Bucks Zone

The 3 key takeaways from the Milwaukee Bucks' loss versus the Chicago Bulls

The Bucks blew the game in the cruical moments.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Milwaukee Bucks were stunned by the Chicago Bulls, who pulled a late-game comeback and secured a 118-113 victory on the road. 

The Bucks had the lead with less than 2 minutes remaining, but they gave the game away in the dying stages. Giannis Antetokounmpo had another great game, but it wasn't enough, as Milwaukee suffered their fifth loss of the season and only the second home loss of the year. Here are the three key takeaways from the surprise loss to the Bulls.

Blowing the lead

The Bulls came into town rolling off a huge win against the Boston Celtics. But the Bucks were still the overwhelming favorites to win this duel. Giannis and the crew managed to get as high as +12 in the first half, but by the break, it was almost an even contest, with Milwaukee holding a 1-point.

In the second half, Chicago took charge and grabbed the lead, controlling the contest and persevering in the clutch finish. The Bucks could have had this game sealed by the half, but they let the Bulls come back and steal the game away, as Milwaukee will surely be disappointed with this loss against their division rival.

Giannis was a monster

Ever since the "ladder incident" at Philadelphia, Giannis has been on a mission. He was having a tough stretch of games coming back from injury, but it seems the 2x MVP is back to prime form.

He was brilliant in this game, as he finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists on 55% shooting. He was a beast in the second half, as he had 28 points in that period alone, and he kept his team in the game. The Bucks will be pleased with Giannis, particularly his efforts in the closing moments. 

With less than two minutes left, Giannis hit a smooth jumper from the top of the key to give Milwaukee a three-point lead. He was calm, and composed, not rushing into his shot. Despite the loss, Bucks Nation can be happy about Giannis getting his stride back.

Not taking care of the ball

The Bucks were very careless with the ball, and it was mainly Giannis and Jrue Holiday. The two stars combined for 15 turnovers, which is way too many for the two primary ball handlers. 

Overall on the season, turnovers have been a problem, as Milwaukee ranks only 20th in the whole league when it comes to protecting the ball (15.5 per game).

No matter how good the defense is, they will keep exposing themselves if they continue throwing the ball away at such a high rate. The few losses that have happened this season have been a direct result of turnovers and the opposing teams taking advantage of them, as that will for sure be a point of emphasis for coach Mike Budenholzer and his staff.

What's next

The Milwaukee Bucks are continuing their home stand, as they are set to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers again on Friday

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.