reasons for their success. And of course it was. Scoring 40 and 50 points in the final game is an accomplishment worth celebrating.
But they wouldn’t have been on this stage if not for the mid-season trade for P.J. Tucker. Even though the Bucks had all the talent in the world that season, there was no edge or meanness that made them better than anyone else.
That’s what Tucker brought. Opponents talk nonsense, play tough defense, and attack. The rest of the team took advantage of that and upped their game. And that’s what Beverley did for the team this year. His talk, thorny defense and no-nonsense demeanor in practice boosted what should be one of the most feared teams in the NBA, along with Giannis and Dahm. Since he arrived, everyone has played better.
Beverly’s tenacity seemed to remind Portis that he too was capable of skinning his enemies. Portis and Beverley’s defensive antics caused frustration among Bulls players. In the end, Chicago was whistled for two flagrant fouls, the second of which was a blatant two-foul on Nikola Vucevic that sent AJ Green to the deck with a forearm to the face. During their last possession, Portis blocked an easy shot from Vucevic during a scuffle in the post.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to victory with 46 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 assists. Damian Lillard had 16 points and seven assists, and Chicago native Patrick Beverley had 14 points, both of which trailed in the fourth quarter.
Brook Lopez had 12 points and Bobby Portis had 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench. But even though Giannis was the absolute star of the show, it was the role players who set the tone for the game and ultimately created the atmosphere needed for Milwaukee’s final big win.
The two-game road win in Chicago was also the fourth straight game in which the Bucks held an opponent to 100 points or less. In fact, this team is a far cry from the one that made it to the All-Star Game with a 3-7 record in its first 10 games under new head coach Doc Rivers.
The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the most popular teams in the NBA. The Bucks defeated the Chicago Bulls 113-97 to take a 5-0 lead after the NBA All-Star break. Their five-game winning streak is currently the second-longest winning streak in the league. The Denver Nuggets have also won five in a row, and the Boston Celtics have won 10 in a row.
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