Despite their recent struggles, the Milwaukee Bucks got a much-needed confidence booster heading into the playoffs as they knocked off the Chicago Bulls, 95-91, avoiding being swept in the season series.
Michael Carter-Williams led six Milwaukee players in double figures with 21 points on 9-of-19 shooting to go along with ten boards. Ersan Ilyasova added 16 and Khris Middleton contributed with 14.
Jimmy Butler led Chicago with 25 points on 8 for 18 from the field and Pau Gasol totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bucks, who have lost their last nine home games against the Bulls, won for the third time in its last 11 contests. Milwaukee improves to 37-38 and still maintains a 2.5 game edge over Miami and Brooklyn for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Chicago is now tied with the Toronto Raptors for third place.
In the early goings of the first period, both teams exchanged baskets until they were deadlocked at 9-9 and Chicago went on a mini-run to take a 20-11 lead following two baskets by Taj Gibson off the bench. Milwaukee outscored Chicago 9-5 the rest of the way to make it 25-20. At this stage of the game, the Bucks were able to hang on due to their outstanding play on the glass, out-rebounding the Bulls, 15-7 (7-1 offensive rebounds), and the contributions of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had eight points on 4 for 5 and five boards.
Later in the second, down 33-28, Carter-Williams decided to take over the game and utilize his length over smaller guard Aaron Brooks as he went on to score 15 consecutive points for the Bucks. Then, O.J. Mayo hit his third trey of the game, and Ilyasova tipped the ball in at the buzzer to make it 48 apiece at halftime.
The Bulls just outshot the Bucks 43 to 40 percent and made seven more shots from the free-throw line, but Milwaukee still had the 27-17 rebounding advantage. Like Carter-Williams, who had 15 points, Butler led Chicago with 15 at the break.
Down 55-53 in the third, Ilyasova nailed a three to retake the lead and after a Middleton jumper, he hit another from beyond the arc. After the Bucks extended their lead, 67-63, the Bulls finished off the quarter on an 11-3 run en route to the 74-70 advantage.
The game evened out in the fourth as the teams met back up at 76 points each, and just when the Bulls looked like they might pull away, Middleton hit a three to tie it up again at 84 points. Brooks made a clutch layup to tie it again at 88, but Middleton and Mayo hit back-to-back jump shots for the 92-88 lead with 2:56 remaining.
After a layup by E'Twaun Moore and a free throw by Gasol cut the deficit to 92-91, Antetokounmpo blocked a shot which led to a crucial tip-in by Ilyasova for a 94-91 lead with 1:07 left.
Chicago missed three shots from three-point range on its next two possessions and the Bucks held on for the win.
Milwaukee will be at Boston on Friday to take on the Celtics while the Bulls will be in Detroit the same night.