Daily Bulls

Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (5-7) at Cleveland Cavaliers (13-0)

November 14, 2024

(Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls will play their first NBA Cup game of the 2024-25 season with a road matchup against the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers. Earlier this week, Cleveland won the first matchup of four matchups against Chicago, 119-113. Chicago will look for their first-ever NBA Cup win; last season went 0-4. At the same time, Cleveland had a 3-1 record but couldn’t advance in the NBA Cup because of tie-breakers. Chicago has won in Cleveland twice since the 2019-20 season and has lost four straight games in the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Matchup of the night

Donovan Mitchell vs Zach Lavine

You can make the case that whoever scores more points in this Mitchell-Lavine matchup, their team will win. Earlier this week, during the first matchup between Cleveland and Chicago, Donovan Mitchell caught fire, resulting in 36 points, helping the Cavs stay undefeated. But Mitchell playing well against Chicago is no longer a surprise. In eight games as a Cavalier, Donovan Mitchell has averaged 33.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists against Chicago. That includes his 71-point performance against Chicago a few seasons ago.

As for Zach Lavine, Lavine scored 26 points in the first matchup. Lavine has played well in 15 games against Cleveland as a Bull, averaging 24.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. So far this season, Lavine has shown more leadership with this new-look Bulls squad, which has no Alex Caruso or DeMar DeRozan. Lavine will likely be the #1 option in Chicago for the next few seasons. The key for Zach will be to get hot early and get into a rhythm during the first half.

3 Keys for Bulls to win:

Stay committed to your strengths

It was obvious that Chicago wanted to make changes with DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso getting traded during the offseason. But the Bulls became faster, their pace being the fastest in the NBA. However, Chicago has shot the three more often, resulting in 41.1 threes per game (5th), 15.3 threes made (7th), and shooting 37.1% from deep (9th). Chicago must take good/open three-point attempts, especially on the road against Cleveland. But if you open, take the shot.

Contain Garland

Besides Donovan Mitchell, guard Darius Garland has been playing out of his mind, helping Cleveland have the perfect 13-0 record. Lucky for Chicago, during the first matchup, Garland struggled, going 7-17 and 1-5 from three, resulting in 17 points. But Garland, so far this season, has been averaging career highs in field percentage (53.4%) and three-point percentage (44.9%). Slowing down Garland will give the Bulls their best chance of winning Friday night in Cleveland.

Late game situations

In Chicago’s last four games, they have held leads during the second half and allowed their opponents to make huge runs to get back in all four games, including last Monday against Cleveland. Chicago held a 9-point lead during the third quarter, but the Cavaliers bench/Donovan Mitchell made their run to take demand of the game. Once Cleveland got the lead, Chicago couldn’t recover and get a lead during the fourth quarter.

But when Chicago plays too fast with a lead, they have shown to become sloppy with the ball. On Monday, every starter had at least one turnover during the second half, but especially the ball handlers of Josh Giddey and Coby White combined for seven of the ten-second turnovers. When the game slows down, Chicago must control the game and understand the game situation.

Stat to Remember:

Chicago is 0-4 when committing at least 18 turnovers

In the first matchup between these teams earlier this week, Chicago had 20 turnovers, resulting in 35 points for Cleveland.

Injury Report

Chicago Bulls

Player Injury Status
Lonzo Ball Wrist Out
Adama Sanogo Knee Probable

Cleveland Cavaliers

Player Injury Status
Sam Merrill Ankle Out
Jarrett Allen Leg Probable
Evan Mobley Illness Probable
Max Strus Hip Out
Emoni Bates Knee Out

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Daily Takes: Caleb Williams will throw for 2 TDs against GB on Sunday

November 14, 2024

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, Caleb Williams #18 and quarterback coach Kerry Joseph of the Chicago Bears talk on the sideline against the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field on September 29, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears and Caleb Williams will look to get their first win against the Green Bay Packers since 2018. Do I expect the Bears to win? No, but I expect a better performance overall offensively. It was no surprise that a change was coming when you saw the statistics of Chicago’s offense not having scored a touchdown in their last two games.

Motivation to prove Shane Waldron Wrong

The excellent news is Caleb Williams has not thrown any interceptions, but Caleb has regressed a lot since Chicago’s win in London against the Jaguars. He has shown hesitation in throwing to the check-down options and inaccurate throws, but most importantly, he was hesitant to throw because of how badly Shane Waldron ran the offense. No receivers were getting open, Caleb looked lost, and the Offensive Line again fell apart. Waldron’s play selections in a critical moment led to him losing his job on Tuesday.

