Nba playoff, Milwaukee-Chicago 93-86: Antetokounmpo tames the Bulls in race-1

Very low shooting percentages, lots of turnovers and a show certainly not in line with the previous Sunday games. The very painful victory of the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 against Chicago, 93-86 the final score, gives Mike Budenholzer’s men the important 1-0 in the series, thus respecting the predictions of the eve, but demonstrates how there are no games in the playoffs easy to read, even if you are the super favorite reigning champion. The Bulls have played until the last possession, overcoming many difficulties during the game, and can look to their future with more confidence.

TOO MANY ERRORS

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Milwaukee started the game well, finding the +16 and showing an awareness that seemed to leave no possibility for the Bulls to respond, but all that energy and physical superiority ran out almost immediately. Budenholzer’s team played sub-rhythm in many phases of the game and, above all, managed the ball very badly in the middle of the field (21 turnovers), showing too much superficiality for a game of this importance. With Giannis Antetokounmpo (27 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks) on the pitch, the Bucks controlled the match, dictating the pace of play. With the Greek out, Chicago was even better, despite the terrifying shooting rates.

“Today the whole team was out of pace and we weren’t able to find ourselves easily on the pitch”, Antetokounmpo’s words after the match. The Greek was however decisive, with a double double reached with 8:30 still on the clock of the 2nd quarter. “Sometimes you have to win even if you play badly, you can’t always be beautiful and perfect,” said Budenholzer at the press conference. A concept shared and repeated in unison also by his players. And indeed the beautiful Bucks weren’t quite. They shot badly from three (10/38, 26%), lost a mountain in balls, especially in the 4th period, and missed the impossible in terms of readings. Khris Middleton unloaded (11 points with 4/13 shooting, 7 turnovers) and the always very reliable Jrue Holiday (15 points and 6/16 from the field, 4 turnovers), who in the final seemed a bit out of phase . Luckily Brook Lopez, key player of this success in Game 1, returned to the rotations. For him 18 points with three very heavy baskets in the 4th period and a fundamental defensive presence. Here, it was the defense that somehow balanced all the defects of the Bucks’ performance but, as Giannis says, good or bad, “a win is a win”.

REGRETS

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“I don’t know what the hell happened. Maybe it was the week off. I can guarantee you that me, Zach and Vooch won’t go wrong next time.” DeMar DeRozan finished with 6/25 shooting, LaVine with 6/19 and Vučević 9/27, the best of him for quality on both sides of the pitch and attacking impact (24 points and 17 rebounds). The Bulls shot a total of 32% from the field and 18.9% from three points but nevertheless they came very close to taking it home. This is because defensively the team performed seriously and with great dedication, despite some small empty passes. A symbol of this stoic attitude was Alex Caruso, who gave his all in terms of generosity and competitive spirit on the Fiserv Forum parquet. Chicago had horrible percentages but also managed to perform well in some moments, in the 2nd and 3rd quarters in particular, taking advantage of the pick and roll of DeRozan and LaVine. The Bulls only needed a couple of well done partials to play against these Bucks but not having used this opportunity increases the regrets of coach Donovan’s boys even more. It is unlikely that such a situation will happen again. “Today was a good response compared to how we ended the season,” said Vučević after the match. All true but this looks a lot like a missed opportunity.

THE MATCH

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Milwaukee starts as we all expected, relying on the superior physicality and quality of its defense. Giannis scores a double double in a matter of minutes and the Bucks also touch +16 in the 1st quarter. The Bulls patiently returned in the middle of the 2nd period thanks to a 7-0 run and closed at -8 at the interval (51-43), shooting with 31% from the field and 17% from three. A good result, after all. Chicago believes in it and in the 3rd quarter produces a 13-0 run that brings it an unexpected +5 (69-64), then canceled by the return of Antetokounmpo, which in turn inspires the counter-partial of the Bucks . The hosts find the advantage, 74-71. In the final of the 4th period, with Giannis benched for fouls, Milwaukee signs with Lopez the decisive baskets that seal the success.

Milwaukee: Antetokounmpo 27 (10/19, 1/4 of three, 6/11 tl), Lopez 18, Holiday 15. Rebounds: Antetokounmpo 16. Assist: Middleton 6.

Chicago: Vučević 24 (9/27, 2/10 of three, 4/5 tl), DeRozan 18, LaVine 18. Rebounds: Vučević 17. Assist: DeRozan 6.