Daily Bulls

Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (19-21) at Boston Celtics (28-12)

January 9, 2023

(Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls will start a two-game road trip on the East Coast, starting with a matchup against the Boston Celtics at 6:30 CT. Chicago is 8-3 in their last 11 games, while Boston has lost two straight games at home but holds the best record in the Eastern Conference, 28-12. On Saturday, the Bulls continued to roll with a 116-108 win over the Jazz, led by Zach Lavine’s 36 points. Boston finished their two-game road trip with a victory over San Antonio, 121-116, once again led by MVP favorite Jayson Tatum, who scored 34 points on 50% shooting from the field and from three.

This game will be the fourth matchup of the season between these teams. After having off-season surgery, Robert Williams will make his first appearance in the season series. Williams is averaging 7.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in nine games this season. Chicago has won two of the three against Boston this season, with the most recent game going in the Bulls’ favor 121-107 on November 21st. The home team has won four of the last five matchups dating back to last season.

Matchup of the Night

Zach Lavine vs Jaylen Brown

While most of the fans will focus on DeMar DeRozan and Jayson Tatum, the matchup of Zach Lavine vs. Jaylen Brown will decide this game. Both of these stars have been hot for their respective teams. First, with Jaylen Brown, he has become an underrated pick for MVP lately, averaging 28.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in his previous ten games. He has helped Boston get control of the top spot in the East. When Jaylen Brown scores more than 28 points, Boston has an 11-6 record. But Brown has struggled against the Bulls this season, averaging 20.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, shooting 40% and 30% from three. Most likely, Brown will be guarded by Bulls second-year guard Ayo Dosunmu.

For Chicago, Zach Lavine has found his role with the Bulls and has improved his field goal and three-point percentage. Lavine is averaging 27.5 points, 4.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in his last ten games, shooting 52.8% from the field and 51.4%. Lavine has scored 35+ points in his previous two games. But the issue has been consistency, and that will be a test for Lavine against Boston later tonight. In three games against Boston this season, he has averaged 19.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists but has shot 47.6% from three. When Zach Lavine scores less than 18 points, Chicago has a 3-4 record.

Keys to the Game

Early Production by Patrick Williams

Getting Patrick Williams is significant if the Bulls want to win the season series. Before putting up seven points Saturday night against Utah, Williams got his offensive game scoring 22 points against Brooklyn and 18 in a great road win over the 76ers. In their last matchup, Williams scored 17 points on 66.7% shooting from the field and made three threes. In the other matchups, he combined to score 11 points. Williams has gotten involved early in games by running pick-and-roll plays or back-door cuts leading to easy dunks but must become more consistent.

One stat to know is Chicago has a perfect 5-0 record when Patrick Williams scores more than 15 points. Williams is averaging 17.8 points in his five games, and four of those wins came against the best in the NBA. Those teams are Boston, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn.

Good Third Quarter Start

In three of their previous four games, Chicago has lost the third-quarter battle, leading to either close games or a loss (Cleveland). When you remove the 40-point third quarter against the 76ers, the Bulls have gotten outscored 110-81 in their previous three games. That includes two 40+ quarters by Cleveland when Donovan Mitchell scored 71 points, and Utah got control of the game Saturday night.

That is not a good look, especially when the Bulls will face the Celtics, who have the seventh-best 3rd Quarter Margin at +1.3. The first five minutes are significant not to allow any runs or to get the Celtics fan making noise. Chicago won the third-quarter battle in the Bulls’ two wins against the Celtics this season. Both teams tied at 30 apiece when the Celtics won 123-119 back on November 4th.

Injury Report

Chicago Bulls

Player Injury Status
Lonzo Ball Knee Out
Javonte Green Knee Questionable
Alex Caruso Ankle Questionable
Tony Bradley COVID Out

Boston Celtics

Player Injury Status
Marcus Smart Knee Doubtful
Danilo Gallinari Knee Out

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Bulls use hot fourth quarter to get past Jazz, 126-118

January 8, 2023

(Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls win their third straight game with a 126-118 victory against the Utah Jazz. With this win, Chicago has won the first season series against Utah for the first time since the 2016-17 season. On November 28th, the Bulls beat the Jazz 114-107 in Utah. Chicago has won 8 out of their previous 11 games and is 19-21. Utah will fall to 20-22 and stay in the mix for a top-six seed.