When you see coaches get fired mid-season, teams are extra motivated in their next game and go on to play very well. For example, after New Orleans Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen got fired, interim Saints Head Coach Darren Rizzi led the Saints to an emotional win over the Falcons, 20-17. Over the last few seasons, teams have rallied behind interim head coaches like Raiders Antonio Pierce and Colts Jeff Saturday. Of course, this coaching change is different with the Bears Offensive Coordinator being gone, but a new vision with Thomas Brown can help rally this struggling offense to scoring touchdowns in the coming weeks.

Thomas Brown Era incoming

So, who is the new Bears offensive coordinator? Thomas Brown, who got hired during the summer as the passing game coordinator for the Bears, will now be in charge of changing the direction of the Bears offense. Brown’s experience includes stints with the Carolina Panthers as Offensive Coordinator (2023) and Rams assistant coach (2020-22).

This coaching change is the second time in two seasons that Thomas Brown will get to call plays on offense. Last year, with Carolina, he called plays periodically and final six weeks of the season after Frank Reich got fired as the Panthers’ head coach. The bad news is that the Panthers only won one game in their final six games of the 2023 season, but Brown helped Carolina score 30 points in their 3-point loss against the Packers in week 16.

Bryce Young went off for 312 passing yards and 2 TDs, completing 63% of his passes. The Panthers couldn’t get the win, but their offense was explosive, which is the spark Caleb Williams needs on Sunday against Green Bay. Brown feels confident he knows how to fix this Bears offense.

“It’s about being able to try and find the best way to be effective with our playmakers, to be able to mirror what we do with our formation and motion standpoint. Everything for me starts up front, starts with the run game, how we attack, knock it forward mentality and we will build off that.” Brown said.

In a statement by Head Coach, Matt Eberflus, “Thomas is a bright offensive mind who has experience calling plays with a collaborative mindset. I look forward to his leadership over our offensive coaching staff and his plan for our players.”

Not expecting an Upset win over GB

With this take, I must say that I expect Chicago to lose. I hope I am proven wrong, and someday, the Bears get their first win in six years against their biggest rival. Green Bay is fully rested with their bye week and looks to get back in the win column after losing to the Detroit Lions in Week 9, 14-24. If Chicago has any chances of winning, the offense will have to get hot early. Keeping Green Bay to lower than 21 points and forcing field goals instead of touchdowns.

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Bulls hang on late to beat Knicks, 124-123

November 13, 2024

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls survive in Madison Square Garden to beat the New York Knicks, 124-123. Chicago earns their second win in their last three games. The Knicks’ late surge in the third quarter was not enough, led by the red-hot Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 46 points (Season-High) and ten rebounds.

Jalen Brunson gave New York the lead late with a layup to go up 123-121 with 5 seconds left in the game. But out of a Chicago timeout, Josh Hart committed a questionable foul, leading to Coby White hitting three clutch free throws to take a 124-123 lead. White struggled early on but caught fire late to get 22 points. Brunson had the last chance to get the game-winner at the buzzer, but the ball hit every piece of the rim and fell out. Everybody in Madison Square Garden thought that shot went in, but the Bulls got a break and survived.

Brunson finished the night with 24 points and eight assists. Mikal Bridges helped with 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists. O.G. Anunoby almost got a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds.

Zach Lavine stays hot

The fast-paced Bulls squad continues to play with a fast tempo, which played a significant role early on when they held the lead for almost the entire game. New York was coming off a win in Philadelphia the night before, and Chicago knew their game plan from the opening tip. Zach Lavine scored 13 of the last 15 points in the second quarter to extend the Bulls lead to 12, 59-47. Lavine finished the game with 31 points, shooting 70% from the field and 50% from three. He also contributed by helping out with eight assists and seven rebounds.

Nikola Vucevic contributed with another double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Patrick Williams played early with 11 points in the first half but finished the game with 18 points, 3-4 from three. Ayo Dosunmu got 16 points off the bench.

Final Thoughts

Bulls late game struggles continue

Chicago lost a lead during the fourth quarter for the fourth straight game. The positive is that those four games resulted in a 2-2 record, but the negative is that this issue is becoming a bad habit of the Bulls. Late in this game against New York, Chicago was going too fast at times instead of slowing down and taking their time. White and Lavine had five turnovers combined during the fourth quarter. Lavine finished the game with six turnovers.

New York’s comeback not enough

Karl-Anthony Towns had the best night so far in his Knicks career with 44 points, but it wasn’t enough for a Knicks team that was exhausted and couldn’t match the fast-paced Bulls. New York will fall under .500 again and look to return to the win column on Friday.

