Bucks keep Bulls’ losing streak going

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t exactly fixed their defense, but they didn’t have to against a Chicago Bulls team that’s looking lost on offense.

Michael Redd scored 27 points and rookie Yi Jianlian had 16 in his strongest performance yet to help the Bucks beat the Bulls, 78-72, on Saturday night for their first victory of the season.

Milwaukee ended a 15-game losing streak to Central Division opponents dating back nearly a year, and kept Chicago winless through the first week of the season.

Hounded by defensive lapses in their first two games, the Bucks held the Bulls in check on a miserable night for Chicago’s starters. Ben Gordon scored 15, but the rest of the starting five -- Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, Ben Wallace and Kirk Hinrich -- were held to single digits.

“It’s important for us to take a little bit of this and bottle it up,” Bucks Coach Larry Krystkowiak said.

“Because if we play with that kind of focus and energy on the defensive [end] consistently, then we’ll have an opportunity to make some strides.”

But Bulls Coach Scott Skiles saw plenty of open shots available to his players. They just didn’t knock many of them down.

“We just don’t look like we’re real confident right now, and it shouldn’t be that way at this level,” Skiles said.

Shot after shot clanked off the rim for the Bulls. Deng was four for 11 from the field, Hinrich three for 12. Hinrich described the offense as “helter-skelter” and said the Bulls simply don’t have any composure.

And, so far, they don’t have a win.

“It is tough,” Deng said. “It’s something we didn’t expect. Now that we’re here, we’ve got to find a way to get out of it.”

Wallace said he wasn’t surprised by the 0-3 start because the Bulls didn’t take advantage of their opportunities to win.

“We’ve just got to play through it, that’s all,” he said.