3-uh-oh: Milwaukee Bucks pushed to brink with 2OT loss to Bulls
By Phil Watson
The Milwaukee Bucks spent much of the 2014-15 season plagued by turnovers.
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After 53 minutes of nearly flawless ball-handling in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Chicago Bulls at BMO Harris Bradley Center Thursday night, the problem cropped up at the worst possible time.
Milwaukee turned the ball over four times in the second overtime and the Bulls opened that fateful period on an 8-0 run to finally pull away from the Bucks for a 113-106 victory and a 3-0 series lead.
To that point, the Bucks had turned it over just eight times.
It was a night that showed both why Milwaukee fans can be justified in having hope for the future and why there’s still a ways to go before that future becomes reality.
Apr 23, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots around Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) during the third quarter in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Milwaukee blasted out to a 49-31 lead in the second quarter before the Bulls—who got 34 points, eight assists and three steals in a magnificent performance from former MVP Derrick Rose—reeled off an 18-4 run before intermission to get back within striking distance.
And when all hope appeared lost for the Bucks, who trailed 94-84 with 2:51 left in regulation, Khris Middleton showed why he’s going to get one of the biggest pay raises in the NBA as a restricted free agent this summer.
The third-year swingman scored eight of his 18 points in the final 1:27 of regulation, helping cap an 11-0 run by Milwaukee that gave them a 95-94 lead with 10.8 seconds left.
John Henson hit a layup to start the spurt and then Middleton canned two straight 3-pointers before hitting 14-footer to give the Bucks their first lead since the middle of the third quarter.
With time winding down, Rose drove for the basket and ran into Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was called for a block. Rose hit the second free throw after missing the first, tying the game at 95-95, and Middleton’s 27-footer for the win with one second to go was off-target.
The teams traded hoops in the first overtime. O.J. Mayo’s 15-foot jumper with 2:31 to go in the period were the final points scored as the teams headed to the second extra frame tied at 101-101.
Milwaukee missed its last four shots of the first overtime and Antetokounmpo—who had his first postseason double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds in his first home playoff appearance—threw a pass that former Marquette star Jimmy Butler picked off and turned into a breakaway dunk.
Apr 23, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Outside view of the Bradley Center prior to game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
A Rose steal led to two free throws, Joakim Noah got into the act with a steal that set up a short runner by Rose and that was pretty much it.
Chicago scored the first 12 points of the second overtime and cruised from there. The Bucks’ first points of the final period didn’t come until 1:02 remained, when Michael Carter-Williams knocked down a jumper.
“The effort was there the whole night,” coach Jason Kidd told The Associated Press. “They guys played their hearts out and gave us a chance to win.”
Antetokounmpo was the Bucks’ marathon man, playing 51 minutes.
“He was great,” Kidd told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of the second-year forward. “He played well, he played hard. He set the tone early. The minutes weren’t a factor, he’s only 20. He played a really good game. He was able to attack and take what the defense gave him.”
Carter-Williams finished with 19 points and nine assists for the Bucks, Middleton scored 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and also had seven dimes and John Henson came off the bench to put up 15 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in 39 minutes.
Jared Dudley also scored 11 off the bench.
Butler went for 24 points, three steals and two blocks for Chicago, which played without rookie Nikola Mirotic—out with a sprained knee. Pau Gasol had 17 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocks, Tony Snell scored 16 points and Mike Dunleavy had 12 points.
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Taj Gibson had 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who failed to win the rebounding battle for the first time in the series. The teams tied in that department, 50-50.
Winning the series is an unrealistic goal at this point—no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
But a win Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at the BMO Harris Bradley Center to send the series back to Chicago would be a good thing for a young team that few thought would be in the postseason a season after winning just 15 games.
Saturday afternoon’s game will be broadcast on TNT, with Milwaukee seeking to snap a nine-game postseason losing streak. The Bucks last won a playoff game in 2010, taking Game 5 from the Atlanta Hawks in the first round before losing the final two games.
They were swept out of the first round by the Miami Heat in 2013.