Up Next

Chicago will travel to face Cleveland on Friday.

New York will host Brooklyn on Friday.

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Coby White Shines, Bulls beat Hornets, 117-110

February 16, 2024

Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls survive playing short-handed on the road against the Charlotte Hornets, 117-110. Charlotte was without LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward. Within 24 hours after losing at home against the Toronto Raptors, Coby White returned to his home state of North Carolina with an excellent bounce-back performance of 35 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds on 55% shooting from the field. White has been the Bulls leading scorer in the last three matchups against the Hornets. Chicago swept the season series 4-0 and won their 6th straight game against the Charlotte Hornets.

DeMar DeRozan struggled to shoot 4-10 from the field but scored 15 points. Ayo Dosunmu has now scored in double-digits in 9 straight games with a 16-point performance and six assists on the night. Nikola Vucevic finished with another double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds but continues to struggle shooting from three, going 1-for-4. The other two Bulls double-digited scorers were Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond, who scored 10 points each.

Remember that 21-5 Run by Charlotte

Before Chicago took the game away in the 4th quarter, Charlotte stole the game’s momentum with a 21-5 run towards the half of the 1st half. Bulls fans were given flashbacks to Tuesday night against Toronto because of the careless turnovers; Chicago committed six 2nd quarter turnovers, leading to 12 Hornets points on the other to help Charlotte get their most significant lead of the night at 10, 57-47.

P.J. Washington scored 10 points during the quarter; he finished with 26 points and eight rebounds. Miles Bridges finished the game with 30 points and 15 rebounds. But Chicago fought back to cut the lead to 2 by halftime, 57-59.

Sub Zero Time

The game heading into the 4th quarter felt like a trap for Chicago and slowly slipped away. But Coby White came to the recuse with his 10-point, 3-assist fourth-quarter performance. That helped Chicago get the left they needed to gain a double lead against Charlotte. After P.J. Washington made a free throw to cut the lead to 2, 90-92, Chicago went on a 9-2 run to create a big lead. Coby White assisted on three of the four baskets made during the run, a finger roll layup by Dosunmu, a drop-off pass to Drummond, and a transition three-pointer by Dosnumu to create a 9-point lead, 101-92.

Chicago kept the lead around 8-10 points in the game’s final four minutes. All Bulls starters made one bucket during the last quarter, besides DeMar DeRozan. Chicago will stay at the 9th spot with a 23-26 record, and Charlotte will move down to 10-36.

Final Thoughts for Chicago

Bulls bounce back with an “ok” win

The Chicago Bulls were short-handed with no Zach Lavine, Torrey Craig, Patrick Williams, and now add Dalen Terry to the injury report. But the Bulls managed to get a win, which at first looked like an upset loss during the second quarter. But Coby White, aka Sub Zero, took over to score 35 points to help lift Chicago. The good news for Chicago is the recent play of Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Julian Phillips, and Torrey Craig, who may return from his injury within seven days and maybe play on Saturday. Chicago will have two full days of rest before Saturday night’s matchup against a high-scoring Kings team.

Up Next

Chicago will host Sacramento on Saturday.

Charlotte will travel to face Oklahoma City on Friday.

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Bulls complete 19 point comeback against Raptors, will face Miami on Friday

April 13, 2023

Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Images)

After being down as much as 19 points, the Chicago Bulls survive a nail-bitter 109-105 against the Toronto Raptors. Zach Lavine proved why he deserved his max contract leading the Bulls with team-high 39 points, 30 coming from the second half. Former Raptor DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points and seven rebounds. Nikola Vucevic got another double-double, 14 points, and 13 rebounds. The only other player to score in double-digits for Chicago was Patrick Williams, scoring 10 points, making two threes.

Vanvleet, Siakam got things going early

If you saw the final score, you would have expected the game to be close all game, but it wasn’t. Toronto used their home crowd to their advantage early with their hot three-point shooting, making 5 out of 8 during the first quarter. Fred VanVleet went 3-for-3 during the first quarter. Scottie Barnes and O.G. Anunoby also each had a three during the first quarter.

Pascal Siakam stole the show during the second quarter, scoring 12 points and helping Toronto control the game. Even though Chicago shot better than Toronto during the first half (47.7%- 46.7%), the Bulls found themselves down by 11, 58-47, because of three-point shooting. Chicago made

Siakam finished the game with 32 points, 20 during the first half, and nine rebounds. VanVleet finished the game with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.

