NBA Cup: Bucks Beat Bulls, Giannis Antetokounmpo Scores 41 Points
The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Chicago Bulls 126-110 on Friday night, marking a strong start to their NBA Cup title defense. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with an impressive 41 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists.
The Bucks remain undefeated in the NBA Cup group stage with a 9-0 record throughout the three-year history of the event. Previously, Milwaukee lost to Indiana in the semifinals two seasons ago but won the title last year by beating Oklahoma City 97-81.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, helping Milwaukee pull away from the Bulls.
Antetokounmpo shot 16 of 32 from the floor, marking the first time this season he shot below 61.5%. Milwaukee's Myles Turner contributed 23 points, his highest since joining the Bucks this year, and Ryan Rollins added 20 points.
Chicago's Matas Buzelis scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Josh Giddey tallied 16 points, 14 assists, and seven rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double. Giddey has achieved triple-doubles in his last two games, becoming the first Bulls player to do so in consecutive games since Michael Jordan in April 1989.
The Bulls had won their NBA Cup opener 135-125 against New York earlier in the competition.
Related Note
Questions remain about the plans to bring a new professional soccer team and outdoor stadium to Milwaukee, which FOX6 News is investigating through open records requests.
Author’s summary: Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated with 41 points as the Bucks extended their perfect NBA Cup group stage streak to 9-0, beating the Bulls 126-110 in a confident title defense start.