The Chicago Bulls delivered some hope in Game 4 towards the Milwaukee Bucks. That was an enchancment, not less than, for followers on the United Center after the beatdown of Game 3.
The offense matched blows with the Bucks all through the primary half, avoiding an early gap. Patrick Williams delivered on his younger promise, scoring 20 factors in his finest efficiency of the playoffs. The Bulls scored extra transition factors within the first half (6) than that they had in any recreation within the sequence thus far.
But all that didn’t matter when Giannis Antetokounmpo awoke. The Bucks star carved open the Bulls protection, scoring a series-high 32 factors because the Bucks waltzed to a 119-95 victory.
The Bulls now path the Bucks 3-1 within the sequence. After dropping back-to-back blowout losses on their house court docket, the Bulls face elimination as they wrestle to return the boldness delivered by their Game 2 win.
“You’ve got to give them credit — they’ve been through it,” Bulls ahead DeMar DeRozan mentioned. “They’ve won a series without Giannis before. They’re a championship team for a reason. … We’ve gotten a taste of what it’s like when a great team like that responds.”
The recreation modified for the Bulls when Alex Caruso took an inadvertent blow to the face from Jevon Carter within the second quarter. Although Caruso took a number of minutes to scrub blood from his nostril following the collision, he appeared ready to play after returning for the ultimate minutes of the quarter. But after halftime, the guard spent the remainder of the sport within the locker room.
The harm eliminated the Bulls’ finest defender from the court docket for the second half of the sport — and doubtlessly longer within the sequence if Caruso stays below concussion protocol. After the sport, coach Billy Donovan mentioned the Bulls medical workers was nonetheless figuring out whether or not Caruso suffered a concussion. The results of that analysis will decide Caruso’s availability shifting ahead.
“Once they started looking into him, I think there was enough of a concern that maybe he has a concussion,” Donovan mentioned.
Rookie Ayo Dosunmu took on a heavier rotation in Caruso’s absence. Dosunmu sank back-to-back 3-pointers within the third quarter, igniting the United Center crowd because the Bulls went on a 17-3 run to tug inside eight factors. But the Bucks absorbed the run effortlessly, responding with seven unanswered factors of their very own to reclaim a double-digit benefit.
Dosunmu wasn’t the one younger Bull to step up in Game 4. Williams lastly broke a taking pictures drought of 12 consecutive misses — which stretched again to Game 2 — with a 3-pointer within the second quarter. Although Williams nonetheless grappled with the outsized matchup of Antetokounmpo, his improved aggression helped elevate the Bulls of their third quarter run.
Bulls starters have been aggressive within the first half however couldn’t maintain that tempo. DeRozan scored 23 factors however couldn’t supply any fourth-quarter wizardry. Zach LaVine cooled off after a 12-point first quarter however nonetheless completed with a team-high 24 factors. Nikola Vučević didn’t make a shot within the second half after scoring 11 within the first half.
“They gave us a different look,” LaVine mentioned. “One guy isn’t going to beat them. They were crowding the paint and once I break that first line of defense, they were sending guys into the lane and not letting me and DeMar try to beat them.”
The starters had no assist from the bench. Derrick Jones Jr. was the one bench participant to attain within the first half. The total bench tallied solely 17 factors whereas the Bucks bench scored 39 to assist its starters.
The Bucks bench unit was led by Grayson Allen, who continued to feed off the jeers thrown at him by Bulls followers, scoring 27 factors on 6-for-7 taking pictures from behind the arc. Each of Allen’s 3-pointers delivered a demoralizing blow to the Bulls, slicing runs quick and punctuating the top of quarters.
Game 5 will happen Wednesday at Fiserv Forum. It would be the first elimination recreation of the sequence, ratcheting up the strain for the Bulls as they return to Milwaukee.
“I’m not particularly ready to go home,” LaVine mentioned. “I hope everyone else isn’t.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com