Lavine leads Bulls comeback

Within the first three minutes of the second half, Toronto’s lead grew to 19 points, 66-47. After that timeout, Chicago slowly trimmed the lead by their star guard, Zach Lavine. Lavine began attacking the rim and getting easy buckets or free-throw attempts. He attempted 13 free throws and missed only one. Lavine would score 17 points during the third and 13 in the fourth quarter.

In the final three minutes of the third quarter, Chicago managed to cut the 19-point lead down to nine, 81-72. Toronto got the lead back up to 12 points, but Chicago’s defense and Zach Lavine started a run. Chicago would go on a 16-4 run to tie the game up at 91. During the run, Chicago forced difficult shots and three turnovers that helped the Bulls get some transition points, including a running pullup Zach Lavine three to cut the lead to five, 87-82. With a Patrick Beverley three-pointer, 96-93, Chicago got their first lead since the second quarter, 29-28.

Final Minute Drama

During the final minute of a win-or-go-home Play-In Tournament game, DeMar DeRozan got to the free throw line but missed one of two. Siakam responded with a dunk and fouled quickly after but fouled Zach Lavine. After Lavine hit both to make the game 107-104, Siakam got fouled, which was believed to be a non-shooting foul, got overturned by the refs, not replay review, so Siakam had the chance to tie the game with three free throws. He made the first but missed the next two attempts. Vucevic hit two clutch free throws to win the game, 109-105.

Final Thoughts

Move on Fast Chicago

Chicago fans will remember this game, but it won’t matter if the Bulls lose on Friday against Miami. Chicago was 2-0 in Miami this season, but Jimmy Butler and the Heat will be ready after losing in their home building against the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night. Chicago must shoot better from three because 26.9% will not get the job done against the Miami Heat. Great win up North for the Bulls.

Free Throw Misses Hurt Toronto

Toronto went to the free throw line 36 times but made only 22. One possible reason for this was because of DeMar DeRozan’s daughter screaming during every free throw attempt when the Raptors crowd was quiet. All jokes aside, the Raptors could have easily won if they made 30 out of 36. Toronto will finish the season with a 41-42 record, including the Play-In game.

Chicago will face Miami on Friday at 6:00 CT.

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DeRozan, Lavine lead the way for the Bulls in win over Wizards, 102-82

February 26, 2023

Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

After dropping six straight games before the All-Star break, the Chicago Bulls find themselves back in the play-in picture with a 102-82 win against the Washington Wizards, the second straight win for Chicago. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with team-high 29 points, missing only four shots, 11-for-15, and getting six assists. Zach Lavine dropped 27 points for the Bulls, shooting 11-for-18 and getting four assists. With this win, Chicago will become 28-33 and .5 games behind the Wizards for the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference.

Nobody for Washington scored at least 20 points. The closest was Bradley Beal, who had 18 points. Delon Wright scored 14 points. Kyle Kuzma struggled all night, shooting 4-for-18 from the field, resulting in 10 points. Daniel Gafford had himself a night against his old team with 15 points and 11 rebounds, five offensive rebounds.

Messy three Quarters for both teams

The same old struggles of turnovers and second-chance points hurt Chicago for the first three quarters. Each team had five turnovers in the 12 minutes of action, but the Wizards had nine points off those five Bulls turnovers. That helped Washington build their biggest lead of the night at six, 27-21. But Zach Lavine got ten first-quarter points to keep Chicago in range. Chicago would finish the game with six turnovers after the first quarter, 11 total. DeRozan, Lavine, and Vucevic scored all 25 points in the first quarter.

Washington lost the turnover battle with 16 turnovers. That resulted in 25 points on the other end for Chicago. A couple of battles Washington won were points in the paint and second-chance points. For points in the paint, the Wizards outscored the Bulls 44-38. Second chance points were 22-9. Both areas are reasons for the Bulls not taking control of the game until the fourth. The number one reason for that was Daniel Gafford; nobody on the Bulls could box out Gafford, leading to second-chance opportunities.

Three-Point Shooting Struggles

The environment felt like a playoff game in the first 36 minutes of Sunday’s Eastern Conference showdown. The defense insanity picked up, leading to challenging and good jump-shot contests. Nobody had a lead bigger than seven during the first three quarters. Both teams finished the game making six threes each, the Bulls shooting 26.7% and the Wizards shooting 21.4%.

No surprise the Bulls struggled to make threes, which has been a problem all season. But the Wizards, on the other hand, Kyle Kuzma went 1-for-8 from the three, and Corey Kispert going 1-for-7, finished the game with seven points. For Chicago, they turned the switch during the fourth quarter.

