. Toronto lost in Boston but remains two games ahead of the Bulls with two to play, and the Raptors own the tiebreaker.
Chicago led, 61-51, when Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer took a timeout with 8:30 left in the third quarter. Milwaukee outscored the Bulls, 54-31, the rest of the way.
“We've talked about the defensive abilities of our players,” Budenholzer said. “They turned it up, really everybody.”
The Bucks coach said claiming the top seed in the East was no small matter.
“Night in and night out in this league, it's hard,” Budenholzer said. "To have the best record, it is something that matters and is important. But being our best day each night is what we talk about the most.
“Now we get to take a breath. I have no idea what we're going to do Friday and Sunday. The guys have earned it. Ton of a credit to the guys for what they've done since the all-star break to put themselves in this position.”
TIP-INS
Bulls: Guard Alex Caruso was ruled out with a left foot injury, a problem he has dealt with in recent weeks. Caruso played 19 minutes and went scoreless in Chicago’s home loss to Atlanta on Tuesday night. “He doesn’t want to be a liability,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said.
Bucks: Pat Connaughton sprained his right ankle in the first quarter Tuesday and was out Wednesday. “We’re hopeful it’s a very short-term thing,” Budenholzer said. “I would put it in the relatively positive bucket.” … Grayson Allen (right ankle sprain) is out for the rest of the regular-season, but Budenholzer remains hopeful the guard will be ready for the first round of the playoffs which open April 15.
UP NEXT
Bulls: At Dallas on Friday night.
Bucks: Host Memphis on Friday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
12:00 | Nikola Vucevic vs. Brook Lopez (Patrick Williams gains possession) | |||
11:39 | DeMar DeRozan misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
11:36 | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | |||
11:25 | Khris Middleton misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | |||
11:22 | Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound | |||
11:11 | +2 | Nikola Vucevic makes two point floating jump shot (Patrick Beverley assists) | 2-0 | |
10:47 | Khris Middleton turnover (bad pass) (Patrick Beverley steals) | |||
10:41 | Zach LaVine misses three point running jump shot | |||
10:38 | Nikola Vucevic offensive rebound | |||
10:36 | Patrick Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
10:33 | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | |||
10:29 | Bobby Portis misses two point driving reverse layup | |||
10:26 | Patrick Williams defensive rebound | |||
10:19 | Patrick Beverley misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
10:16 | Khris Middleton defensive rebound | |||
10:04 | +3 | Jevon Carter makes three point jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 2-3 | |
9:47 | Nikola Vucevic misses three point jump shot | |||
9:43 | Jrue Holiday defensive rebound | |||
9:37 | Brook Lopez misses three point stepback bank jump shot | |||
9:33 | Patrick Beverley defensive rebound | |||
9:26 | +3 | Patrick Beverley makes three point stepback jump shot | 5-3 | |
9:12 | Jrue Holiday misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
9:10 | DeMar DeRozan defensive rebound | |||
8:54 | Patrick Williams misses two point driving dunk | |||
8:52 | Brook Lopez defensive rebound | |||
8:46 | +2 | Jrue Holiday makes two point driving reverse layup | 5-5 | |
8:33 | Zach LaVine misses two point jump shot | |||
8:29 | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | |||
8:19 | +3 | Bobby Portis makes three point jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 5-8 | |
7:52 | DeMar DeRozan misses two point jump shot | |||
7:48 | Jevon Carter defensive rebound | |||
7:35 | Khris Middleton misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
7:32 | Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound | |||
7:27 | Zach LaVine misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
7:22 | Jevon Carter defensive rebound | |||
7:11 | +3 | Jevon Carter makes three point jump shot (Bobby Portis assists) | 5-11 | |
7:11 | Bulls 60 second timeout | |||
6:51 | Nikola Vucevic turnover (lost ball) (Jrue Holiday steals) | |||
6:42 | Brook Lopez turnover (bad pass) (Patrick Beverley steals) | |||
6:31 | Nikola Vucevic misses two point turnaround hook shot | |||
6:29 | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | |||
6:25 | DeMar DeRozan shooting foul (Brook Lopez draws the foul) | |||
