Chicago Bulls Blow Out Milwaukee Bucks in Penultimate Preseason Game

Only one preseason game remains before the Chicago Bulls are finally on to regular season basketball.

The Bulls advanced to 2-2 in preseason with a well-rounded effort on Wednesday night, dismantling the Milwaukee Bucks, 125-104. Tiago Splitter's squad will return home for its preseason finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

Matas Buzelis was 5-of-7 from three-point range and scored 19 points to lead the Bulls. Leonard Miller had a strong game as well, scoring in double figures for the fourth time in as many preseason contests. After totaling 26 points and seven rebounds in Chicago's Sunday night loss to the Denver Nuggets, Miller put up 18 points, seven rebounds and two steals against the Bucks.

Norman Powell (16 points), Jalen Smith (15), Caleb Wilson (10) and Jaylin Sellers (10) all also scored in double figures. Josh Giddey had six points, nine assists and five rebounds.

The Bulls finished with 35 assists on 42 made baskets.

Bucks guard Kam Jones, who the Bulls acquired during the NBA Draft and subsequently waived this summer, led Milwaukee with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting.

Chicago's three-point shooting created an early lead on the road. Powell and Smith connected from downtown first, then Buzelis sidestepped into a three-pointer to put the Bulls ahead, 9-0.

Milwaukee then scored 10 points in a row of its own as the Bulls missed seven consecutive shots. Noa Essengue put an end to the run with a triple, then Miller made a fastbreak layup and a pull-up three.

By the end of the first quarter, Chicago led Milwaukee, 24-15. The lead could have been even larger, but the Bulls made just five of their 10 shots from the free-throw line.

Wilson got on the board to start the second quarter, throwing down an alley-oop pass from Giddey on a fastbreak.

The Bulls' three-point barrage continued, with Buddy Hield and Sellers recording Chicago's seventh and eighth triples of the night. Shortly after, Tre Jones found Miller in transition, forcing the Bucks to call a timeout with Milwaukee down 14.

Wilson hit a three with six seconds remaining in the half to give Chicago a 62-39 halftime lead. The Bulls held a 15-2 advantage in fastbreak points at the break and a 23-9 advantage in points off turnovers.

Giddey made the play of the third quarter to extend Chicago's lead. While battling for the ball in the paint, the Bulls' point guard flipped a pass backwards over his head that found Buzelis alone in the corner. Buzelis knocked down the shot and pushed the margin to 29 points.

Buzelis added three more triples in the third quarter alone. Wilson capped off the period with a momentous dunk while running down the lane, and the Bulls led after three, 102-78.

No. 15 overall pick Dailyn Swain did not enter the game until the final minute of the third quarter. He played most of the fourth, scoring four points.

The Bulls will wrap up their preseason slate on Friday at 7 p.m. CT against the Timberwolves. Chicago begins its regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 21, in Toronto.