This win was an emphatic one. It seemed that the Chicago Bulls were in a pressure cooker venting steam.

The Milwaukee Bucks had pushed them and the Bulls pushed back, on the court.  All five starters scored in double-figures.  Mike Dunleavy had the hot hand, making 4 of 6 treys, scoring 20 points. Pau Gasol added 19 and Jimmy Butler scored 16 points to lead Chicago to one of the most dominating playoffs wins in recent memory, 120-66.

The Bulls didn’t need Derrick Rose to come through in the clutch. This game was over after the first quarter when the Bulls led, 34-16. Rose did score 15 points and led the offense more like a well-oiled machine. Chicago hit 51% from the field and 15-30 from three point land.  The Bucks on the other hand, shot a low 32% from the floor and no one had double-figures in the game.

However, there were plenty of fireworks. Forward Giannis Antetokounpo, perhaps in retaliation to getting a hand in his face from Dunleavy, barreled into the Bulls’s forward just before the end of the first half. Dunleavy went back into the first row of seats. Luckily he was not seriously hurt. Antetokounpo got a Flagrant 2 foul and was tossed from the game with 1:34 to play.  “It’s just part of the game,” Dunleavy said.

The 54 point win was the largest margin of victory in Bulls franchise history. For Bulls fans, it couldn’t have come at a better time.  Dunleavy called the game, “Our best performance of the year.” “We moved the ball well.” Chicago had 31 assists in the game, 20 at the half.

The Bucks simply could not get started. Never great on offense, Milwaukee struggled all game to make shots.  The Bulls led at half-time 65-33 and the rout was on.

Chicago advances to play the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland where the Cavs are tough the beat.