By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Grayson Allen made five 3-pointers and scored 22 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 18 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds and Milwaukee dominated Chicago 111-81 to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series without the injured Khris Middleton.
Bobby Portis started with Middleton out and finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds despite the pain in his right eye from a hit in Game 2.
The end result was the biggest home loss of the Bulls in their playoffs history.
In a sold-out gym for Chicago’s first playoff game at the United Center in five years, the Bucks led by 24 in the second quarter and remained in control the rest of the way.
“Maybe was a little bit quicker to shoot some of those catch-and-shoot shots I got,” said Allen, who hit three straight three 3-pointers soon after entering the game in the first quarter. “But I think it was just being in different spots. Some of those spots that Khris is usually in on offense — top of the key, playing off of post-ups, isolations. I was there and got the ball swung, and they collapsed hard on Giannis and Jrue (Holiday) all game long. I was able to take advantage of that.”
Antetokounmpo scored all but two of his points after the first quarter.
Holiday added 16 points to help the Bucks beat the Bulls for the 18th time in 20 games
Montenegrin center Nikola Vucevic led Chicago with 19 points. Zach LaVine had 15 and DeMar DeRozan finished with just 11 with the Bucks crowding him after setting a career playoff-high with 41 in Game 2.