Zach Lavine continues to stay hot, leading the Bulls with a team-high 36 points and seven rebounds. Don’t forget about DeMar DeRozan, who added 35 points, 27 of those coming during the second half. Nikola Vucevic added 15 points and 16 rebounds. The only other player for Chicago to score in double-digits was Andre Drummond, who got 11 points.

Another good Markkanen as a guest at UC

For the second straight game as a guest at the United Center, Lauri Markkanen scored 28 points. This time in a Jazz uniform and went 12-for-20 from the field with four rebounds and career-high eight dunks. In two games as a guest since being traded from the Bulls, he is averaging 28.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals on 61.8% shooting. Besides Markkanen, nobody became red hot. Jordan Clarkson got 18 points on 50% shooting from the field. Rookie Ochai Agbaji scored 19 points, went perfect 7-for-7, and scored four threes off the bench. Utah finished the game shooting 49.5% from the field, and 29.3% from deep, and Chicago went 53% and 46.4% from three.

Utah dominate Third

After a sluggish first half for both teams, Utah exploded for 40 points during the third quarter. Utah began to attack more often to the hoop, leading to 24 points in the paint. The two main players helping that amount of points in the paint were Markkanen and Clarkson. Markkanen and Clarkson combined for 21 points and shot 8-for-9 to help the Jazz get their biggest lead of the night at eight, 89-81.

That 40-point Jazz performance included a Markkanean poster on Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic helping get Utah the momentum to finish the third. Utah finished the quarter shooting 71.4%, and Chicago was 44%, the worst in any quarter all night. But the Bulls cut the lead to five by the beginning of the fourth, 89-84.

24-7 Bulls Run helps secure W

With 9:34 left in the game, Chicago found themselves down 92-99, and Markkanen got another dunk. Next possession, Patrick Williams made his first shot of the game and missed his first seven shots. That shot would start a 24-7 run to help Chicago. Coby White and Patrick Williams made a couple of threes to rim the Jazz’ lead, and just like White made a running layup to give the Bulls their first lead at 103-101 since early in the third quarter and forced a Jazz timeout. After the Jazz timeout, Lavine, DeRozan, or Vucevic would score the rest of the points during the game (23 points).

The 24-7 run ended when the Bulls got their most significant lead of the night at 116-106 with 3:35 left in the game. Utah cut the lead down to five, 116-112, but DeRozan responded with an and-one layup to seal the deal.

Chicago shot 78.9% from the field and scored 42 points during the frame. Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan combined to score 27 points during the fourth quarter. The Bulls missed only four shots.

Final Thoughts

Zach Lavine scores 77 in B2B Nights

Zach Lavine finally feels 100% from off-season surgery and has adjusted his game, and found his role with Vucevic and DeRozan. After getting called out in Minnesota, where his career started, he has responded and scored his highest amount of points in B2B nights with the Bulls at 77 points. On Friday, Lavine scored 41 points against the 76ers. The question is whether he sustains this scoring level against the Boston Celtics. Chicago now holds the 9th spot in the Eastern Conference but is inching closer to the top six.

Cold Three-Point shooting night

Besides the third quarter, Utah couldn’t get going from deep. Utah shot 20% from deep during the fourth quarter. The good news is Utah can respond quickly within 24 hours. But they will have to face the Memphis Grizzlies. The Jazz has lost three of their previous four games. But hold the 10th spot in the Western Conference.

Up Next

Chicago will travel to face Boston on Monday.

Utah will face Memphis later today (Sunday).

