Despite recent struggles, the Milwaukee Bucks (16-24) were able to top the star-studded Chicago Bulls (22-15) on Tuesday, winning 106-101. After dropping three of their previous four contests, Milwaukee came in ready to face the tough Chicago squad.
21-year-old forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had a career night for the Bucks, posting 29 points on 10-for-14 shooting to go with 10 rebounds, five assists, a block, and a steal. "The Greek Freak" did it all without turning the ball over a single time. The third-year starter has enjoyed a breakout year thus far, averaging a career-high 15 points and 6.7 rebounds per game on the season. Center Greg Monroe complimented Antetekoumpo's stellar outing with a strong performance of his own, scoring 17 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Monroe has now reached double-digit rebounds in four straight games and has double-doubles in three of his last four outings. Overall, the Bucks were able to win the game on the glass, out-rebounding Chicago 57-40.
Unsurprisingly, the Bulls relied heavily on shooting guard Jimmy Butler as they took the game down to the wire. The All-Star has been phenomenal in 2016, averaging 27 points and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 49.1 percent in January. Tuesday was no exception, as Butler led the way with 30 points, eight rebounds, and six assists against Milwaukee. Wing Tony Snell complemented Butler's performance with a 17-point, seven-rebound outburst off the bench. While Chicago was able to score at will on the perimeter (shooting 41.4 percent from three-point range), the team saw a huge deficit on the boards and in the paint, where they were outscored 62-32.
Chicago will likely look to be more aggressive in the lane as they take on Philadelphia's tandem of young centers on Thursday. The Bucks, meanwhile, face the second half of a back-to-back on Wednesday as they travel to Washington to take on the Wizards.
