Bulls beat Bucks 116-111 with Damian Lillard returning to the lineup

CHICAGO – Despite All-Star point guard Damian Lillard returning to the lineup after an illness, the Milwaukee Bucks were unable to recover from their disappointing loss on Thursday night, losing 116-111 to the struggling Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Saturday evening.

Chicago scored 33 points in the decisive fourth quarter and held Milwaukee to just five points in the final three minutes and 40 seconds of the game, outscoring the Bucks 14-2 in that period. Milwaukee fell to 16-14 while Chicago improved to 14-18.

MORE: Box Score | Bucks schedule | NBA rankings

Lillard scored 11 straight points early in the fourth period to give the Bucks a 99-95 lead, but he didn’t score again after that. He finished the game with 29 points and 12 assists.

The decisive play in the final moments came after Khris Middleton gave the Bucks a 108-106 lead with 90 seconds left when Bulls guard Coby White drove down the middle of the lane and was nearly tied up by three different Bucks. But White somehow got the ball out and kicked it wide open to Josh Giddey in the corner, who hit the three-pointer for a 109-108 lead. The inability to make a final stop was indicative of the Bucks’ struggles all evening, as the Bulls led by as many as 13 points on several occasions.

With the Bucks about to tie the game 111-111 with 43 seconds left, White hit an open pull-up jumper from 18 feet, effectively securing the win. Giddey finished the game with a triple-double with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, while White had 22 points. Nikola Vučević added 23 points and 13 rebounds.

The Bucks just beat the Bulls 112-91 on their home court on December 23rd. This will be the fourth and final regular season game between the teams. Chicago (13-18) has lost three straight and five of eight. Milwaukee (16-13) has won five of its last eight games.

Lopez had 22 points and Middleton added 21 in 28 minutes, a season-high. Bobby Portis Jr. had 14 points.

Damian Lillard returns to play against the Bulls

The All-Star point guard started the day questionable whether he would play with the illness that had been floating around the locker room for most of December — but Lillard said at shootaround Saturday morning that he would like to give it a try. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers then said before the game that Lillard would play and would not be on a minutes restriction.

“It’s just a matter of watching him,” Rivers said before the game. “I don’t know what this thing is about, but a lot of people have had it. Everyone has a different opinion on it, but the one group that had the chest stuff seems to be more difficult, as far as we know.” Breathing is really important in this game. We made a few live three-pointers to see if he could do it and we’ll see how he does it today.

Lillard played nearly 36 minutes and caught fire late after perhaps a predictably slow start.

In the final 10 minutes and 20 seconds of the fourth quarter, Lillard scored 11 points in the frame and finished with 29 points on 8 of 19 shooting, including a 3-for-9 mark from behind the three-point line. He also provided twelve assists and grabbed six rebounds.

The Bucks went 2-2 last week without Lillard in the lineup.

“I tried to practice a few days ago – the night before the Brooklyn game (on December 26th) – because I wanted to play against Brooklyn, but I mean, all the time I’ve been training, it just hasn’t happened worked out.” “I’m coughing, coughing (expletive),” he said during the shooting. “I got through the training but couldn’t breathe well.

“So, that’s all I’ve done for the last few days. I was just trying to work these things out and it was still like I was really psyched, but I mean, I think at some point you just have to get out of there and burn it out. So at least that’s my plan.

Lillard admitted that he lost a few pounds by not eating for a few days and staying hydrated. He also said he sweated profusely during his recovery. It was anything but just sitting at home and resting.

“I (expletive) wish it was like that,” he said. “I’m telling you. I just told them earlier like I’d never been so sick in my entire life. Like I’ve never been so sick in my entire life. I didn’t throw up, I didn’t eat anything for two days.

Lillard hasn’t played in a regular-season game since Dec. 14, when the Bucks beat Atlanta in the semifinals of the Emirates NBA Cup in Las Vegas, and in that game he suffered a sore right calf muscle. He played on it — and exercised the muscles again — in the NBA Cup Finals against Oklahoma City on Dec. 17.

He was then immediately ruled out for the Bucks’ next two regular season games due to a calf strain on December 20 and 21. While he admitted in Las Vegas that there could be concerns any time he suffers a calf injury (he tore his calf in Portland in 2022 and strained his right Achilles tendon in the last playoffs), he said this isn’t that serious and he has recovered from it.

“That wasn’t the case. It was a bit of a burden right from the start,” Lillard said. “I did it against Atlanta in Vegas. It happened against Atlanta. I just adjusted it in the championship game to make it look like I was missing; depending on when our next game is and how I feel. “I miss this and that after that. But we did it.

