Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from an eight-game absence and scored 29 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 112-103 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night at the United Center.
The two-time MVP played 25 minutes and added eight rebounds in his first game since Dec. 3, a restricted workload head coach Doc Rivers had outlined before tipoff.
Milwaukee improved to 13-19 overall and is now 9-8 in games with Antetokounmpo available, after a stretch where they were 3-11 without him. The Bucks had dropped six of eight before Saturday’s victory.
Ryan Rollins paced the supporting cast with 20 points, and Bobby Portis finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds to provide the interior presence Milwaukee needed. AJ Green’s timely shooting also helped, as the Bucks used an 8-0 run late to create separation.
The game was tight deep into the fourth quarter, with Milwaukee up just 95-94 with about five minutes to play before the Bucks’ late run. Rollins and Green buried 3-pointers during the surge that pushed Milwaukee ahead and kept the Bulls at arm’s length the rest of the way.
Chicago falls to 15-16 despite balanced scoring from Nikola Vucevic and Coby White, who each had 16 points, and Josh Giddey’s 13. The Bulls never got closer than three in the final minutes after Milwaukee regained control.
Antetokounmpo delivered an efficient first half, scoring 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting to help the Bucks take a 54-50 lead to intermission. Milwaukee finished the night 47 percent from the field and made 13 of 36 from beyond the arc.
The closing moments grew tense, with players from both teams jawing after the final buzzer over a late breakaway pass to Antetokounmpo, but the confrontation did not escalate. Both teams exited without further incident.
Milwaukee now heads to Charlotte on Monday night looking to build on the momentum from Giannis’ return. Chicago will try to regroup at home against Minnesota on Monday as it seeks to snap a tough stretch.