6:25 | +1 | Brook Lopez makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-12 | |
6:25 | +1 | Brook Lopez makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 5-13 | |
6:13 | Nikola Vucevic misses three point jump shot | |||
6:09 | Jrue Holiday defensive rebound | |||
6:06 | Jrue Holiday misses three point running pullup jump shot | |||
6:03 | Patrick Beverley defensive rebound | |||
5:50 | +2 | Nikola Vucevic makes two point jump shot (Zach LaVine assists) | 7-13 | |
5:36 | +2 | Brook Lopez makes two point floating jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 7-15 | |
5:24 | +2 | Nikola Vucevic makes two point jump shot (Patrick Beverley assists) | 9-15 | |
5:12 | +2 | Brook Lopez makes two point floating jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 9-17 | |
4:56 | Jae Crowder personal foul (DeMar DeRozan draws the foul) | |||
4:46 | Coby White turnover (bad pass) (Jae Crowder steals) | |||
4:39 | +3 | Joe Ingles makes three point running jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 9-20 | |
4:30 | Derrick Jones Jr. turnover (out of bounds step) | |||
4:16 | Bobby Portis misses two point floating jump shot | |||
4:13 | Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound | |||
4:06 | Zach LaVine misses two point driving bank hook shot | |||
4:04 | Joe Ingles defensive rebound | |||
3:57 | Khris Middleton misses two point jump shot | |||
3:53 | Coby White defensive rebound | |||
3:44 | +2 | Nikola Vucevic makes two point cutting finger roll layup (Coby White assists) | 11-20 | |
3:36 | Bucks 60 second timeout | |||
3:23 | Derrick Jones Jr. blocks Jae Crowder's three point jump shot | |||
3:19 | Zach LaVine defensive rebound | |||
3:12 | Nikola Vucevic misses two point floating jump shot | |||
3:09 | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | |||
3:00 | Bobby Portis misses two point turnaround hook shot | |||
2:57 | Patrick Beverley defensive rebound | |||
2:49 | Derrick Jones Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
2:46 | Jae Crowder defensive rebound | |||
2:39 | Jevon Carter misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
2:37 | Coby White defensive rebound | |||
2:19 | +2 | Zach LaVine makes two point stepback jump shot | 13-20 | |
2:05 | +3 | Bobby Portis makes three point jump shot (Jevon Carter assists) | 13-23 | |
1:53 | +3 | Derrick Jones Jr. makes three point jump shot (Patrick Beverley assists) | 16-23 | |
1:29 | +2 | Bobby Portis makes two point driving hook shot (Jae Crowder assists) | 16-25 | |
1:10 | +2 | Derrick Jones Jr. makes two point cutting layup (Nikola Vucevic assists) | 18-25 | |
0:58 | Jae Crowder misses two point floating jump shot | |||
0:57 | Jevon Carter offensive rebound | |||
0:56 | Jevon Carter turnover (lost ball) (Derrick Jones Jr. steals) | |||
0:52 | +3 | Coby White makes three point running jump shot (Patrick Beverley assists) | 21-25 | |
0:43 | Joe Ingles misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
0:39 | Wesley Matthews offensive rebound | |||
0:31 | +3 | Jevon Carter makes three point pullup jump shot | 21-28 | |
0:13 | Zach LaVine misses two point driving layup | |||
0:11 | Wesley Matthews defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | Jevon Carter misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
0:00 | Bucks offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
11:42 | +2 | Brook Lopez makes two point layup | 21-30 | |
11:32 | Coby White misses three point jump shot | |||
11:27 | AJ Green defensive rebound | |||
11:18 | Jrue Holiday turnover (bad pass) (DeMar DeRozan steals) | |||
11:07 | +2 | Andre Drummond makes two point cutting layup (DeMar DeRozan assists) | 23-30 | |
10:52 | Brook Lopez misses three point jump shot | |||
10:48 | DeMar DeRozan defensive rebound | |||
10:40 | +2 | Coby White makes two point driving finger roll layup (DeMar DeRozan assists) | 25-30 | |
10:14 | Wesley Matthews misses two point stepback jump shot | |||
10:11 | Coby White defensive rebound | |||
9:57 | Coby White turnover (lost ball) (Wesley Matthews steals) | |||
9:48 | Joe Ingles turnover (bad pass) (Ayo Dosunmu steals) | |||
9:38 | DeMar DeRozan turnover (bad pass) (Joe Ingles steals) | |||
9:24 | Derrick Jones Jr. personal foul (Brook Lopez draws the foul) | |||
9:10 | Jevon Carter misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
9:09 | Bucks offensive rebound | |||
9:05 | AJ Green misses three point jump shot | |||
9:01 | Coby White defensive rebound | |||
8:54 | Brook Lopez shooting foul (Andre Drummond draws the foul) | |||
