DeRozan drops 42, Bulls survive 45 from Giannis to topple Bucks in OT
CHICAGO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 42 points and the Chicago Bulls rallied to beat Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks 119-113 in overtime Wednesday night.
The Bulls trailed by 15 early in the fourth quarter, only to pull even in the closing minute of regulation. DeRozan scored 10 in overtime, Nikola Vucevic hit a 3 in the extra period and the Bulls beat one of the NBA’s best teams after losing to one of the worst — Houston — two nights earlier.
Antetokounmpo matched a season high with 45 points and set one with 20 rebounds. He also committed two turnovers in the closing seconds of regulation, and the Bucks extended their season-high losing streak to four.
DeRozan made it a two-point game near the end of regulation with a cutting layup, then stole Antetokounmpo’s inbounds pass and fed Ayo Dosunmu for a dunk that tied it at 106 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Antetokounmpo got called for traveling with about a second left.
The Bucks were up by four in OT when DeRozan scored on a finger roll and Vucevic nailed a 3 from up top to put Chicago ahead 111-110 with 1:28 left.
DeRozan made two free throws before Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis hit a 3 to tie it at 113 with 41 seconds remaining. DeRozan then hit a 12-footer and — after Antetokounmpo missed a fadeaway shot — made four free throws in the final 13.9 seconds.
Zach LaVine scored 24 points for Chicago. Vucevic added 15 points and 14 rebounds, and the Bulls improved to 2-0 against the Bucks this season after losing 18 of the previous 20 to them counting the playoffs.
Portis had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Milwaukee. Jrue Holiday missed the game because of a non-COVID illness and Khris Middleton remained sidelined because of a sore right knee.
Things got heated midway through the quarter, when Chicago's Patrick Williams bumped Grayson Allen into DeRozan. The Bulls star fell to the floor, popped up and had some heated words for Allen, who's not exactly a popular figure in Chicago. Bulls guard Alex Caruso missed seven weeks with a broken wrist following a hard foul by Allen during a game in Milwaukee last January.
Williams got called for a foul on the play. Allen made two free throws as the crowd showered him with boos.
DeRozan and Portis got technicals with 5:47 remaining in the quarter after Portis made a free throw.
TIP-INS
Bucks: Coach Mike Budenholzer said he found out Tuesday that Holiday was ill. “We were going to see how he felt this morning, and he didn't get better this morning,” he said. ... Middleton sat out his sixth straight game; he also missed the first 20 of the season.
Bulls: G Coby White (leg) exited in the first half. ... Caruso (right shoulder) missed his third game in a row. Coach Billy Donovan said he's able to shoot, dribble and pass. But the Bulls are being cautious with him. “The biggest part of the sprain right now is him getting hit again could really set him back,” Donovan said. ... F Derrick Jones Jr. (sprained left ankle) missed his fourth consecutive game.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Host Minnesota on Friday night.
Bulls: Host Detroit on Friday night.
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