Bucks cruise to easy win over Chicago

Milwaukee handed fellow playoff contender Chicago a 126-98 loss Tuesday night to move to just two games back of the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Bucks led by as many as 25 in the first half and the lead ballooned to 35 at one point in the fourth quarter, as Milwaukee moved to 3-0 against the Bulls this season.

Jrue Holiday led the way with 27 points and seven assists, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Pat Connaughton pitched in with 14 off the bench.

Center Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and seven rebounds for a Bulls squad that lost for a ninth time in their last 12 games. It has left them in the No. 5 spot in the East after spending much of the season near the top of the conference.

The Bucks are going the other way, winning seven of their last 10 that has them sitting just two games behind conference-leader Miami with 10 games to go.

Milwaukee will host Washington on Thursday at Fiserv Forum.