Getty Images DeMar DeRozan
The Chicago Bulls lost their playoff opener in a hard-fought game to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night 93-86. The game was an offensive struggle for the Bulls who just simply had a tough time hitting shots.
The Bulls also continued their struggles against Giannis Antetokounmpo as he poured in 27 points and 16 rebounds. The Bucks superstar has averaged 26.8 points and 13.5 rebounds per game in four games against the Bulls this season. The Bucks have also won 14 straight games against the Bulls.
Cowherd Sounds Off
After the loss on Sunday night, many Bulls fans took to social media where they voiced their displeasure with how the game was officiated. That reaction drew the ire of FS1’s Colin Cowherd who sounded off on his radio show The Herd on Monday.
“So in Chicago, I cannot believe the officials in this game,” Cowherd said, “oh that’s interesting because I went to the box score, the Bulls shot 32% and then 18% on three-point shots and scored 86 points, but yeah, by all means, it’s the refs. Cause the NBA was sitting there thinking you know what we want? We want a small market Milwaukee to win this series and we want it to be a sweep and here late in the second half Chicago has outplayed them, this would make the series more interesting because it has the chance to be a sweep, which is TV ratings poison, but let’s just kill their chances now because nobody in Chicago likes sports and that won’t change the ratings at all.”
“The leagues got a big plan to eliminate major market Chicago, oh give me a break. DeMar DeRozan was 6-25, you mostly couldn’t shoot, you weren’t ready to play, you fell behind 7-0 and like 21-6, and Bulls fans go 100% victimhood.”
Cowherd made several good points while chastizing Bulls fans for complaining. In the playoffs, refs are going to swallow the whistle. Also, the Bucks didn’t have a huge advantage at the free-throw line, the Bucks shot 23 while the Bulls shot 19.
While the refs didn’t decide the game, that doesn’t mean they didn’t miss some calls. The one that really stands out is a call where Giannis clearly goes over the back of Patrick Williams and a foul is called on Williams.
@starzofthenorth @runbackdave I’m sorry but this definitely a foul. Here is the replay for you. That’s the definition of a block out and Giannis going over the back and fouling him. Obviously the NBA refs didn’t have the courage to make the right call….
While that is clearly a foul on Giannis and a bad call, that play didn’t decide the game. It’s hard to beat anyone when you shoot as bad as the Bulls did, let alone the defending NBA Champions.
Something to Build On
While Sunday night’s loss is certainly frustrating it isn’t all bad news for the Bulls. Chicago was able to match the intensity of the Bucks, which is encouraging in the first game of the series.
The Bulls also played well defensively as they held the Bucks to 93 points. They also held Milwaukee to just 40.5% shooting from the field and 26.3% from three. That’s an encouraging defensive performance for a team that’s struggled on that end of the floor over the last few months.
That performance for the Bulls is something to build on for the rest of the series. It’s unlikely Chicago will shoot as poorly as they did in game one again this series, so if they can duplicate their defensive performance from game one then they’ll have a chance at making this a longer series.