The Milwaukee Bucks will be aiming for their first win of the 2024-25 preseason when they take on the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Tuesday.
With less than two weeks until their official NBA matchup, both teams will use this game as an opportunity to assess each other ahead of their meeting at Fiserv Arena on October 26.
Playing in front of their home crowd after losing their opener to the Detroit Pistons, the Milwaukee Bucks came up short again, falling to the Los Angeles Lakers in their second preseason game on Friday.
Despite overcoming a first-quarter deficit to lead by eight points heading into the final quarter, a 13-point swing, including 20 unanswered points, resulted in a 102-107 loss for Doc Rivers’ team.
Since their playoff exit against the Indiana Pacers last season, the Bucks have now dropped seven consecutive games, including summer league and preseason matches, with five of those losses by double digits.
One of their Summer League defeats came against the Bulls, marking just the second win for Chicago in the last eight meetings between the teams since February 2023.
With just over a week left before their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Bucks are quickly running out of time to build momentum ahead of their second-to-last preseason game.
Like their upcoming opponents, the Chicago Bulls also squandered a lead in their last game, letting a 21-point advantage slip against the Memphis Grizzlies in Sunday’s matchup.
Zach LaVine, who scored 28 points and made all six of his three-point attempts, had the Bulls on track for a second preseason win. However, a young Grizzlies team mounted a comeback to win 124-121.
While head coach Billy Donovan would have been frustrated by his team’s failure to close out the game, he likely found LaVine’s performance encouraging, especially after the shooting guard’s injury-plagued season.
Although LaVine’s long-term future in Chicago remains uncertain, he’s clearly focused on leading a revamped Bulls team following the departures of DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Andre Drummond.
The Bulls will now ramp up their preseason preparations with back-to-back games against the Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, before concluding their preseason schedule against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 19.
**Milwaukee Bucks preseason form:**
L, L
**Milwaukee Bucks overall form (all competitions):**
L, L, L, L, L, L
**Chicago Bulls preseason form:**
W, L
**Chicago Bulls overall form (all competitions):**
L, L, W, L, W, L.
Delon Wright sat out the Bucks’ last game due to a right shoulder injury he suffered during practice, but the veteran guard is not expected to be sidelined for long.
Khris Middleton has yet to appear in the preseason and is likely to miss the upcoming game against the Bulls, though he may return for Friday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo made an impressive preseason debut, posting 20 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, signaling his readiness for the upcoming season.
For the Bulls, Patrick Williams is doubtful after jamming his wrist in the loss to the Grizzlies, where he struggled, hitting just one of nine shots.
Coby White (groin) and Lonzo Ball (knee) might return for the Bulls, but Ayo Dosunmu is expected to miss the game after injuring his shoulder in the previous outing.
Additionally, 24-year-old Jalen Smith remains sidelined with a knee injury and will be monitored throughout the rest of the preseason.
**Milwaukee Bucks possible starting five:**
Lillard, Trent Jr., Prince, Antetokounmpo, Lopez
**Chicago Bulls possible starting five:**
Horton-Tucker, Giddey, LaVine, Craig, Vucevic.
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