Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the Milwaukee lineup on Monday night and led the Bucks to a 112-99 win over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.
Antetokounmpo had 29 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists, good for his 39th double-double of the season. He returned to action after sitting out his fourth game of the season on Saturday against Orlando, due to right knee soreness. Eric Bledsoe added 19 and Malcolm Brogdon 17 to lead the Bucks.
The Bucks built a 14-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but the Bulls’ 11-0 run late in the quarter cut the Bucks lead down to three points with less than three minutes to play. The Bucks finished the game with a 12-2 run to seal the win.
The Bucks (42-14) won their seventh in the last eight games and improved to 13-2 in the last fifteen.
Zach LaVine finished with 27 points, 17 in the first half. Lauri Markkanen had 20 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Bulls. Otto Porter Jr., added 18 points in his third game with the Bulls, after being acquired in a deal with Washington.
The Bulls (13-44) lost their fourth game in the last five and fell to 3-18 in the last 21.
The Bucks return to action Wednesday night at Indiana against the Pacers. It’s their final game before the upcoming all-star break.