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Zach Lavine drops 41 points, with 11 threes in Bulls win over 76ers 126-112

January 7, 2023

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Zach Lavine leads the Chicago Bulls with 41 points to defeat and snap their 12-game losing streak against the Philadelphia 76ers, 126-112. Lavine went off for his second 40+ point in performance in the last week. He scored 43 points against the Detroit Pistons on December 30th. Chicago won that matchup and now become 2-0 when Lavine scores 40+. Lavine also becomes the second player in the history of the NBA to make 11 threes and shoot 80% from three. The other player is Stephen Curry. The Bulls will rise to 18-21 and have won two straight games.

On the other hand, The 76ers fall to 23-15 and become 6-4 without superstar Joel Embiid. Embiid was out for his second straight game because of left foot soreness. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with team-high 26 points in his third game back from being out for a month due to a foot issue. James Harden almost got a triple-double of 17 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds. Tobias Harris added 22 points. The 76ers struggled, shooting 43.5% from the field and 43.9% from deep.

Bulls shoot 75% during second

With no Embiid, Nikola Vucevic got to business early with nine points and seven rebounds in the first quarter. But after the first five minutes of the second quarter, Philadelphia found themselves up by 13 points, 44-31. Vucevic finished the game with his fifth career triple-double, the first in a Bulls uniform, with 19 points, 18 rebounds, and ten assists.

In the final seven minutes, Chicago went on a 28-11 run to finish the first half. The Bulls finished the second quarter shooting 76.5% from the field and missed four shots. DeRozan, Lavine, and Vucevic combined for 23 points and shot 8-for-10 during the significant run to take a 59-55 lead into halftime.

Lavine, Williams take over Third

Two players that played during the first half did not score for Chicago. Those two players were Patrick Williams and Coby White. Patrick Williams heard that message clearly at halftime because he scored the first seven points for Chicago in the third quarter. He would finish the third quarter with 16 points and went perfect from the field, 7-for-7. Williams finished the game with 18 points and six rebounds. Zach Lavine continued to have a good performance and went off for 19 points, with six made threes during the third.

Lavine and Williams helped the Bulls go on a 33-19 run in the final nine minutes of the third. The most significant lead of the quarter was 18 points, 97-79, with 53 seconds left in the third. Chicago scored 40 points during the third quarter, which happened for the second time this season.

Both teams went cold during the fourth quarter shooting 42% for each team. The 76ers cut the lead down to seven, 115-108, but back-to-back White and Lavine threes helped seal the game. Coby White scored nine points during the fourth.

Word of the night

Streakbusters

The Chicago Bulls have broken two 12 -game consecutive streaks in their previous two games. First tonight, the Bulls broke their 12-game losing streak against the 76ers, and on Wednesday, they broke the Nets’ 12-game winning streak. The Bulls also broke the Celtics’ nine-game winning streak in November. Chicago now becomes 9-2 against the Celtics, Nets, Bucks, Heat, and 76ers. Those two L’s coming against the Celtics and 76ers earlier this season. The Bulls will travel to face Boston on Monday.

Up Next

Chicago will host Utah tomorrow night.

Philadelphia will travel to Detroit on Sunday

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Bulls snap Nets’ 12-game winning streak, 121-112

January 5, 2023

(Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls earned their first win of 2023 with an impressive performance against the Brooklyn Nets and snapped their 12-game winning streak, 121-112. Despite Kevin Durant dropping 44 points, Brooklyn got their first loss since December 6th when they faced the Boston Celtics. With this win, the Bulls are back in the play-in picture in the 10th spot, 17-21 record. Brooklyn will fall to 25-13 and have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Patrick Williams had a tremendous bounce-back performance dropping a season-high 22 points, 12 coming during the first quarter, and got seven rebounds. Another young Bull to perform well was Ayo Dosunmu, who scored 17 points, seven rebounds, and got two steals. DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points, 10 of which came during the fourth quarter. Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 13 rebounds. Zach Lavine had an off night, shooting 4-for-11, but got 13 points and four assists.

Cold night for anyone not named Durant or Curry

Brooklyn finished the game shooting 46.2% from the field and 32.4% from three, while the Bulls shot 53.1% from the field and 40% from deep. Kyrie Irving shot 10-for-24 but managed to get 25 points. Besides Durant, Irving, and Curry, everybody else combined to shoot 9-for-31 from the field. The significant three-pointer shooters of Royce O’Neale, T.J. Warren, and Joe Harris made zero out of 11 attempts from deep.

