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In a game that ended up being close, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to take care of business and earn a 1-0 series advantage over the Chicago Bulls, 93-86.
The first quarter would belong all to Giannis Antetokounmpo. His incredible start (nine points and seven rebounds in the first six minutes helped fuel Milwaukee to an early double-digit advantage. That’d be the leading force in the Bucks taking an early stronghold. Going into the second quarter, Milwaukee led by a 34-21 score.
Things would even more out in the second quarter, as the Bulls took advantage of some Milwaukee foul trouble. Despite that, Milwaukee still held onto control. They’d hold a 51-43 lead going into the locker room.
The third quarter did not go as the Bucks had wanted. After Giannis was subbed out, the Bulls rode a hot streak of points from Zach Lavine and developed their first lead of the ballgame. However, the Bucks didn’t let them hold the five-point advantage for long, as in a blink of an eye, Milwaukee held a 74-71 lead going into the fourth.
It’d be a rollercoaster throughout the fourth. Chicago was giving Milwaukee everything it could handle and kept themselves well in it. However, in the end, efficient production would help the Bucks close things out, though it’d be much closer than they would’ve liked. The Bucks would win 93-86 and now hold a 1-0 series lead.
Stat That Stood Out
This definitely wasn’t a pretty win, and the stat that stood out to me the most was Milwaukee’s turnovers. That simply isn’t going to cut it in the playoffs, especially against teams later down the line. Look for this to be a point of emphasis from Bud between now and Game 2.