Bulls dominate Fourth Quarter

Coby White hit a couple of back-to-back threes to get the Bulls their first double-digit lead to start the fourth quarter. That helped Chicago begin the fourth quarter with a 10-5 run to take an 84-72 lead. White finished the game with 17 points, going 3-for-5 from deep. Later in the quarter, Gafford picked up a technical foul for complaining about a loose ball foul. After the technical, with 4:13 remaining in the game, Chicago finished the game on a 14-5 run led by DeRozan and Lavine scoring all 14 points.

Chicago shot 61.1% from the field and 57.1% from three during the fourth quarter. While Washington struggled, shooting 33.3% and 0% from three. The Bulls outscored the Wizards 28-15 during the fourth quarter. The Bulls limit their opponent to under 100 points for the second straight game.

Final Thoughts

Ugly Shooting but defense was outstanding for Chicago

Nobody was shocked when the Bulls began shooting 1-for-11 during the first half. But the Bulls’ defense, especially during the fourth quarter, put them back in the play-in picture. The fourth quarter has the quarter Chicago’s defense fell apart in the past, but not today. The Patrick Beverley effect is real, helping DeRozan, Caruso, and Dosunmu each get two steals. Rotations were once again excellent to watch, with some miscues. Chicago is in must-win situations for the rest of the season, with another big game on Tuesday against a team also in the play-in picture in the Eastern Conference.

Wizards become 0-2 after All-Star Break

After having a 4-1 record ending into the All-Star break, Washington has started 0-2 and lost against teams in the Playoff Picture, New York, on Friday, 115-109. Washington was 6-2 without Porzingis this season but now is 6-3; Porzingis did not play earlier today due to knee soreness. Washington’s schedule doesn’t get any prettier with matchups ahead against Toronto twice and Milwaukee next Sunday. The good news is Washington still holds the last play-in spot with a 28-32 record, but the Bulls are starting to get hot.

Up Next

Chicago will face Toronto on Wednesday.

Washington will take on Atlanta on Tuesday.

Season Series ends in a tie, 2-2.

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Andre Drummond provides spark for Bulls to get past Spurs, 128-104

February 7, 2023

(Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Andre Drummond helped the Chicago Bulls get their third straight win scoring 21 points and 15 rebounds in 21 minutes, shooting 9-for-9 from the field, in a 128-104 win against the San Antonio Spurs. Drummond got his 6th double-double of the season and played double-digit minutes for the third straight. This performance comes after being out of the rotation for most of January. The Bulls starting big man, Nikola Vucevic, got team-high 22 points and 12 rebounds. Both Bulls big men having good nights meant winning the rebounding and points in the paint battles. Before tonight’s game, San Antonio gave up the second most points in the paint per game at 56.3.

DeMar DeRozan had a solid night, with 19 points and five assists against his old team. Zach Lavine dropped 20 points and four rebounds, shooting 50% from the field. Lavine scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to help Chicago get a good size lead.

The young Bulls trio, Patrick Williams, Ayo Dosunmu, and Coby White, continue their latest hot stretch. Williams, with 11 points and six rebounds. Ayo Dosunmu continues to stay in attack mode with 10 points and four assists. Coby White scored 11 points off the bench. White has scored in double-digits in his last three games. Chicago has won four of their previous five games and will become 26-27 and a game behind Atlanta for the 8th spot in the East. San Antonio is one game ahead of Houston for the worst record in the West.

Spurs hung around with Chicago for awhile

After Chicago took a 12-point lead during the first quarter, San Antonio slowly got back in the game. The Spurs used a 10-0 run to keep the Bulls ‘ point lead down to one, 48-47, led by Keldon Johnson. Johnson got 17 points during the first half but finished the game with 21 points. Jakob Poeltl got a near-double-double of 14 points and nine rebounds. Malaki Branham contributed with 15 points and five rebounds.

San Antonio was active on defense, limiting Chicago to shooting 41% during the second quarter, the lowest in any quarter for the Bulls all night. Poeltl was a factor in the Spurs leading in the points in the paint category during the second quarter, 20-16, allowing the Spurs to cut the lead down to three by halftime. The Spurs were able to stay around to make things interesting with the Bulls, but that lasted until late in the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter taken over by Drummond and DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan finished the third quarter going on a 5-0 by himself to make a 90-85 lead going into the fourth quarter. Chicago would add to the 5-0 run by going on an 18-3 run to begin the fourth quarter led by the bench + with DeRozan as the only starter in the game. Andre Drummond got involved with the fun, making four straight dunks during the 18-3 run to push the lead to double-digits. That includes two ally-op dunks thrown by Goran Dragic and DeMar DeRozan.

