After losing to the Bucks two games earlier and giving up 50 points to the Hawks in the fourth quarter, the Bulls had a commanding lead Saturday night.

They put together a strong opening frame against a Bucks squad that still trailed Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee scored just 25 points on 9-27 shooting in the quarter. While the Bulls certainly benefited from some missed shots, they still deserve credit for their activity on that end of the court. Almost every attempt in the frame was somewhat contested, and they did a good job of keeping the Bucks out of the game.

Meanwhile, the Bulls did everything they could to take advantage of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence on the other side. We saw them start the evening with a stunning 20-2 point lead. Even better, they assisted on 11 of their first 14 field goals, meaning they did a great job of finding cutters and keeping the Bucks’ defense on its toes to create driving lanes. With one of the best rim protectors in the league on the floor, this was the Bulls’ smart approach.

Speaking of smart, Billy Donovan gave us a fun lineup in the first half. With Jalen Smith sidelined shortly before the game, he chose Torrey Craig as a small-ball five. The Bulls set him up with back-to-back threes as big man Brook Lopez struggled to stay with him. Doc Rivers eventually called a timeout and the Bucks were able to adjust, but it was a smart lineup move that helped keep the Bucks at bay in the first half.

The only reason the Bucks even had a single possession by the halftime buzzer was a huge mistake by the Bulls. Leading 58-49 with 1:58 left, Lonzo Ball fouled Khris Middleton on a three-pointer. The referees reviewed the play and ruled the ball landed in Middleton’s landing zone, resulting in a Flagrant 1. The Bucks made the free throw and got the ball back, leading to Lillard putting it in, completing the 6-point possession. This cut the score to 58-55 and would send Milwaukee into the locker room trailing just 62-60.

The third quarter was ugly, which worked to the Bucks’ advantage. Neither team shot better than 36 percent, but that gave Milwaukee a chance to tie the game and take the lead with just one quick run. Damian Lillard and Bobby Portis combined for back-to-back three-pointers midway through the quarter to give the Bucks their first lead of the game at 75-72. They took a one-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The same motivated Chicago team we saw early in the game went on a 10-2 run. They played with pace and sent Milwaukee’s defense into a spiral. That is…until Damian Lillard had enough. The guard scored 11 straight points in the quarter to put Milwaukee back on top 99-95. Six of those points came at the free throw line.

Still, the Bulls refused to make the best possible escape. The team’s young players took over the game completely as the game progressed. Coby White, who was in attack mode all night, scored eight points in the final 4:23 minutes. We also watched Josh Giddey give the Bulls a 109-108 lead with a game-winning three-pointer before great defense to set up Patrick Williams’ fastbreak score. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bulls walked away with a surprising 116-111 victory.

We all know that I think it’s in the Bulls’ best interest to take a loss. But if they want to beat teams like the Bucks, then that’s EXACTLY the way I want to see it. The young, developing talent on this squad made the right plays at the right time.

Player grades

Josh Giddey – A
Statistics: 23 PTS, 15 REB, 10 AST

I think we can call Josh Giddey’s best game as a Bull with his second triple-double of the season. He did an excellent job of controlling the pace of the game and encouraging his teammates to play downhill. The Bulls were +18 when he was on the floor tonight and it showed.

Yes, he is the Ankin Law: “Making it Personal” Player of the Game.

Coby White – A-
Statistics: 22 PTS, 4 AST, 2 REB

Coby White passed the eye test with flying colors tonight. He repeatedly took advantage of the Bucks’ lackluster perimeter defense and finished the game 7-8. Without him, especially down the stretch, this one will likely elude the Bulls.

Nikola Vucevic – B
Statistics: 23 PTS, 13 REB, 5 AST

The big man may have only shot 10-24 from the field, but he hit two three-pointers in a tight fourth quarter and did a nice job on the offensive glass (5 OREBs).

Patrick Williams – B-
Statistics: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK

Patrick Williams started the night hungry. He scored the team’s first basket of the night after tackling Khris Middleton off the dribble and making a great 15-footer. We also saw him fly right past Bobby Portis at the top of the key and finish strong at the rim. As the game progressed, however, Williams reverted to his calmer style offensively. At least he remained committed on defense.

Zach LaVine – C+
Statistics: 15 PTS, 7 AST, 6 REB

It wasn’t the kind of scoring night we’re used to from Zach LaVine, but he kept the ball moving and made a few crucial free throws.

Box score

Check out the full box score here.