DeMar DeRozan came to the post-game podium still in full game uniform, still hanging on to hope.
The way the Bulls veteran viewed it, until one team reached four wins in the best-of-seven series there were still punches to be thrown.
Even if they are often hitting nothing but air at this point.
“You can’t show panic,’’ DeRozan said. “You have to show that where there’s a will there’s a way. We still got an opportunity. All it takes is one game at a time. Gotta couple days before we play again. Kind of regroup mentally, emotionally, physically, and just look forward to the challenge.
“[Milwaukee] has been through it. They’re a championship team for a reason.’’
Reasons the Bulls continued finding out.
Thanks to 32 points from MVP-candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as reserve Grayson Allen continuing to haunt the Bulls with 27 points, the defending NBA champions have put the Bulls on the brink of elimination with the 119-95 win in Game 4.
The series now goes back to Milwaukee on Wednesday, with the Bucks building a commanding 3-1 lead and looking to end the first-round showdown on their home court.
“It’s one game at a time,’’ All-Star guard Zach LaVine said. “Obviously you can look at it big picture, and obviously we’re down. But they’ve won each game one game at a time. Don’t try and hit a home run, hit a single.’’
A good mentality to have, but one that this Bulls team hasn’t shown since the series switched back to Chicago.
In Games 1 and 2 the Bulls made the Bucks earn everything. They didn’t treat their “stars’’ like stars, playing physical defense with the likes of Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton.
But something happened in the wake of the Middleton knee injury, and instead of the Bulls capitalizing on the idea of being tied 1-1 and the Bucks being down a major piece in Middleton the rest of the series, it’s swung the other way.
Former Bull, and NBA irritant, Bobby Portis has that effect.
Portis taking Middleton’s spot in the starting rotation has seemingly given Milwaukee an energy and fire they didn’t show early in the series, as well as giving the smaller Bulls issues on both ends of the floor.
Portis had 14 points and 10 rebounds in Game 4, but has also opened up the outside shooting with his ability to post the smaller Bulls, and then kick it out to open shooters when the double team comes.
What was even more impressive on Sunday, however, was not just the pass from the post, but then the second pass to the open side the Bucks were willing to make to find the likes of a Holiday or Allen.
Especially when Allen shoots 10-for-12 from the field, including 6-of-7 from three-point range.
The same Allen who altered the entire regular season for the Bulls when his Flagrant-2 tackle of Alex Caruso left the best defender on the roster sidelined for months with a fractured right wrist.
Now he was inflicting pain again, this time with his shooting.
“You gotta give something up,’’ LaVine said. “You have to give [Allen] credit, he’s hitting shots. Obviously we know what happened [with Caruso], but at the end of the day it’s basketball. We understand it. It’s not like we’re going out there saying, ‘That guy can’t beat us.’ The Milwaukee Bucks can’t beat us and he’s part of their team. Them as a whole, they’re beating us right now.’’
LaVine led the Bulls with 24 points, while DeRozan chipped in 23, but both players know much more will be needed in Game 5.
“We just need to fight them and stay with it,’’ LaVine said. “I’m not particularly ready to go home.’’
