CHICAGO — The Milwaukee Bucks secured a decisive 112-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night, showcasing solid performances from Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, who both tallied 21 points. Bobby Portis contributed significantly with 19 points and 13 rebounds, ensuring the win even in the absence of key players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

Middleton achieved a personal season high for the second consecutive game, having scored 18 points in a prior matchup against Washington. After undergoing surgery on both ankles, the three-time All-Star had missed the first 21 games of the season.

Both Middleton and Lopez were instrumental in the Bucks’ long-range efforts, hitting three of the team’s total 18 successful three-pointers. Gary Trent Jr. also made a notable contribution from beyond the arc, connecting on four shots and ending the game with 14 points.

Antetokounmpo sat out his second straight game due to back spasms, marking his fourth absence of the season. Meanwhile, Lillard missed his third consecutive game, sidelined by a non-COVID illness after previously sitting out two games with a right calf strain.

For the Bulls, Nikola Vucevic posted a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, but the team’s struggles continued as they managed only 10 of their 48 attempts from three-point range, leading to their second consecutive loss.

**Takeaways**
The Bucks appear to be finding their rhythm, resembling more closely the strong team they anticipated being rather than the one that struggled at the beginning of the season.

The Bulls, on the other hand, faced depth issues in their backcourt, compounded by Lonzo Ball’s illness and Josh Giddey missing his third straight game due to a sprained right ankle.

**Key Moment**
Milwaukee built a commanding 23-point lead by the second quarter, but Chicago made a notable push in the third. The Bulls managed to narrow the gap to 76-68 when Dalen Terry intercepted a pass and converted a layup to complete a 10-0 run. The Bucks responded effectively with an 11-point streak, highlighted by consecutive three-pointers from Trent and a floater from Delon Wright, extending their lead to 87-68 with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.

**Key Stat**
In the first half, the Bucks converted 11 of 24 three-point attempts, while the Bulls struggled, with only 6 of 28 successful shots from long range.

**Up Next**
The Bucks are set to host the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, while the Bulls will travel to face the Atlanta Hawks on the same night.