8:54 | +1 | Andre Drummond makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-30 | |
8:54 | Andre Drummond misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
8:51 | Jrue Holiday defensive rebound | |||
8:39 | +3 | Jrue Holiday makes three point pullup jump shot | 26-33 | |
8:19 | +3 | Patrick Williams makes three point jump shot (Ayo Dosunmu assists) | 29-33 | |
8:09 | +3 | Jrue Holiday makes three point stepback jump shot | 29-36 | |
7:53 | Coby White misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
7:49 | Jae Crowder defensive rebound | |||
7:42 | Jrue Holiday turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | |||
7:42 | Bulls 60 second timeout | |||
7:22 | +3 | Patrick Williams makes three point jump shot (DeMar DeRozan assists) | 32-36 | |
7:04 | +3 | Bobby Portis makes three point jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists) | 32-39 | |
6:43 | Zach LaVine misses three point stepback jump shot | |||
6:40 | Brook Lopez defensive rebound | |||
6:33 | Jae Crowder misses three point jump shot | |||
6:29 | Zach LaVine defensive rebound | |||
6:23 | DeMar DeRozan misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
6:18 | Jae Crowder defensive rebound | |||
6:07 | Bobby Portis misses three point jump shot | |||
6:04 | Jrue Holiday offensive rebound | |||
6:04 | Jrue Holiday misses two point tip layup | |||
6:03 | Andre Drummond defensive rebound | |||
5:59 | +2 | Ayo Dosunmu makes two point running pullup jump shot (DeMar DeRozan assists) | 34-39 | |
5:38 | Jrue Holiday turnover (lost ball) (Ayo Dosunmu steals) | |||
5:36 | Brook Lopez shooting foul (Ayo Dosunmu draws the foul) | |||
5:36 | +1 | Ayo Dosunmu makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 35-39 | |
5:36 | +1 | Ayo Dosunmu makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 36-39 | |
5:21 | Jevon Carter misses three point jump shot | |||
5:18 | Patrick Williams defensive rebound | |||
5:05 | Coby White turnover (traveling) | |||
4:50 | Brook Lopez misses two point fadeaway jump shot | |||
4:47 | Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound | |||
4:43 | Jevon Carter personal foul (Zach LaVine draws the foul) | |||
4:37 | +2 | Nikola Vucevic makes two point floating jump shot (Zach LaVine assists) | 38-39 | |
4:19 | +2 | Brook Lopez makes two point driving hook shot (Jae Crowder assists) | 38-41 | |
4:06 | +2 | Nikola Vucevic makes two point driving dunk (Ayo Dosunmu assists) | 40-41 | |
3:56 | Jae Crowder misses three point jump shot | |||
3:53 | Coby White defensive rebound | |||
3:42 | +2 | Ayo Dosunmu makes two point driving floating jump shot (Zach LaVine assists) | 42-41 | |
3:37 | Bucks 60 second timeout | |||
3:13 | +3 | Jrue Holiday makes three point jump shot (Wesley Matthews assists) | 42-44 | |
2:58 | +2 | Nikola Vucevic makes two point turnaround hook shot (Zach LaVine assists) | 44-44 | |
2:58 | Meyers Leonard shooting foul (Nikola Vucevic draws the foul) | |||
2:58 | +1 | Nikola Vucevic makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 45-44 | |
2:35 | +3 | Bobby Portis makes three point jump shot (Joe Ingles assists) | 45-47 | |
2:22 | +3 | Nikola Vucevic makes three point jump shot (Zach LaVine assists) | 48-47 | |
2:05 | Meyers Leonard misses three point jump shot | |||
2:05 | Bulls defensive rebound | |||
1:57 | Joe Ingles kicked ball violation | |||
1:50 | Nikola Vucevic misses three point jump shot | |||
1:46 | Patrick Williams offensive rebound | |||
1:39 | Jump ball. Bobby Portis vs. Patrick Williams (Jrue Holiday gains possession) | |||
1:39 | Patrick Williams turnover (lost ball) (Bobby Portis steals) | |||
1:34 | Joe Ingles misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
1:30 | Meyers Leonard offensive rebound | |||
1:26 | Bobby Portis misses three point jump shot | |||
1:26 | Meyers Leonard offensive rebound | |||
1:26 | Patrick Beverley blocks Meyers Leonard's two point putback layup | |||
1:26 | Bulls defensive rebound | |||
1:04 | +3 | Zach LaVine makes three point jump shot (Patrick Williams assists) | 51-47 | |
0:49 | Zach LaVine blocks Jrue Holiday's two point stepback jump shot | |||
0:44 | Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound | |||
0:41 | Patrick Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
0:36 | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | |||
0:29 | +2 | Bobby Portis makes two point driving finger roll layup (Jrue Holiday assists) | 51-49 | |
0:05 | DeMar DeRozan misses three point jump shot | |||
0:01 | Bobby Portis defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |