Bucks beat Chicago, move into tie for No. 2 seed in the East

Milwaukee is back in a three-way tie for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after a 127-106 win at Chicago on Tuesday night.

The Bucks got a season-high 28 points from Brook Lopez, one of seven guys to hit double figures. Among the others was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with a near triple-double by posting 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Khris Middleton had 19 points, while Bobby Portis and Grayson Allen each had 13 off the bench.

Milwaukee took control of the game early, leading by six after the first quarter. The lead grew to 12 at the half and 14 at the end of the third. The Bucks were up as many as 24 in the fourth quarter.

Demar DeRozen had a huge night for Chicago. The All-Star went off for 40 points. According to ESPN Stats and Info, it was his 20th game of 35 or more points, making him just the second player in Bulls history to accomplish that. The other player, you might have guessed, was Michael Jordan.

The win gave Milwaukee a season sweep of its Central Division rivals and it clinched the division title for a fourth straight year. It also left the Bucks in a tie with Philadelphia and Boston for the No. 2 seed in the East with just three games to play. Miami is still at the top of the conference by 2.5 games.

Milwaukee closes out the regular season with a home game against the Celtics on Thursday, a visit to Detroit on Friday and a trip to Cleveland on Sunday. Boston is on the road the rest of the way with games at Chicago, against the Bucks and at Memphis, while Philly will be at Toronto and then back home to face Indiana and Detroit.

The Bucks own the head-to-head tiebreaker with the 76ers for playoff seeding by beating them twice in three games this season. They would split the season series with Boston if they win Thursday. A two-way tie between those teams for the No. 2 seed would likely come down to better conference record. Right now, the Celtics are 32-18 against the East, while Milwaukee is 31-18.