By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Leading comfortably for most of the 48 minutes, the defending NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks rolled the Chicago Bulls, 119-95, and went up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series on Sunday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a 32-point, 17-rebound double-double to go along with seven assists and two blocks in Game 4 of the first-round NBA Playoffs series. The Greek Freak connected 11/22 field goals, including one three-pointer. “We got to keep up our defense,” he noted previewing Tuesday’s Game 5 back home at Fiserv Forum, “We have to make it as tough as possible for them.”
Congolese-Spanish Serge Ibaka recorded four points and two rebounds in three minutes, but Thanasis Antetokounmpo did not get on the stat sheet and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili was inactive.
Filling in for injured Khris Middleton (left knee), Grayson Allen drilled six of the 17 triples made by the Bucks. His 27 points included a long-range shot to end the third quarter and keep the momentum going, six minutes after the Bulls cut the deficit to eight points. The former Duke standout and 21st pick of the 2018 draft was the driving force of the Bucks reserves outscoring their counterparts, 39-17.
Besides being overpowered for a second straight game in United Center after earning a split through the preceding matchups in Milwaukee, the Bulls lost Alex Caruso. The Texas-born point guard lasted 17 minutes before exiting due to a possible concussion. Four rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal illustrated the shortened showing. Lonzo Ball (left knee) and Matt Thomas (right leg) are already on the injury list.
Zach LaVine ended up combining 24 points and 13 assists, while DeMar DeRozan had 23 points and Patrick Williams logged 20 points in the losing effort. Held to 5/14 from the field, Montenegrin big man Nikola Vucevic put up an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. Fellow Montenegrin Marko Simonovic stayed on the bench.