Bulls may have pace, shooting and depth, but they don't have Giannis
Thanks to 41 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists from Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks not only handed the Bulls their second loss of the season but also reminded them what true star power looks like.
Milwaukee’s decisive win
The Bucks can run and score with the Bulls. Both teams entered their NBA Cup pool-play game on Friday playing at a similar pace. Chicago ranked seventh in the league with 120.4 points per game, while Milwaukee followed closely with 119.9.
The difference was clear: one team has a perennial MVP contender. Antetokounmpo’s season-high performance led the Bucks to a 126-110 victory, dropping the Bulls to 6-2 overall and 1-1 in Cup play. Nineteen of his points came in the fourth quarter.
Reactions from the Bulls
“He’s just a handful with the way he plays,” said Bulls head coach Billy Donovan. “I’ve got great respect for his motor, intensity, and the way he competes, but at some point, you have to match force with force. He without question in the fourth quarter overwhelmed us.”
It wasn’t only one defender who struggled against him. Isaac Okoro began the game guarding Antetokounmpo but quickly ran into foul trouble, forcing other Bulls big men to take turns trying to contain him.
“He just started going at us one-on-one, and when he sees space, he’s going to attack it,” Okoro said.
Author’s summary
Antetokounmpo’s dominant showing proved the Bucks’ edge over the Bulls lies not in speed or depth but in having an unstoppable superstar who changes the game’s outcome.