KD leads comeback

Kevin Durant scored 39 of his 44 points during the first three quarters. Durant helped the Nets finish the first half on a 13-5 run to cut the 18-point lead to only being down 69-59 at halftime. During the third quarter, he added 11 points to help the Nets cut the lead down to three by the end of the third quarter, 88-85. Durant went 2-for-3 from the field during the fourth. Seth Curry scored 11 of his 22 points during the fourth quarter, but that wasn’t able to match the Bulls in the fourth.

Bulls finish hot to seal the deal

After Kyrie Irving made a layup to get the lead down to three again with 9:29 left in the game, Chicago proceeded to go on a 17-7 run. That run helped the Bulls get their most significant lead of the night at 13 points, 115-102. Almost everybody on the court contributed during that huge run

Phrase of the Night

Free Cheese

“Free Cheese” is a phrase used by Chicago Bulls’ commentator Stacey King; he refers to easy points being made by the big man (Nikola Vucevic taking advantage of small defenders. With that, the biggest weakness of the Brooklyn Nets is switching too much, allowing too many disadvantages in the post. During the Nets run, the Bulls stopped giving Vucevic post-ups when guarded by Royce O’Neale, a guard who does not stand a chance against Vucevic.

When Nikola Vucevic gets the ball and takes care of business in the post, that will draw double teams, which helps the Bulls move the ball and get open shots. Vucevic finished the game with 19 points; seven of his eight made shots were from inside the three-point line. Everyone, especially guards, must know the mismatches and take advantage of them, just like the other good teams in the NBA. That will be key if the Bulls want to play in the postseason.

Up Next

Chicago will travel to face Philadelphia on Friday.

Brooklyn will face New Orleans on Friday

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Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (16-21) vs Brooklyn Nets (25-12)

January 4, 2023

(Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls will look to get back in the win column at home in the United Center against the red-hot Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn is currently on a 12-game winning streak, with their most recent win coming against the San Antonio Spurs, 139-103. During December, Brooklyn went 13-1, with their only loss coming against the Boston Celtics on December 4th, 103-92. Brooklyn will enter this game with a 25-12 record, while Chicago has lost two straight heartbreaking games against the Cleveland Cavaliers and have a 16-21 record. On November 1st, in the first of four matchups, Chicago won 108-99 in Brooklyn.

Matchup to Watch

Kevin Durant vs Patrick Williams

The Chicago Bulls’ defense was rough to watch during the second half/OT, allowing Donovan Mitchell to score a career-high 71 points and giving up 135 points. Patrick Williams will guard superstar Kevin Durant for most of tonight’s matchup. Durant has been hot during the 12-game winning streak, averaging 29.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists, shooting 58.6% from the field. Chicago can not allow Durant or Kyrie Irving to drop another 50+ point performance, especially at home in the United Center. After the early season drama and injuries, Kyrie Irving has been averaging 25.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists since November 20th.

Patrick Williams will look to have a bounce-back game after struggling in Monday’s matchup. Williams dropped 10 points on 4-for-10 shooting, 2-of-7 from three. He was responsible for boxing out Donovan Mitchell when he missed the second free throw on purpose but failed, which allowed Mitchell to tie up at 130. “That one was on me,” Williams said during Wednesday’s shootaround. Williams, 21, is still learning the NBA game, especially late-game situations. The last time these two teams faced off, Durant scored 32 points.

Keys to the Game

Force Turnovers

The number one way the Bulls beat the best teams in the Eastern Conference is by forcing turnovers and getting easy buckets. Getting the easy bucket will help, especially against a team looking for their 13th straight win and possibly ending the night with the best record in the Eastern Conference. During the first matchup between these two teams, Brooklyn committed 18 turnovers, five coming during the fourth quarter. Those five turnovers led to 11 Bulls points during the fourth quarter when they took a double-digit lead against the Nets, helping get the win.