Once Drummond got going, everybody else followed. Derrick Jones Jr hit a three, and Coby White got a couple of made shots. Andre Drummond had such a great performance that Nikola Vucevic did not play during the fourth quarter. Drummond finished the game with the second-best plus/minus stat on the Bulls at +30, and DeRozan was +32. Drummond got 12 of his 21 points during the fourth quarter. Everybody on the Bulls got the chance to play with the game being out of reach, and that meant Bulls fans got to see Dalen Terry get some minutes. In his 3:31 minutes, Terry got two points and one block. Tony Bradley scored a bucket as well. Everybody on the Bulls scored at least once during the blowout win. Chicago shot 66.7% during the fourth quarter, with more than half of their points coming in the paint, 26 of the 38 points.

Final Thoughts

So will Andre Drummond be gone?

The only Bulls player who has gotten actively shopped around is Andre Drummond. But nobody wants to see him leave Chicago. Drummond is on a two-year deal and could get traded next season. If Drummond can stay playing consistent minutes off the bench, the Bulls should not move him. Billy Donovan still favors Derrick Jones Jr at the five instead of Andre Drummond, which is challenging to listen to after Drummond put up his best performance in a Bulls uniform. Drummond will be needed later tonight against the Grizzlies, who give the most points in the paint at 59 per game. If a trade happens, Drummond would likely be gone. But who knows, Tony Bradley or Marko Simonovic could be gone too. The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.

Trades ahead for the Spurs

As the Spurs continue their rebuild, multiple players have been in trade talks. That includes Josh Richardson and Jakob Poeltl. The Spurs will likely end up with a solid chance of getting the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. But the Spurs are a young, hungry team that can surprise some teams. In October, the Spurs beat the Bulls in San Antonio.

Up Next

Chicago will travel to Memphis for a matchup tonight (Tuesday).

San Antonio will continue road against Toronto on Wednesday.

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Lavine, DeRozan score 32 points each to help Bulls beat Magic, 128-109

January 29, 2023

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

After losing two straight games against beatable teams, the Chicago Bulls get back in the win column with a 128-109 victory against the Orlando Magic. Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan each scored 32 points, with Lavine shooting 61% and DeRozan 78.5% from the field, 5-for-5 from three. Nikola Vucevic scored 26 points and 13 rebounds against his former team, where he developed into an All-Star Center. Vucevic got his 28th double-double of the season. The Bulls big three yet again performed well, combining for 90 points. But the Bulls will stay in the 11th spot with a 23-26 in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando’s starters struggled to get going all night. No starters played during the fourth quarter, but for a good reason. Three of the four Magic players’ double-digit scorers came off the bench. Former Bull Wendell Carter Jr. was the only Magic starter to score in double-digits, 11 points, shooting 4-for-8 in 24 minutes. The First Round Pick of the 2022 Draft, Paolo Banchero, scored nine points on a 3-for-14 shooting night.

Bulls build yet another 20+ Point Lead

Once again, for the third straight game, Chicago got themselves a double-digit lead within the first quarter. The Magic cut the lead down to six points, but the Bulls responded with multiple runs. That first run began the second quarter, started by a Vucevic three-pointer, and ended with a Derrick Jones Jr three-pointer, which caused Orlando to take a timeout, 37-25.

A couple of minutes later, Orlando cut the lead down to six again, but the Bulls took demand of the game, going on a 13-2 run from 5:28 to 2:51 to take a 56-39 lead. The biggest lead of the first half was 17 points. Chicago shot 57.1% in the first half, while Orlando struggled, shooting 41.3% from the field. Orlando played the second half of back-to-back games.

After the first half, many Bulls were ready for a huge Magic comeback. But at first, that wasn’t possible, with the Bulls keeping their lead throughout the third quarter. With 3:27 left in the third, Zach Lavine made two free throws to get the Bulls their most significant lead of the game at 89-64. After these free throws, Orlando knocked a couple of threes to help the Magic lead a charge to get back in the game.

Magic’s Bench provides spark for comeback

The Orlando Magic bench led by Moritz Wagner, Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs gave the Magic a chance to win the game. All three Magic players came off the bench. Moritz Wagner scored season-high 27 points on 8-for-11 shooting. Cole Anthony added 21 points, and Jalen Suggs got 11 points. Orlando’s bench outscored Chicago’s bench 68-19.

