The Milwaukee Bucks’ season-worst losing streak has reinforced the notion that bad things come in threes.
The Bucks will look to end the three-game drought during a visit to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, when they aim to come untracked from behind the 3-point arc.
A 139-118 loss at NBA-leading Boston on Christmas Day saw the Celtics drill 19 baskets from 3-point range to Milwaukee’s 13. Grayson Allen, the Bucks’ leading 3-point shooter at 41.2 percent, missed each of his three attempts from deep and has tried just 17 long-range attempts in his past seven games.
Milwaukee has been without Khris Middleton (right knee soreness) for the past five games. Middleton told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the swelling in his knee gradually has subsided as he takes the injury day-by-day.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 points at Boston to lead five Milwaukee players in double figures.
Chicago, meanwhile, saw its season-high, three-game winning streak snapped with a 133-118 loss to the visiting Houston Rockets on Monday. Chicago surrendered a 17-1 third-quarter run in the opener of a four-game homestand that concludes with three straight contests against Central Division foes.
The Bulls, who are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, are eager to make up ground. The urgency the team showed during the winning streak seemingly dissipated against the Rockets, who opened the game on a 23-5 tear.
Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan, who scored a team-high 31 points, called the start “unacceptable.”
Monday marked the first time the Bulls have lost while leading at halftime this season, stopping a string of eight straight wins in that scenario to start the campaign.
A lack of depth, especially on the defensive side, was evident down the stretch as the Bulls played without Alex Caruso (concussion), Javonte Green (right knee soreness) and Derrick Jones Jr. (left ankle sprain).
Chicago edged host Milwaukee 118-113 on Nov. 23 in the first of four meetings between the teams. DeRozan scored 36 points while the Bulls drilled 18 3-pointers and shot 42.9 percent from distance.
Milwaukee has won 16 of the last 18 games between the teams, going back to January 2018.
