Bulls Snap Bucks' 11-Game Win Streak

The victory for Chicago was monumental, as it snapped the team's own 11-game losing streak, one of the worst in franchise history. Before the win, the Bulls had a 24-36 record and had not won a game since January 31st against the Miami Heat. The month of February was particularly rough, with the team going 0-11. Josh Giddey's triple-double was his 15th in a Bulls uniform, which ties him with Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen for second on the franchise's all-time list. This was Giddey's eighth triple-double of the season, marking a new career-high for the young guard. The Bucks' loss was underscored by the absence of their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed his 15th consecutive game due to a right calf strain. The two-time MVP had not played since January 23rd. He would make his return in the very next game, a loss to the Boston Celtics. In his return, Antetokounmpo acknowledged his stubbornness in dealing with injuries and the need to be smarter about his health. The Bulls' staggering 27-0 run is one of the most significant in-game scoring streaks in recent NBA history. For context, the longest uncontested scoring run in the play-by-play era (since 1996-97) is held by the Dallas Mavericks, who had a 30-0 run against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2023. The Cleveland Cavaliers previously held the record with a 29-0 run against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2009. This game was another chapter in the long-standing Central Division rivalry between the Bulls and Bucks. The rivalry was particularly intense in the 1970s and saw a physical resurgence in a 2015 playoff series. This victory was Chicago's first against Milwaukee in the 2025-26 season, with the Bucks having won the previous three matchups. The Bucks' 11-game winning streak, which was snapped so emphatically, had been built against a mixed bag of opponents. After the loss, Bucks forward Bobby Portis referred to the team's hot streak as "fool's gold," suggesting their wins came against weaker, and in some cases, teams that were "trying to lose." During the 27-0 run, which started late in the third quarter and carried into the fourth, the Bucks missed 17 consecutive shots over a span of roughly seven and a half minutes. Key contributors for the Bulls during this stretch included Matas Buzelis, who scored seven of his 20 points, and Collin Sexton, who scored a game-high 22 points. The fourth quarter was a historic collapse for Milwaukee, as they were outscored 39-8. Their eight points in the final frame tied a franchise record for the fewest points scored in a quarter.