During the 12-game winning streak, Brooklyn commits 14 turnovers per game but allows 19.3 points off those turnovers, the fifth-worst in the NBA. During the same period, Chicago gets 15.8 points per game off of turnovers, which is at the bottom of the NBA.

Win Three Point Percentage Battle

Stopping the Nets will be tricky, even with Brooklyn playing on the road. In the Nets’ last 12 games, Brooklyn is averaging a league-best 55.9% from the field and 44.2% from deep. But the difficult task for the Bulls will be to win the three-point percentage battle. On November 1st, Chicago surprisedly won the three-point battle by shooting 40%, while Brooklyn went 37.5%. Remember, Chicago shot 71.4%, 5-for-7 during the fourth quarter from deep to help build their double-digit lead.

Shooting from deep has been a weakness for the Bulls in their last two games, ranking in the bottom of the NBA with a 31.5% three-point percentage. The one player to look out for is Zach Lavine. Lavine has been in more catch-and-shoot opportunities often lately. On Monday, Lavine went 3-for-9 from deep in their 145-134 loss against the Cavaliers.

Attack Mode

Though during the 12-game winning streak, Brooklyn is allowing the sixth-best 12.3-second chance points, they are at the bottom of the league at allowing 53.5 points in the paint. Brooklyn is known for alright interior defense, with Nic Claxton doing most of the dirty work averaging 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. The other center on the Nets roster is Day’Ron Sharpe at 6’9. Staying in the attack for 48 minutes will be essential for Chicago. The Bulls have started some bad habits of not moving the ball, resulting in challenging and contested three-point shots. Chicago is averaging 50.2 points in the paint per game.

Injury Report

Bulls

Player Injury Status
Lonzo Ball Knee Out
Javonte Green Knee Out
Tony Bradley Personal Reasons Out
Andre Drummond Shoulder Probable
Derrick Jones Jr Eye Questionable
Dalen Terry Knee Questionable

Nets

Player Injury Status
Markieff Morris non-COVID illness Probable
Royce O’Neale non-COVID illness Probable

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Donovan Mitchell drops record breaking 71 points in OT win over Bulls

January 3, 2023

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Donavon Mitchell led the Cleveland Cavaliers on a 21-point comeback to win in OT against the Chicago Bulls, 145-134. Mitchell scored a career-high, Cavaliers-record 71 points and 11 assists; he finished the game going 22-for-34 from the field. Mitchell got 55 of his points during the second half and OT. He became the first NBA player to score at least 70+ points and win since Kobe Bryant in 2006 (81 Points). Cleveland now becomes a perfect 8-0 without Darius Garland, 16-14 with Garland in the lineup. The Cavaliers become 24-14, and the Bulls fall to 16-21 and are one game out of the last play-in spot.

DeMar DeRozan scored team-high 44 points and four steals. Zach Lavine got 26 points and six assists. Nikola Vucevic got himself another double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds. All five starters for Chicago scored in double-digits.

Remember Chicago’s good start

Before Donavon Mitchell stole the show, Chicago held the Cavaliers’ 47 first-half points during the first half. That got caused by the excellent defense of the Bulls and forcing turnovers. During the first half, Cleveland had eight turnovers, which led to 13 points for the Bulls. DeMar DeRozan had 18 first-half points and three steals. Alex Caruso finished the game with one steal to continue his 12-game streak of at least one steal. The Bulls finished the half with six steals.

Chicago shot 56.1% from the field in the first half, but the question for the last 24 minutes was if they could keep that double-digit lead. The biggest lead for Chicago was 21 points.

Free Throws and frustration allows Cavs to cut lead

The most important thing to keeping double-digit leads is to keep your opponent from stopping the clock and getting easy free throws. But unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and Cleveland cut the lead from 21 to five by the end of the third quarter, 96-91. Chicago’s frustration came from the questionable calls that favored Cleveland to help the Cavaliers, even though Chicago shot above 50% during the third. DeMar DeRozan and Billy Donovan each got one technical foul for arguing about missed calls. One stat that will draw some eyes is 18 free throw attempts in the third quarter alone, 12 attempted by Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell found his groove scoring 24 points during the third quarter. Cleveland finished the game going 33-for-45 from the free throw line, while Chicago went 30-for-34.

