A well-oiled machine for several seasons, the collective of bucks often responds with manner, when he comes out of a weak beat. On the floor of the United Center last night, it was almost once again verifiable. The Wisconsin squad was indeed on track to find the way to victory, after three consecutive losses, when it led by 11 points two minutes from the end of the match, or even 6 points with about twenty seconds remaining. of the encounter.
But the NBA is the realm of the unpredictable, and the Bullsyet not far from the knockout a few seconds earlier, then managed to snatch the extension, after a completely crazy “finish”, punctuated in particular by a decisive interception of DeMar DeRozan on a Bucks throw-in, “Deebo” then serving Ayo Dosunmufor the equalizing dunk on the counterattack.
This same DeRozan, man of the match for Chicago, then took things in hand during overtime, with two shots in the paint and then decisive shots, to definitely knock out the Bucks, haggard at the end of the game.
Bucks who suffer a fourth straight setback, while the victory stretched out their arms in the “money-time”, and at the same time lost 2nd place in the Eastern Conference to the benefit of the Nets, who won a 10th game consecutive. A nasty defeat that spoils one of the greatest career performances of Giannis Antetokounmpoauthor of an absolutely monstrous double-double, 45 points and 22 rebounds.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Facing the Bulls, Giannis Antetokounmpo saw red… for nothing. An NBA game is often unpredictable, but in the case of this meeting between the Bucks and the Bulls, one thing seemed clearly predictable in advance: that Giannis Antetokounmpo was going to sign a huge performance. Struggling in his last outing, against the Celtics on “Christmas Day”, and while Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton were absent, the “Greek Freak” effectively carried his team on his shoulders, and embarked on a demolition business of the Bulls defense. Particularly in the paint, where the double MVP scored 34 of his 45 points, the other 11 being on free throws, so in a way also in the paint. The black point however: the defeat, quite lunar in the scenario. Because for 47 minutes, it seemed certain that this XXL performance from the Greek winger would result in a victory. Then the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo included, collapsed in the last minute, and in overtime.
– The Bulls can be proud of their resilience. The Bulls’ season is far from being a long calm river, but this victory is undoubtedly the most satisfying for Billy Donovan’s men, and becomes a benchmark success before attacking the 2023 part of the calendar. Authors of a good game overall, but unable to stop the incessant assaults of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bulls players seemed condemned to lose their heads held high after a bitter fight. But they never stopped believing in it, never stopped giving their all in defense, and it paid off. At the buzzer of regulation time, in a United Center on fire, you could almost feel the “momentum” that was swinging in favor of the Bulls. And the extension was indeed one-sided, the Bulls punctuating an incredible “comeback” with style.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ DeMar DeRozan. Rightly, United Center spectators chanted “MVPs” when he was on the free-throw line in the dying seconds of overtime to add the final points to the Bulls’ tally. Because “Deebo” was indeed immense during this part, displaying a level of play worthy of an MVP in hot moments. Both in defense, when he caused an offensive foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo, unknowingly initiating the “comeback”, before stealing a ball on a throw-in from this same “Greek Freak” a few seconds later, and in attack, by scoring 6 points in the only extension, to conclude this “comeback” of madness. A few days after his “game-winner” at Madison Square Garden, the Bulls winger once again showed incredible composure to guide his team to victory.
✅ Bobby Portis. The veteran inside was very helpful off the bench, compiling 20 points and 11 rebounds, scoring an important shot in overtime, even though, in the end, the loss was at the end for the Bucks. The former Bulls, precisely, also finished the match with +10 +/-, the best of his team.
⛔️ The outsides of the Bucks. Specifically Pat Connaughton, Grayson Allen and Wesley Matthews. The first being far too shy in attack, and ineffective on his rare attempts (0 point 0/3), the second on the contrary much too greedy (13 points at 4/16 on shots, including… 3/14 behind the arc), when the third was very messy (3 points to 1/5 on shots). For the Bucks, the “scoring” thus essentially came from the racket in this match, while the exteriors were holed up, and the team’s overall address at 3-points (9/44) really highlights the imbalance of the attack during this match, embodied by the awkwardness of the main gunners.
THE FOLLOWING
Chicago (15-19): reception of the Pistons, on the night of Friday to Saturday (02:00)
Milwaukee (22-12): reception of Wolves, on the night of Friday to Saturday (02:00)
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