Eastern Conference | Round 1 | (3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Chicago Bulls (Bucks WIN 4-1)

[JayMKE]

Its been such a bad match up for Chicago you feel like they're just due for a game where they nail 20+ threes just out of pride so yeah, gentleman's sweep.

I do have a feeling the refs will let the defenses play in this one and being able to mug people defensively has a way of making soft RS defense into something passable, counterpoint to that tho is with the talent difference + history(they're still stewing about Grayson Allen) is that I can see things getting pretty chippy so could see refs wanting to call it tight.

expecting a lot of Bulls fans to make trip up to Milwaukee

[JordansBulls]

Chicago can't beat the Bucks nor Sixers in a series and probably not more than 1 game.

[Ballerhogger]

Bucks in 5

[DutchManDanFan]

Curious what was on the line those previous 4 seasons, doubt it was the difference between playing Chi or Bky. Nothing wrong with it and silly to pretend the team wouldnt see the same upside as bucks fans did.

Last year the Bucks could have avoided Miami in the first round. Bud plays the scrubs 40+ minutes in the last game. I remember someone playing 48 minutes. Bucks lose the last RS game. You can bet on it, it's easy money.

[Bmaasse]

I'm not sure how you can call that team "prime Milwaukee" given we won a championship last year AND it was the bubble.

They won 50+ games and Giannis was still winning awards, no?

They had Bled who was a postseason flop, a 4.5 month layoff, no home court advantage, and Jacob Blake all going on at the same time no? That team was not "prime Milwaukee" by any stretch of the imagination.

George Hill came out to the media and said " We shouldn't have came to this damn place". Imagine what was said everyday at practice in private. That team was definitely doomed.

[falcolombardi]

we all are calling the sweep/humillation of bulls so confidently that of course chicago is gonna make it a close series somehow lol

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

They won 50+ games and Giannis was still winning awards, no?

They had Bled who was a postseason flop, a 4.5 month layoff, no home court advantage, and Jacob Blake all going on at the same time no? That team was not "prime Milwaukee" by any stretch of the imagination.

George Hill came out to the media and said " We shouldn't have came to this damn place". Imagine what was said everyday at practice in private. That team was definitely doomed.

You guys are getting in a pissing semantics match when another poster called our team good? All he is saying that that a team that won 77% of its game and had the MVP lost a game to a team that was led by Aaron Gordon and won only 45% of its games. Yes it probably was not "Prime/Peak" bucks due to the timing, but that Bucks team should've destroyed the Magic in 4 games, just like they should with the Bulls. Bulls can sneak a game or two in like the Hawks did last year.

[Wolfgang630]

we all are calling the sweep/humillation of bulls so confidently that of course chicago is gonna make it a close series somehow lol

Nah

[Inspektor1312]

Bulls in 7.

[cool007]

If Bulls were healthy like they started the season? I would have picked this series to go 6 games, if not 7.

With Lavine's knee hurt (he would not be playing normally but this is his 1st playoffs), Caruso is hurt and shouldn't be playing, Lonzo is already out and Vuc and Coby just forgot how to shoot all of a sudden this year. So I can see this as a Sweep by Bucks team.

Keep in mind both Caruso and Lonzo were candidates for DPOY and their defense was all-defense easily and Bulls in top 5 defense overall. WIth both hurt, Bulls fell off the cliff. It's like Celtics losing both Robert Williams and Marcus Smart both together for months.

[old skool]

The Bulls started the season great, sprinting to take an early lead in the NBA marathon. Playing a talented small ball lineup heavy minutes, they won 26 of their first 36 games, winning a high percentage of games against lower tier teams. The second half of the season was challenging. Tougher opponents, including all 8 season matchups against Phoenix, Memphis and Milwaukee. Injuries befell players who had been playing heavy minutes. The return of Williams and the acquisition of Thompson added size, but made the team more conventional, not better. The exuberance of exceeding expectations gave way to doubt and frustration when victories were less frequent. They seem to have forgotten that finishing 10 games over .500 is a remarkable 20 game improvement over last season.

The Bucks took an opposite approach, content to survive the NBA marathon within striking distance of the leaders. They started the season slowly, wary of overextending themselves after playing deep into July. Minutes were restricted. They lost a lot of games to lower tier teams, often playing bench players who won't see playoff minutes. They experimented with lineups and schemes, using the RS more like a preseason victory lap. They got healthy as the season drew to a close, confidently winning most of their games against top tier teams. They seem to remember that last year's 3rd seed went on to win a title.

The Bucks are a bigger, more talented and more cohesive team than the Bulls. That is not to disparage the Bulls. The Bucks are just further along in their development as a contender, a team built around a star who can dominate any game or series. The Bulls are a successful team of random pieces assembled over the last 18 months. They are multiple roster moves and years away from becoming a top contender. The Bucks core of Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Lopez and Connaughton has played under Budenholzer for four seasons. Holiday, Portis, Mathews and Hill have each been there for 2-3 seasons. Allen is the only first year addition in the 8 man rotation.

After years of losing, it made no sense for the Bulls to pace themselves to start the season, when a winning start was essential to establishing a new team direction. Likewise, it made no sense for the Bucks to extend themselves during the regular season, when their focus was to peak in the playoffs. Two teams with divergent goals, both regular season and playoffs. The Bucks are playing for the present, the Bulls are playing for the future.

[Bmaasse]

They had Bled who was a postseason flop, a 4.5 month layoff, no home court advantage, and Jacob Blake all going on at the same time no? That team was not "prime Milwaukee" by any stretch of the imagination.

George Hill came out to the media and said " We shouldn't have came to this damn place". Imagine what was said everyday at practice in private. That team was definitely doomed.

You guys are getting in a pissing semantics match when another poster called our team good? All he is saying that that a team that won 77% of its game and had the MVP lost a game to a team that was led by Aaron Gordon and won only 45% of its games. Yes it probably was not "Prime/Peak" bucks due to the timing, but that Bucks team should've destroyed the Magic in 4 games, just like they should with the Bulls. Bulls can sneak a game or two in like the Hawks did last year.

They should've destroyed the magic in 4 games but they didn't, and ultimately got embarrassed in the 2nd round by Miami.

Some of us believe that 2020 wasn't your typical choke job, and that there were other factors that many people who don't follow the team as closely often tend to overlook. But sure, Chicago could definitely steal one.

[ConSarnit]

Who on this Bulls team can possibly guard Giannis?

This should be a 5 game series. Maybe 4.

[jc23]

Who on this Bulls team can possibly guard Giannis?

This should be a 5 game series. Maybe 4.

who in the NBA? superstars are not guardable

[Jadoogar]

we all are calling the sweep/humillation of bulls so confidently that of course chicago is gonna make it a close series somehow lol

Even in the most optimistic view, i can't see how Chicago makes this a series. Giannis will be able to dunk basically every time. The only hope i see if Chicago makes 15+ threes every game

[John Murdoch]

Defenite sweep but Bulls caught the injury bug. Patrick Williams is about to be served his ass

[Chuck Diesel]

There's not a single person in the city of Chicago who thinks the Bulls are going to beat the Bucks. Bless their hearts. Bucks in a gentleman's sweep.

[skones]

[b]Keep in mind both Caruso and Lonzo were candidates for DPOY[/] and their defense was all-defense easily and Bulls in top 5 defense overall. WIth both hurt, Bulls fell off the cliff. It's like Celtics losing both Robert Williams and Marcus Smart both together for months.

They weren't though?

[Ugly0598]

Bucks in 4.

[Edrees]

Bucks in 5. too many bulls injuries. But DeRozan and Lavine are too good not to win them a game at home