Chicago Bulls defeat Milwaukee Bucks 132-125 for first win of season
Rookie Caleb Wilson scored 21 points and Norman Powell added 25 as the visiting Chicago Bulls earned a 132-125 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday at Fiserv Forum, Al Jazeera reported. The afternoon tipoff, moved up four hours because the Milwaukee Brewers hosted Game 1 of the World Series that evening, delivered a desperate win for Chicago after a 43-point loss to the Toronto Raptors to open the season, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Bulls erased a 15-point first-quarter deficit, fueled by Leonard Miller’s 19 points and Jalen Smith’s 14 points and 13 rebounds. Buddy Hield chipped in 13 points, Isaac Okoro had 12, and Tre Jones tallied 11 points and eight assists. Tyler Herro led Milwaukee with 34 points, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed 19 points and 11 boards. Kyle Kuzma scored 14 points and Myles Turner added 12 for the Bucks, who dropped their second consecutive game to start the season.
Early struggles give way to rookie redemption for Caleb Wilson
Wilson took just three shots in the first half and struggled with defensive assignments, mirroring the difficulties of his professional debut in Toronto. Early in the fourth quarter, Bulls guard Buddy Hield yelled at the rookie for failing to get back on defense after Turner blocked a shot on the low block. Moments later, Noa Essengue poked the ball away from Ryan Rollins and fed Wilson for a thunderous dunk that put Chicago ahead by four points. Wilson finished the contest with 21 points, six rebounds, and a steal.
One thing (I’ve learned) about the NBA is that games evolve,
Wilson said, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. You might touch it in the first half, then you’ll get a chance. So I go out there and do what I can. That’s just all I did.
Milwaukee had built a 32-17 advantage by the end of the first quarter, capped by AJ Green’s three-pointer. The Bucks maintained a 62-61 edge at halftime following a late layup by Kuzma. However, Chicago used a 16-0 run in the first half to briefly take the lead, and outscored the hosts down the stretch.
Brutal schedule lies ahead for struggling Eastern Conference squads
For Chicago, the victory offers brief relief before a punishing stretch of games against elite contenders, including the defending champion New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the San Antonio Spurs. Milwaukee travels looking for consistency after dropping two straight games to open their campaign.
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