Dating back the third quarter, Orlando went a 26-9 run to cut the lead down to eight, 98-90. A Cole Anthony dunk forced Chicago to take a timeout and made Bulls fans thinking, here we go again with blowing another double-digit lead. Chicago was able to keep the lead at around ten or 11, but Orlando kept fighting. Cole Anthony three-pointer with 4:28 left got the lead down to five, 111-106. What seemed to be nail bitting game, turned out to become almost a 20 point win for Chicago.

After Anthony’s three, the Bulls finished the game on a 17-3 run, with Orlando making one shot. Chicago’s run started with a Lavine driving layup and, more importantly, a Patrick Williams three-pointer to get the lead back to double-digits. Williams finished the game with 16 points and six rebounds, half of his points coming during the fourth quarter. Chicago’s ball movement was the biggest factor in increasing the lead late in the game. During the 17-3 run, every Bulls basket, besides one made three, was assisted by Alex Caruso or Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls finished the game with 30 assists.

Final Thoughts

Finally the Road Trip is over for Chicago

What began as a possible 3-0 trip for Chicago started as a nightmare for the Bulls nation. Chicago will finish the road trip 1-2. But the Bulls will start a huge homestand before the trade deadline next month. A trade could happen at some point soon. Hinting towards Andre Drummond, who has not had many minutes, the reason is still unknown. The Bulls, in the second half of games, must continue to move the ball; that is their only chance of holding double-digit leads. But the problem for Chicago will now be facing the LA Clippers, a game Kawhi Leonard and Paul George should be playing in.

No Starters in the Fourth for Orlando?

Moritz Wagner, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Admiral Schofield, and Bol Bol were the Magic players to play during the fourth quarter. Those guys ran out of energy, and this is the type of game Wendell Carter Jr wanted to get back in the game. But the Magic felt the Magic with their bench scorer; more scoring production was needed to beat the Bulls. Orlando is still in the Play-In race, 4.5 games out of the 10th spot. The Magic will face the 76ers for their next two straight games.

Up Next

Chicago will return to the United Center on Tuesday to face the LA Clippers.

Orlando will travel to face Philadelphia on Monday.

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Zach Lavine drops 30 points in Bulls win over Pistons in Paris

January 20, 2023

(Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Zach Lavine dropped 30 points for the Chicago Bulls in a 126-108 win over the Detroit Pistons, a memorable game for both teams in Paris, France. Lavine, French last name, has scored 25+ points in seven straight games. When Lavine has scored at least 30 points, Chicago has a 6-2 record. On the other side for Detroit, Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with team-high 25 points. The Pistons will fall down to 12-36 and will likely get a top-five pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Chicago continues to climb in the playoff picture at 21-24.

DeRozan, Vucevic shine

After missing three games due to a quad injury, DeMar DeRozan returned and scored 26 points, shooting 50% from the field. DeRozan had active hands on the boards with nine rebounds and got two steals. DeRozan felt great in his first game since exiting during the second half against the Boston Celtics last week. Nikola Vucevic got 16 points and 15 rebounds. Vucevic becomes one of two players in franchise history to have multiple double-double streaks of at least ten games. Artis Gilmore is the other player.

Ayo Dosunmu got 13 points and three rebounds, shooting 6-for-8 from the field. Dosunmu has scored double-digits in two straight games. Patrick got into double-digits with ten points. Derrick Jones Jr had four amazing dunks, helping him finish the game with 12 points. Coby White scored 10 points. Everybody from the Bulls played besides Andre Drummond. It’s unknown why Drummond is not in the rotation. Bulls first-round Dalen Terry and Carlik Jones each went 1-for-1 in the game’s final minute.

Bulls got the lead and never gave it back

The Pistons never held the lead earlier today, and Chicago, each quarter, improved their lead. Chicago began the game with a 9-2 run to start the game with early touches to Vucevic. Chicago improved their biggest lead every quarter. The first quarter was 11, the second quarter, halftime being 65-56. That lead grew to 18 during the third and 22 in the fourth quarter. But the Pistons did not go away and managed to cut the lead down to 11, 111-100, with 4:20 left in the game. Chicago finished the game with a 15-8 run to make a final score of 126-108.

Both teams could not shoot well from three because neither team made at least ten threes. Chicago shot 30.4%, and Detroit shot 23.5% from deep. But the Bulls managed to shoot 50% in each quarter. Jaden Ivy and Saddiq Bey each got 16 points. Isaiah Stewart almost got a double-double of seven points and 11 rebounds.

