Young, White help Bulls top starter-less Bucks 118-112

Thaddeus Young scored 20 points, Coby White added 19 and the Chicago Bulls beat Milwaukee 118-112 with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Bucks’ starters missing the regular-season finale Sunday night.

The Bucks ruled Khris Middleton out because of lingering soreness in his left ankle, then scratched Antetokounmpo and the rest of the starters once it became clear the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference was out of reach.

The Brooklyn Nets clinched the position by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers. That locked Milwaukee into the third spot and a first-round matchup against the Miami Heat.

Milwaukee Bucks players Thanasis Antetokounmpo, left, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, give five before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Bucks rookie Jordan Nwora set career highs with 34 points and 14 rebounds. Jeff Teague scored 23. But with its top players out, Milwaukee came up short after winning eight of nine.

The Bulls prevented the Bucks from becoming the first NBA team to go unbeaten in its division, with an 11-1 mark against the Central. Chicago also snapped a 12-game losing streak to Milwaukee.

Lauri Markkanen scored 17, Ryan Arcidiacono set season highs with 14 points and four 3-pointers, and the Bulls finished their first season under coach Billy Donovan on a winning note — even though Zach Lavine (right knee tendinitis) and Nikola Vucevic (hip) did not play.

Chicago Bulls forward Thaddeus Young, bottom, looks to pass as Milwaukee Bucks forward Mamadi Diakite guards during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

The Bulls were up by four early in the fourth when Arcidiacono hit three 3-pointers in a span of a minute as the lead grew to 100-89.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Middleton missed his fourth game this season. “We feel like if we can kind of get on top of it this 24, 48 hours, I think he’ll be in a great place heading into the week of prep and playoffs,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. ... F Thanasis Antetokounmpo exited with a sore right patella tendon.

Milwaukee Bucks players Thanasis Antetokounmpo, left, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, give five before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Bulls: Donovan is missing the playoffs for the first time in six seasons as an NBA coach. He got there each of the past five years with Oklahoma City. “I've probably been in situations in college where you probably knew you were not going to make the NCAA Tournament,” said Donovan, who led Florida to two NCAA championships in 19 years. “It came down to your conference tournament, and a lot of times in those situations, it was having to win four games in four days, which is really challenging.” ... Daniel Theis (sprained right hip), Tomas Satoransky (sprained left ankle) and Troy Brown Jr. (sprained left ankle) were unavailable.

UP NEXT

Bucks: Open the playoffs at home against Miami.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Jordan Nwora, right, drives to the basket past Chicago Bulls forward Thaddeus Young (21) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Bulls: Season is over.

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Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams, right, shoots over Milwaukee Bucks guard Elijah Bryant during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Milwaukee Bucks forward Jordan Nwora, right, blocks a shot by Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, right, talks with guard Devon Dotson during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Milwaukee Bucks guard Sam Merrill, left, and Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams watch teammates during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo looks up the score board as celebrates after guard Elijah Bryant scored a basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Grayson Allen made five 3-pointers and scored 22 points and the Milwaukee Bucks dominated the Chicago Bulls 111-81 on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series without the injured Khris Middleton.

Giannis Antetokounmpo added 18 points, Bobby Portis had 18 points and 16 rebounds and the defending champion Bucks made it look easy coming off two shaky performances at home.

Coming off two shaky performances at home, Milwaukee quieted a raucous crowd watching Chicago’s first playoff game at the United Center in five years almost as soon as it started. The Bucks led by 24 in the second quarter and remained in control the rest of the way.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, center front, controls the ball against Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, center back, during the first half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Middleton is expected to miss the rest of the series after spraining his left knee in Wednesday night in a loss. Game 4 is Sunday in Chicago.

Antetokounmpo scored all but two of his points after the first quarter. The two-time MVP finished with nine assists and seven rebounds.

Jrue Holiday added 16 points to help the Bucks beat the Bulls for the 18th time in 20 games.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday celebrates after scoring a basket during the first half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Nikola Vucevic led Chicago with 19 points. Zach LaVine had 15 and DeMar DeRozan finished with just 11 after setting a career playoff high with 41 in Game 2.

The Bucks had it going right from the start, racing out to a 60-41 halftime lead even with Middleton sidelined.

Allen helped squash the “Let's go Bulls!” chants, nailing four 3s and scoring 14 in the half. That had to make it even tougher for fans still upset about his hard foul that resulted in a broken wrist for Alex Caruso during a game in Milwaukee in January. They showered him with boos but couldn't throw him off his game.

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan yells to his team during the first half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Antetokounmpo started a 13-0 run early in the second quarter with a 19-footer and dunk. And Allen finished it with a driving layup that bumped the lead to 46-22.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Portis wore goggles after missing most of Game 2 with a right eye abrasion. He took a hit to the face from Chicago’s Tristan Thompson late in the first quarter Wednesday as both players were going after a rebound. ... G George Hill (abdominal strain) missed his fourth game in a row. And coach Mike Budenholzer said he doesn't appear close to returning. ... Milwaukee has won 12 of 13 at the United Center dating to the 2016-17 season

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer talks to a referee during the first half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Bulls: The Bulls have not won a home playoff game since beating Cleveland in Game 3 of the 2015 Eastern Conference semifinals. Chicago lost that series in six games. ... Assistant coaches Chris Fleming and Damian Cotter were back with the team after missing the first two games because of COVID-19. Assistant Maurice Cheeks, however, was out because of a non-COVID illness, coach Billy Donovan said.

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Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, right, shoots against Milwaukee Bucks guard Jevon Carter, center, and forward Giannis Antetokounmpo during the first half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, left, talks with a referee during the first half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

A Chicago Bulls fan reacts as he watches during the second half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)