Vucevic and White lead the way as Bulls beat Bucks 120-113 in OT
CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 30: Brook Lopez #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks guards Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on November 30, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Im
CHICAGO - Nikola Vucevic scored 29 points, Coby White added 23 and the short-handed Chicago Bulls beat the Milwaukee Bucks 120-113 in overtime on Thursday night.
Alex Caruso nailed a buzzer-beating 3 at the end of regulation, and Chicago pulled off a surprise without Zach LaVine (sore right foot) and DeMar DeRozan (sprained left ankle) because of injuries.
The Bulls trailed 110-109 in overtime when Vucevic cut for a dunk with 2:28 remaining, sparking an eight-point run. Patrick Williams finished the decisive spurt when he dunked with 31 seconds remaining, and Chicago hung on from there.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Brook Lopez scored 20, and Malik Beasley added 19 points. Damian Lillard scored 18, but the Bucks came up short after winning eight of nine.
Chicago led by 12 early in the fourth quarter after a 16-2 run. The Bucks pulled within two, only to find themselves trailing 103-96 with 1:26 remaining after White nailed a step-back 3, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
But just when it looked as if the struggling Bulls might close it out, the Bucks answered.
Antetokounmpo cut for a dunk. Beasley and Lopez made back-to-back 3-pointers to put Milwaukee on top 104-103 with 21 seconds remaining.
Antetokounmpo blocked Williams’ driving dunk with six seconds left and made two free throws. But Caruso sent the game to overtime with a fadeaway 3 at the buzzer.
Vucevic also had 10 rebounds. White nailed four 3-pointers, and the Bulls overcame 21 turnovers.
The game was tied at 80 after White buried a floater for Chicago at the third-quarter buzzer. The Bulls then scored the first 10 points of the fourth, with Torrey Craig’s 15-footer making it 90-80.
Antetokounmpo drove for a finger roll. But White’s driving layup and two free throws by Andre Drummon made it 94-82 with 7:43 remaining.
Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. exited with back tightness, and Pat Connaughton sat out because of a sprained right ankle. He left in the second quarter of a win over Miami on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Host Atlanta on Saturday.
Bulls: Host New Orleans on Saturday.