CHICAGO -- Having just stolen Game 2 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee two days before, the Chicago Bulls hosted the Bucks in Game 3 at the United Center earlier today.
It was the perfect set-up.
Opinion on Bucks vs Bulls Game 3
At stake was a chance to go up 2-1 in their series, and with momentum on their side, plus All-Star Khris Middleton out with an MCL sprain, the Bulls couldn't have been in a better spot.
Sadly, inexplicably, they squandered the golden opportunity and got blown out of their own gym, eventually losing by 30 points, the most lopsided home playoff defeat in the proud history of their franchise.
Much to the chagrin of the capacity crowd of 20,917 fans in attendance, this one ended as quickly as it started. The Bucks jumped to a 33-17 lead and never looked back, padding their advantage to as thick as 37 points.
With sidekick Middleton out, the expectation was that Giannis Antetokounmpo would shoulder most of the heavy lifting for the defending champs.Well, he didn't have to.
While the Greek Freak's 18 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists came in handy, most of the damage was inflicted by his often under-appreciated support cast.
UNSUNG HEROES
Jrue Holiday had 16 points and 6 dimes while Grayson Allen starred off the bench by swishing 5 of 7 threes to finish with 22.
Ex-Bull Bobby Portis, who gained notoriety here in Chicago after punching then-teammate Nikola Mirotic during practice in 2017, tormented his former team with 18 points including a buzzer-beating 3 to end the third quarter.
The Bulls, meanwhile, couldn't get any traction.
They shot just 33 of 84 from the field (39.3 percent) and 9 of 34 from 3 (26.5 percent), a terrible misadventure that was exacerbated by the fact that the Bucks sank 49 of their 91 shots (47.3 percent) while drilling 15 of 41 from long distance (36.6 percent).
DeMar DeRozan, fresh from scoring a career-playoffs high of 41 in Game 2, was a lesser mortal in Game 3, scoring a meek 11. Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine combined for 34, which was obviously not enough against the Bucks' blizzard of points.
The little window the Bulls had of carrying out an upset just closed shut.
This series is over.
The Bucks are just too good, too deep.
POINT GODS
Pestered by the extremely physical Miami defense, Trae Young had an inefficient night shooting the ball, making only 6 of 14 field goals overall.
But like stars do, he converted the baskets that mattered -- a 27-foot 3 that knotted the count at 104 with 2:26 to go and the game-winning floater in the final 4.4 seconds of play.
Hawks 111. Heat 110.
Not to be outdone, Chris Paul weaved his own point-guard magic that allowed the Suns to escape with a Game 3 steal in New Orleans, beating the Pelicans, 114-111.
CP3 finished with 28 points and 14 assists.
Like the Bulls, the Pelicans stole Game 3 in Phoenix only to lose whatever gains they made on the road by underperforming in their home court.
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