Huge block by Giannis against Mirotic at the rim and Middleton is fouled on a 3 at the other end by Kris Dunn who has fouled out. Bucks down 109-104 with 1:24 left pending FTs.
Rashad Vaughn 3 from Bledsoe then Bledsoe pushes off a Mirotic miss and it ends with a Middleton layup. Bucks lead, 100-98, with 5:01 left. Bulls timeout.
Bobby Portis with an offensive rebounds — Chicago's 13th — and puts it back to give the Bulls 24 second-chance points and a 92-89 lead. Jason Kidd calls timeout with 8:11 left to get Giannis back in.
No offensive flow/consistency from the Bucks so far here in the 3rd as they trail the Bulls, 80-75. They're 8/18 from the floor and 1/7 on 3's. Struggling to finish off defensive possessions, too.
Bucks pushing back after falling behind by 7. Getting stops, including a turnover by Justin Holiday who stepped out of bounds. Bulls lead, 74-71, with 5:40 left in the 3rd but Bucks will inbound after the timeout.
I can't remember the last time I heard the song, "Gasolina," which is playing now at the @BMOHBC . Can't say I'm complaining. That song was on a 🔥 playlist I had about a dozen years ago.
Bulls with 9 offensive rebounds and 15 second-chance points. Just killing the Bucks on the boards. Both teams struggling from the FT line. Bucks 10/17 & Bulls 10/18.
At the half the Bulls lead the Bucks, 59-58. Giannis leads Milwaukee with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists. Eric Bledsoe has 10 points but also responsible for 3 turnovers.
Bulls meeting no resistance on drives and cleaning the glass on the offensive end on the way to tying the game at 56 with 2:38 til half. Jason Kidd asks for time.
Bucks go back to lineup with four starters + Rashad Vaughn and unsurprisingly go on a quick spurt to take a 48-45 lead and coax a Bulls timeout with 5:19 left in the first half.
John Henson and Rashad Vaughn too busy backpedalling to get back on D to notice the rebound had rolled way out. Henson breaks too late and fouls Mirotic. Close to a clear-path foul, but remains a common foul after review.
Maker with a corner 3. Thinks about shooting another on the next possession, sees his defender and a chance at getting foul coming and throws up another but is not fouled. Airball. At the other end, everyone sinks in to defend the paint in transition and Mirotic nails a corner 3.
Giannis + bench unit working alright so far here in the 2nd. I assume tomorrow's game in Houston has something to do with all the bench minutes so far, but will ask about it postgame.
Bucks trail the Bulls, 33-30, at the end of the first. Lots of bench minutes for Milwaukee as only Middleton played the whole first quarter. Stayed on with Liggins/Vaughn, Brogdon, Wilson and Maker.
Thon Maker bails out Jerian Grant, fouling him on a deep 3 with the shot clock running down. Yeah, you want to contest that shot, but gotta stay in control.
Giannis slices through the Bulls defense for an easy layup and that's enough to get Fred Hoiberg to call timeout with 6:44 left in the first. Bucks up 19-12 having made 6/9 shots and 5/7 FTs. Each Milwaukee starter has scored with Antetokounmpo and Henson leading with 5 each.
Bucks scored at least a point on their first 6 possessions over the opening 3 1/2, with each starter getting on the board. Now John Henson with a bucket and gets the whistle. He makes the FT and Milwaukee's out to a 16-6 lead.