CHICAGO (670 The Score) – The Bulls knew all along that Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo would be a dominant, at-times unstoppable force in their first-round series.
What they weren’t anticipating was Milwaukee guard Grayson Allen also ascending to a starring role, a development that has burned a Chicago team whose season is now on the brink.
Boosted by Allen’s 27 points off the bench and perimeter marksmanship, the Bucks rolled to a 119-95 win against the Bulls in Game 4 on Sunday at the United Center to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 5 is Wednesday in Milwaukee.
For the Bulls, it was the continuation of a nightmarish script that has played out over the past three days as they were twice blown out on their home floor, with public enemy No. 1 in Chicago sports doing much of the damage. After his flagrant foul in January sidelined Bulls heart and soul Alex Caruso for a long stretch with a fractured wrist, Allen has received a loud chorus of boos again and again at the United Center. He has also filled it up again and again.
Allen scored 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting in the Bucks’ blowout win Friday. He followed it up by shooting 10-of-12 in Game 4 on Sunday and creating havoc defensively that helped the Bucks get out in transition. Allen is a combined 11-of-14 from 3-point range in the past two games.
“You got to give him credit,” Bulls guard Zach LaVine said. “He’s hitting shots. I think he’s only missed two or three threes the last two or three games. Obviously, we know what happened (with the Caruso injury). At the end of the day, it’s basketball too. We understand it. But it’s not like we’re going out there saying, ‘That guy can’t beat us.’ The Milwaukee Bucks can’t beat us, and he’s part of their team. Them as a whole is beating us right now.
You can’t just account for him. It’s everybody.”
LaVine’s assessment was spot on – the Bucks’ stars were terrific Sunday, with Antetokounmpo scoring 32 points and guard Jrue Holiday adding 26 points – but the dominance by Milwaukee’s role players in the past two games has shifted the complex of the series.
Inserted into the starting lineup in place of injured All-Star forward Khris Middleton, big man Bobby Portis produced again in Game 4 with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Led by Allen, the Bucks’ bench accounted for 39 points, while the Bulls’ bench scored just 17 points on 7-of-24 shooting with seven turnovers and five assists.
“Their stars are going to be their stars,” LaVine said. “It’s going to be tough to take them out. I think their role players have done a really good job of stepping up. It’s tough to account for that. I think whenever we’ve adjusted, they’ve done a good job of countering that and coming out and giving us a different look offensively and defensively. They’re a good team. 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.”
With a checkered past of flagrant fouls and dirty plays dating back to college, Allen is no stranger to negative feedback from opposing fans. For their part, the Bucks have leaned into that, with his teammates often jokingly booing him lately – whether on the bus, in the hotel or in film sessions, as Allen noted.
“Somebody showed me the picture when he had the and-one in Game 3, and the whole bench was booing him,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “I thought it was really funny. He’s got to take that picture and frame it. That’s the definition of his career. He’s played amazing. Maybe we got to boo him even more. Maybe Milwaukee fans got to boo him.”
Regardless of what Milwaukee fans choose to do in Game 5, this much is clear – Allen and the Bucks are about to get the last laugh on the Bulls, who are clinging to the faintest of hopes.
“We can’t show panic, especially in veteran guys, you can’t show panic,” Bulls star DeMar DeRozan said. “You know, where there’s a will, there’s a way. We still got an opportunity.”
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.