“We got it under control straight away and even when I tried to get back on the pitch it was a bit tight because I hadn’t moved, but it was fine. I had no problems.” ”

Lillard missed three previous games from November 12-16 due to a concussion.

The third time, it’s a stroke of luck for Lillard to draw fouls

Lillard hasn’t gotten to the free throw line as often this year because he hasn’t been able to capitalize on continuation calls on his shots, which has led to frustration for the top-75 player. He also had a lot to deal with on Saturday until he finally got a whistle for his performance in the fourth quarter – it only took three attempts.

At 9:55, he hit a three-pointer and was fouled by Dalen Terry, but it was ruled out on the ground. At the 9:02 mark he did the same against Josh Giddey and again the decision was decided on the floor. At 8:57, he finally went over Torrey Craig and got three free throws.

Lillard scored all three points from the charity stripe, starting a personal 11-0 run that included two more trips to the free throw line that turned a 95-88 Bulls lead into a 99-95 Bucks lead.

Khris Middleton has an injury scare in the second quarter

Khris Middleton had a scary moment late in the second quarter when he landed on Lonzo Ball’s foot during a three-point attempt, causing Middleton to scream, immediately turn around and hit the court after falling to the ground. Middleton underwent surgery on both ankles this offseason after landing in two different places on his opponent’s feet last season.

Middleton gingerly stood up and made the free throw after the play was ruled a flagrant 1 on ball because it crowded Middleton’s landing zone. It appeared that Middleton did not require medical treatment while on the bench, but he was substituted for the final 62 seconds of the quarter.

As unfortunate as the game was, Middleton’s four-point game and the ensuing possession (a Damian Lillard layup) helped the Bucks cut their 9-point deficit to three.

Chicago took a 62-60 lead at the break after already having a 13-point lead.

Middleton returned to action in the third quarter and closed out the game for the Bucks, but unfortunately lost his footing with 54 seconds left, leading to a turnover and a layup for the Bulls, giving Chicago a 111 lead with 50.6 seconds left -108 provided. He then missed an 18-footer that would have tied the game at 113 with 12.7 seconds left, leading to Chicago making two free throws the other way.

Middleton finished the game with 21 points on 8 of 15 shooting – although only four came in the second half. He also had six rebounds and four assists.

5 numbers

1-11: The start of the third quarter for the Bucks, who got through this by limiting the Bulls to 21 points. This helped Milwaukee take an 86-83 lead early in the fourth quarter, their largest lead of the game.
5-9: Bucks road record this season. They were between the ages of 18 and 22 last season. From 2018 to 2023, they were one of the NBA’s best away teams, compiling a 123-74 (62.4%) record away from home at Fiserv Forum.
5-4: Bucks record with Khris Middleton in the lineup this season. The Bucks were 31-24 with him on the field last year.
56-42: Paint scoring advantage for the Bulls over the Bucks, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
27: Remaining games in which point guard Ryan Rollins can be active after Saturday’s game. The Bucks have 52 regular season games remaining. Rollins is currently a two-way player, and players signed to those contracts can only be active for 50 games in a season – but head coach Doc Rivers said there’s a chance the team could make a roster move to Rollins’ contract for the season is fully guaranteed for the rest of the season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is out due to illness

The Bucks’ MVP candidate has been out of action since December 20, first due to back spasms (December 21-23) and then due to an illness (December 26-28). At the beginning of the day it seemed questionable whether he was struggling with the illness, but in the afternoon he was not seen at the shooting. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo initially traveled to Chicago but was sent home because he was not there when the team arrived at the United Center.

What is the Bucks’ record without Giannis?

3-3

More:Bobby Portis launches campaign to get AJ Green into three-point contention

Bucks injury report

AJ Johnson, out (no COVID illness)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is out (no COVID illness)
Damian Lillard, questionable (no COVID illness)
Andre Jackson Jr., probable (right ankle sprain)
Khris Middleton, probable (offseason surgery on both ankles)

Bucks starter

Guards: Damian Lillard, Andre Jackson Jr.
Forwards: Bobby Portis Jr., Khris Middleton
Center: Brook Lopez

Bucks vs. Bulls odds, over/under

Milwaukee is a 3.5-point favorite over Chicago and the over/under for the game is 230.5 points per BetMGM.

What channel are the Bucks on?

The game will be broadcast locally on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin with Lisa Byington, Steve Novak and Melanie Ricks.

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