The Milwaukee Bucks secured a commanding 112-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday despite missing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez each scored 21 points, leading a balanced effort for Milwaukee.
Middleton set a new season-high in scoring for the second consecutive game, building on his 18-point outing against the Wizards on Saturday. The three-time All-Star, who underwent surgery on both ankles during the offseason, added five assists and drained three 3-pointers to anchor Milwaukee’s offense.
Lopez, Milwaukee’s veteran center, also contributed three triples while providing stability in the paint. Bobby Portis delivered a double-double, tallying 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Gary Trent Jr. added 14 points off the bench, hitting four of the Bucks’ 18 made three-pointers.
Nikola Vucevic led Chicago with 17 points and 12 rebounds, but his efforts were not enough to offset the Bulls’ shooting woes. Chicago made only 10 of their 48 attempts from beyond the arc, finishing with a season-low 20.8% accuracy from three-point range. Zach LaVine scored 14 points but shot just 1-of-6 from deep.
Antetokounmpo missed his second straight game due to back spasms, while Lillard remained sidelined with a non-COVID illness after previously dealing with a strained right calf.
The Bulls were also shorthanded, missing Josh Giddey for the third consecutive game due to a sprained right ankle, while Lonzo Ball sat out with an illness. Chicago’s thin backcourt rotation struggled to generate offense, with starting guards Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White combining for just 15 points on 6-of-20 shooting.
The win marked Milwaukee’s 16th victory of the season, improving their record to 16-12 and solidifying their standing in the Eastern Conference. Chicago, now 13-17, dropped their second consecutive game.