Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from 117-106 win over Chicago Bulls

The President and his Secretary of the Treasury

With Giannis Antetokounmpo saddled on the bench with knee soreness/load management, the Bucks were in good hands with both Malcolm Brogdon and Khris Middleton carrying the baton in his absence.

Both scoring 22 points, Brogdon had the more efficient night of the two as he shot 7-of-15 from the field (4-of-7 from downtown, 4-of-4 from the foul line) while Middleton finished the night going 6-of-16 from the field (3-of-5 from three, 7-of-10 from the line).

Despite the slight difference in their offensive efficiency, both Brogdon and Middleton found their respective rhythms in very similar ways with the ball in their hands, and thriving in one-on-one situations as The Athletic’s Eric Nehm noted and asked Brogdon about after the win:

While their methods don’t come close to resembling the athletic driving of Antetokounmpo, it gave the Bucks a focal point to run their offense through from the second quarter onwards.

No one wants to get used to a reality where the Bucks don’t have Antetokounmpo on the floor, but they found a workable template for a night to fuel their hot post-All-Star break start.