During the fourth quarter, Chicago continued to keep their lead. With 1:08 left in the game, Kevin Love missed one of two free throws, which could have given them their first lead of the game. After DeMar DeRozan grabbed an offensive rebound, Nikola Vucevic hit a clutch three-pointer to give the Bulls a 126-123 lead. But the Cavaliers respond with a quick two by Jarrett Allen.

Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White each hit two significant free throws with under 20 seconds left. Down by three, Donovan Mitchell got fouled by Ayo Dosunmu; Mitchell hit the first free throw, missed the second on purpose, and got a tip-in shot to tie the game at 130. Mitchell possibly committed a line violation, but that is a discussion for a different day. Even though they never held the lead, Cleveland managed to get the game into overtime. That was until OT.

Bulls become cold in OT

After all of the chaos during regulation, Cleveland held all of the momentum and didn’t allow Chicago any chances during overtime. On the first possession, Donovan Mitchell hit a three-pointer to give Cleveland their first lead of the game, 133-130. He finished OT with 13 points, going perfect 4-for-4 from the field. Donovan Mitchell outscored the Bulls alone 13-4, and nobody from Chicago could get any shots to fall early in OT. The Bulls made one of eight shot attempts during OT.

Phrase of the Night

Stunning

This game was remarkable to watch. When you watch a basketball game, you never expect to see a player score 50+, but 70+ is different and special to watch. Remember, Kobe Bryant was down by 20 during the first half to Toronto. He proceeded to score 81 points and most of his points during the second half—same story in this game with Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell was struggling lately and got back to his normal self and is now one game out of the best record in the Eastern Conference, even though Mitchell got some cheap points at the free throw line.

On the other end, Chicago is stunned and can’t believe they lost another close game against Cleveland. The Mitchell tip-in shot to tie the game at 130 amazed everybody on the court and those watching the game. Chicago will have to move on fast with a matchup against a hot Brooklyn Nets squad.

Up Next

Chicago will host Brooklyn on Wednesday.

Cleveland will host Phoenix on Wednesday.

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Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (16-20) vs Cleveland Cavaliers (23-14)

January 2, 2023

(Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls will look to get back to their winning ways with a matchup in Cleveland against the Cavaliers. On New Year’s Eve, Cleveland snapped their three-game losing streak against the Bulls in a nail bitter 103-102. Cleveland held double-digit leads in the second and third quarters but only won by one, 103-102. The Cavaliers will enter this game with a 23-14 record, third-best in the Eastern Conference. Chicago is tied for the last play-in spot with a 16-20 record, but they have been hot lately, winning five out of their previous seven games.

Matchup to Watch

Aya Dosunmu vs Donovan Mitchell

Saturday night, Ayo Dosunmu showed all of his strengths, including going into attack mode. That helped him score 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field and got five steals, three during the fourth quarter. Since hitting his first career game-winner in Atlanta, he is averaging 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. Dosunmu has gotten at least one steal in four of those six games. Remember, when Ayo Dosunmu gets at least two steals in a game, Chicago has a 4-2 record.

Ayo Dosunmu was one of the reasons Donovan Mitchell struggled, resulting in him shooting 5-for-16. But Mitchell managed to score 15 points, third-best in the Cavaliers squad. In Mitchell’s last four games, he is averaging 17.5 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds, shooting 32.9% from the field. But the worst part is shooting 28.9% from three. The good news for Mitchell is he will have a clear start in 2023 in front of his fans. Donovan Mitchell will need to play better offense than a couple of nights ago if Cleveland wants to win the season series against Chicago.

Keys to the Game

Limit Cavs to one shot per possession

Chicago has allowed at least 22 second-chance points in the previous three games. Those three opponents (Bucks, Pistons, and Cavaliers) won the offensive rebounding battle. Second-chance points have kept the last three games within single digits for almost the entire game. On Saturday, Chicago got nine offensive rebounds, 40 total. Cleveland got 15 offensive rebounds, 50 total. With big man Even Mobley possibly playing Monday night, Chicago must be active on the boards as a team.

