After come-from-behind win, Bucks take on skidding Bulls

Giannis Antetokounmpo will be in search of his sixth consecutive double-double on Friday night when the Milwaukee Bucks travel just over 90 miles south for a meeting with the Chicago Bulls.

The two-time MVP is averaging 33 points and 14.4 rebounds over his past five games and has helped the Bucks to back-to-back wins after their thrilling 120-119 victory over the Heat on Wednesday night.

Milwaukee trailed by 14 with 7:12 left to play but put together a 21-6 run to close the game. Jrue Holiday capped off the surge by kissing a layup off the glass with 1.9 seconds remaining to even the season series with the Heat at two games apiece.

"The guys found a way," Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. "A lot of plays down the stretch, a lot of guys did things to contribute. This team just stuck to it tonight, played it for 48 (minutes) and found a way to get a win."

Antetokounmpo paced Milwaukee with 28 points, 17 rebounds and five assists on 9-of-20 shooting. Khris Middleton added 26 points, and Holiday finished with 25 to go along with six rebounds and 11 assists.

The win closed a six-game homestand for the Bucks, who have not been on the road since their game on Feb. 10 against Phoenix. Milwaukee dropped that game, but has won three of its last four away from home.

Brook Lopez will be out on Friday as he continues to recover from back surgery, and Pat Connaughton is still sidelined after getting surgery to repair a fractured fourth metacarpal on his right hand. George Hill is close to returning but will still be out with a neck injury.

Chicago dropped its third straight game on Thursday night, a 130-124 loss to the Hawks. The Bulls had led by as much as nine in the fourth quarter but were later on the wrong end of a 14-6 run over the final 1:41.

DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine both finished with 22 points apiece, and DeRozan added seven rebounds and eight assists. Nikola Vucevic tallied 21 points and 11 rebounds on 10-of-17 shooting, and reserve Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu each had 15 points.

"To start the third quarter, that's when it all started. We just didn't get off to a very good start at all," Chicago head coach Billy Donovan said. "There was just a lot of breakdowns. We fouled entirely too much. The game was obviously close, but the discrepancy at the free throw line was really bad."

Fouling has hampered the Bulls during their losing streak, as opponents have had at least 26 free-throw opportunities in each of the last three games.

Although he is inching toward his return, Lonzo Ball will miss Friday's matchup with the Bucks due to a knee injury. Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams are both sidelined with wrist injuries.

Friday marks the second game of the four-game season series between Chicago and the Bucks. Milwaukee pulled out a narrow 94-90 win on Jan. 21 behind double-doubles from Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Bobby Portis.

--Field Level Media