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The Chicago Bulls’ four-game winning streak came to an end on Monday night, as the Milwaukee Bucks prevailed in a Central Division showdown, 133-129. The Bulls dropped to 9-15 with a tough stretch of games coming up, which includes games against the defending champions Denver Nuggets, Eastern Conference powerhouse squads Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Resilient Bulls

The Bulls trailed by as much as 14 points and were still down by five, 112-117, after two free-throws by Giannis Antetokounmpo with 1:11 remaining. But Chicago relented and tied the game at 118-all, thanks to another clutch shot by DeMar DeRozan, who shed Khris Middleton’s defense and lofted up a high-looping floater that found nothing but the bottom of the net with 3.7 seconds remaining in regulation.

“The Bulls played a terrific game,” Bucks coach Adrian Griffin shared.

“Every time we thought we had them down, they kind of fought and clawed back in the game.”

Ran out of gas down the stretch

The Bulls held a 119-118 lead a few moments into overtime, but the Bucks gamely responded by scoring the next eight points courtesy of Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton, and Giannis to take a 126-119 lead. The Bulls kept at it and pulled to within two, 129-131, after a dunk by DeRozan, but Damian Lillard shut the door on Chicago with two free throws with 10.2 ticks remaining in the game.

DeRozan finished the game with 41 points and 11 assists, while Coby White continued his hot shooting streak and finished with 33 points, spiked by six three-pointers.