Final Thoughts

The Bulls should play in Paris more often

Chicago becomes 3-0 in Paris, with their two other wins coming during the McDonald’s Championship in 1997 when MJ still played with the Bulls. Overall it was a great trip on and off the court, but now the Bulls must focus on climbing back into the playoff picture. Chicago is 3.5 games out of the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference. The next matchup is significant, with the Atlanta Hawks getting going with four straight wins. But the Bulls will be back home at the United Center on Monday.

Tanking for Victor

Victor Wembanyama sat courtside for the Bulls-Pistons matchup and will likely be the first overall pick. With Cade Cunningham out for the rest of the season, Detroit might be in position to get the first pick if they get lucky. The Pistons have the second-worst record in the NBA at 12-36. Houston has the worst record in the NBA at 10-35.

Up Next

Chicago will host Atlanta on Monday.

Detroit will host Milwaukee on Monday.

Both teams will face each other on March 1st in Detroit.

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Vucevic’s 43 points help lift Bulls over Warriors, 132-118

January 15, 2023

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

After losing three straight games, the Chicago Bulls got back in the win column with an impressive 132-118 win against the defeating NBA Champions, Golden State Warriors. Nikola Vucevic tied his career-high 43 points, 13 rebounds, and four steals, shooting 18-for-31 from the field and 5-for-10 from three. Vucevic helped Chicago snap an 11-game losing streak against the Warriors dating back to 2017. The last time the Bulls beat the Warriors before today was March 2nd, 2017. With this win, Chicago will become 20-24, and Golden State will fall to 21-22 but are 3.5 games out of the fifth spot in the West.

All Bulls starters scored in double-digits. Zach Lavine added 27 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Alex Caruso got 12 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Ayo Dosunmu returned to his usual self with 12 points and six assists. Patrick Williams scored 10 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field. Coby White got 15 points and went 6-for-7 from the field.

Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 26 points, eight made threes. Stephen Curry struggled to shoot 3-for-10 from the field but got 20 points and ten-high ten rebounds. Andrew Wiggins scored 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting. Draymond Green got eight points and seven assists.

Warriors Bench help them get back in the game

After the first quarter, Chicago held a 15-point lead, 35-20, with their biggest lead of the quarter being 17. That was because of turnovers, seven during the first. But the Warriors’ bench provided the spark. Golden State outscored Chicago’s bench 44-28, with the main scorer off the bench being Jordan Poole, who finished the game with 15 points, 5-for-8 from the field. Other significant bench scorers were Anthony Lamb with 14 points and Donte DiVincenzo with nine points. Golden State began the second quarter with a 15-4 run to cut the lead down to five, 39-34.

Once the starters got back, that helped their confidence as a team to finish the first half with a 13-5 run led by Klay Thompson, who had 12 points during the second. Golden State got their first lead of the game with a Curry three, 62-59. The Warriors’ biggest lead became eight, 67-59. But the Bulls four minutes got the lead with a Patrick Williams free throw at the 6:35 minute mark of the third. Golden State never held the lead for the rest of the game.

Vucevic big fourth

After three quarters, the Bulls held a six-point lead, 92-86. Whenever you face Golden State, no lead is safe. Both teams shot the same field goal percentage, 57.1%. But the Bulls, led by Vucevic, shot better from deep, 50%, with the Warriors going 38%, only made five threes. Vucevic scored 16 points during the fourth and made two threes to get their lead back up to double-digits. Curry and Thompson combined to shoot 1-for-5 from three.

Final Thoughts

Always Feed the Big Man

With DeMar DeRozan out, Vucevic became the second option, but tonight, he was the main option scoring 43 points. First-time Vucevic scored 30+ points in a game this season. When DeRozan gets back in the lineup, will Chicago continue to feed Vucevic? The Bulls’ offense becomes awesome to watch when they run the offense through Vucevic. Everybody gets involved, and Zach Lavine gets more catch-and-shoot opportunities. Don’t forget about Vucevic’s defense; he got four steals. If Vucevic gets hot offensive, expect him to play better on the defensive end. That helped the Bulls force 23 Warriors turnovers. Chicago will play one game in the next six days, with a trip to Paris to face Detroit on Thursday.

Warriors turnover problem continues

The two flaws of the Warriors are turnovers and playing on the road. Today against the Bulls, Golden State committed 23 turnovers, leading to 31 points for Chicago. Curry and Green combined for 14 turnovers. Golden State, with this loss, becomes 4-17 on the road. The good news is Klay Thompson has averaged 31.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 5 games to begin 2023.

Up Next

Chicago will travel to Paris to play Detroit on Thursday.

Golden State will face Washington tomorrow.

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