Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from 108-98 win over Chicago Bulls
By Dalton Sell
With a chance to take the Central Division crown for this season, the Milwaukee Bucks had their sights set on the Chicago Bulls Friday night.
Following Milwaukee’s brutal 143-136 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday night, this was also a win the team desperately needed. They would have to do it without reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was sidelined as he recovers from an ankle sprain suffered in the opening minute of that Houston game. Meanwhile, the Bulls were without All-Star guard Zach LaVine, who remains in the league’s health and safety protocols.
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
After a turbulent game that saw many leads come and go, the Bucks were able to close this one out with a 108-98 victory over the Bulls. It was a solid bounce-back game for the team as they kept Chicago in check by allowing them to shoot just 38.5 percent from the floor, including 30.3 percent from distance.
Milwaukee’s lengthy winning streak over Chicago dating back to 2017 rises to 12 consecutive games now and the team improves to 39-24 on the season.
With that being said, here are three takeaways from last night’s win over the Chicago Bulls.
The Milwaukee Bucks shut down Nikola Vucevic in win over Bulls
With Zach LaVine out of the fold, the Bucks shifted their main focus towards slowing down Chicago’s starting big man Nikola Vucevic.
Averaging career-highs in several statistical categories, Vucevic earned his second All-Star selection this season and has thrived since coming over to Chicago at the trade deadline. Vucevic’s versatility would make him a tough cover for Milwaukee’s defense, particularly as he would see more opportunities with the basketball with LaVine absent.
However, the Bucks surprisingly managed to keep his contributions limited all night. The big man finished the game with a solid stat line of 17 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists, but the Bucks made him work for every single opportunity. This included shooting just 7-of-27 from the floor throughout this matchup, including an abysmal 1-of-9 from behind the arc.
Whether it was the Bucks’ pesky defense, an off-night shooting the ball, or a combination of both, the veteran center struggled mightily to get anything going offensively from start to finish. Credit to the Bucks for limiting him to the extent that they did during his 36 minutes, specifically highlighting the efforts from the team’s frontcourt.