Bulls on the brink after Bucks dominate Game 4 inside and out
Ganging up defensively on Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo only works if his teammates cooperate.
The Bulls' death on Sunday was maddeningly simple. When they tried to clog the middle and prevent easy baskets, perimeter shooters like Grayson Allen couldn't miss.
The Bulls did some things better in Game 4 than they did two nights earlier, but when Allen and company combined to knock down 17 of 33 shots from 3-point range, the Bulls had no chance.
They now trail 3-1 in this first-round series after the 117-95 loss. The Bulls' season will end Wednesday in Game 5 at Milwaukee if they can't find a solution.
Developing a strategy to slow down the Bucks may not be possible, but the Bulls need to do more than just hope the outside shooters miss.
"You've got to give something up, but we can't live with them scoring in the paint and the 3-point line," Zach LaVine said. "You can't give up both."
Allen broke the playoff career-high he set on Friday by scoring 27 points in Game 4. He drained 11 of 14 shots from 3-point range in the two games at the United Center.
Jrue Holiday added 26 points while going 5 of 8 from deep. Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 17 rebounds and 7 assists. There aren't many weak spots for the Bulls to exploit.
"Whenever we've adjusted, they've done a good job of countering that," LaVine said. "They're a championship-caliber team, you have to expect that. I think we just need to fight them and stay with it. Once they give a punch, we have to respond each and every time, not just once or twice."
One bright spot for the Bulls was Patrick Williams bouncing back from a rough Game 3 to produce 20 points and 10 rebounds. LaVine led the Bulls with 24 points and 13 assists. DeMar DeRozan saw a crowd of defenders everywhere he went and finished with 23 points on 8 of 20 shooting. Alex Caruso missed the second half after taking an elbow to the face.
The Bulls made a brief comeback in the third quarter, working a 22-point deficit down to 8. Ayo Dosunmu, playing for the injured Caruso, sparked things by draining two straight corner 3-pointers. Williams added another from the same spot.
It was an appropriate metaphor for the season, Dosunmu stepping in to help salvage a messy situation, but Milwaukee kept pulling away using the same basic two-pronged approach - Antetokounmpo attacks the paint, then dishes it outside to shooters who don't miss.
"I thought there were some situations where we could have closed harder to (Allen)," Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. "But you're not playing Giannis one-on-one because he's just going to get to the rim. There were definitely several closeouts we could have done a better job rotating to. We'll look at the tape and find out maybe some different rotations or can we get there a little quicker than we did."
LaVine and ex-Bull Bobby Portis had some angry words late in the game after LaVine was fouled on a drive to the basket, Portis wrapped his arm around LaVine and didn't let go right away. After a video review, both players were given technicals.
"Old friends seeing each other again," LaVine said.
The only remaining challenge for the Bulls is trying to go down with a fight. After two blowout losses on their home court, the end of the season seems inevitable in Game 5.
"Just stay positive, first and foremost," DeRozan said. "You can't show panic, especially in the veteran guys. You've got to understand where there's a will, there's a way. We've still got an opportunity, all it takes is one game at a time."
Williams followed DeRozan to the podium and stuck with the positive outlook.
"It's definitely a challenge, but we're up for it," Williams said. "We don't back down from any challenge, we always see the positive in it. I think we're ready."
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