The first-round playoff sequence between the sixth-seeded Chicago Bulls and the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks is over, with the Bucks taking the best-of-seven sequence in 5 video games.
The Bulls misplaced all 4 conferences with the Bucks through the common season, together with 28- and 21-point blowouts within the final two video games. The reigning NBA champions are led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who hasn’t misplaced a regular-season recreation to the Bulls since Dec. 27, 2017.
The Bulls have been 1-14 within the common season towards the highest 4 Eastern Conference seeds — the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers. This was the Bulls’ first postseason look in 5 years.
Here are the outcomes of the playoff sequence:
Game 1: Bucks 93, Bulls 86
In the fourth quarter of any recreation, the Chicago Bulls are all the time snug with a single-digit deficit and the ball in DeMar DeRozan’s arms. That has been a tried-and-true system all through DeRozan’s first season in Chicago.
But DeRozan couldn’t ship late-game heroics in Game 1 towards the Bucks. He didn’t make a fourth-quarter basket till 2:11 remained within the recreation, going 1-for-7 within the quarter and taking solely two free throws within the second half.
Game 2: Bulls 114, Bucks 110
DeMar DeRozan is a person of his phrase. He proved that to Bulls followers, devouring the Bucks protection within the second half to cement a 114-110 win that evened the first-round playoff sequence at a recreation apiece.
The Bulls star didn’t disguise his frustration after Game 1, promising he wouldn’t repeat his 6-of-25 capturing efficiency. DeRozan spent Tuesday night time on the Fiserv Forum courtroom, placing up photographs to regain the rhythm missing within the opening loss.
Game 3: Bucks 111, Bulls 81
The Bulls returned to the United Center for his or her first playoff recreation in 5 years with home-court benefit and the momentum of a street win at their again.
But they limped out of Game 3 with a 111-81 beatdown because the Bucks bounced again like a reigning NBA champion to take a 2-1 lead within the first-round sequence.
Game 4: Bucks 119, Bulls 95
The Bulls delivered hope in Game 4 of their sequence with the Bucks. That was an enchancment, a minimum of, 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 lastly delivered on his younger promise, scoring 20 factors in his greatest efficiency of the playoffs. The Bulls scored extra transition factors within the first half (6) than they’d in any recreation within the sequence to date.
But all that didn’t matter when Giannis Antetokounmpo wakened. The Bucks star carved open the Bulls protection with surgical accuracy, scoring a series-high 32 factors. With Antetokounmpo slicing the Bulls open on each ends of the courtroom, the Bucks waltzed to a 119-95 win.
Game 5: Bucks 116, Bulls 100
The Bulls season ended with an air of inevitability Wednesday night time because the crew crumpled towards the Bucks in a 116-100 Game 5 loss to shut their best-of-seven first-round sequence.
The Bulls’ possibilities went from unlikely to grim after starters Alex Caruso (concussion) and Zach LaVine (COVID-19) have been each dominated out of Game 5 early Wednesday. Bucks followers weren’t excited as they trickled into Fiserv Forum — they have been expectant.
The solely surprising a part of the loss was DeMar DeRozan’s stat line.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com