The Bulls can not expect Nikola Vucevic or Andre Drummond to do all of the dirty work. But Drummond should bounce back after getting one rebound on Saturday against Cleveland. Everybody must help out help the bigs, which means no one should run for the easy bucket on the other end. Limiting Cleveland to one shot is key to getting their sixth win in their previous eight games.

Ball Movement

One area that the Bulls struggled with that was under the radar was their ball movement. There were specific periods during each half the Bulls could not generate any offense and good shots. Note Goran Dragic was out and is expected to play Monday night. That resulted in Chicago getting season-low 14 assists as a team. Nobody on the Bulls got more than four assists during Saturday night’s contest. Chicago got under 20 assists as a team for the first time since December 4th, when they got 17 assists in a 110-101 loss against the Sacramento Kings. The Bulls are 0-4 when that situation occurs.

Getting everybody involved and moving the ball is critical for the Bulls’ offense to succeed. In this current generation, more than 102 points are needed to win. Ball movement improvements can help Chicago get back to 115+ points. Look for the Bulls to get around 20-25 assists. The goal should be 30+ assists every game. Chicago has a 4-1 record when recording 30+ assists this season.

Injury Report

Bulls

Player Injury Status
Lonzo Ball Knee Out
Javonte Green Knee Questionable
Derrick Jones Jr Ankle Probable
Alex Caruso Knee Probable
Tony Bradley Personal Reason Doubtful

Cavaliers

Player Injury Status
Darius Garland Thumb Doubtful
Evan Mobley Ankle Questionable

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What can the Bulls learn from their loss against the Cavaliers?

January 1, 2023

(Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls lose in a tight battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers, 103-102. For the second straight game against a good team (Bucks on Wednesday), the Bulls fought back in the final two minutes, but this time going on a 6-0 run. With 2:03 left in the game, Cleveland took a seven-point lead, and the game was about to end. Chicago got the defensive stops and the chance to win the game, but DeMar DeRozan missed a contested 15-foot two-pointer as time expired. DeRozan finished the game with team-high 21 points. Chicago falls to 16-20 to begin 2023, and Cleveland snaps their three-game losing streak and is now 23-14.

4 Takeaways from their Loss

1. Bulls kept on fighting

Chicago found themselves down by 12 during the second quarter and 13 in the third quarter. But they figured out a way to fight to get the chance of winning against the Cavaliers. So how could the Bulls keep on fighting and close the Cavaliers’ lead down to one end of the game? Defense. Ever since the blowout in Minnesota, Chicago understands their formula of winning games is by the defense and running on the fast break. During their loss, the Bulls caused 21 Cavaliers turnovers, which led to 20 points on the other end.

The game’s result may not have gone in the Bulls’ way, but Chicago can learn about themselves and know what it takes to be the best of the NBA. The good news is the Bulls will get the chance to play Cleveland on Monday. The question for the Bulls will be if their defense can be good and consistent. Chicago has a 5-2 record when allowing less than 105 points, and Cleveland scored 103 points. Unfortunately, the Bulls’ offense couldn’t show up for 48 minutes.

2. Free Throws and Second Chance Points hurt Chicago

The main two reasons the Bulls lost their second game in their previous three games because of missing key free throws and allowing too many second-chance points. Chicago finished the game shooting 17-for-24 from the line but missed two key free throws in the final two minutes of the game. First, with 1:21 left, Alex Caruso missed one of two, and 20 seconds later, Ayo Dosunmu missed one of two. Those freebies came back to hurt the Bulls, and if Chicago made both of the shots, the Bulls could be looking at a win to end 2022.

Chicago’s second significant reason for losing against Cleveland was getting outworked on the boards, which allowed many second-chance opportunities for the Cavaliers. Cleveland outscored Chicago 25-2 in the second chance points department and won the rebounding battle 50-40. Everybody not named Drummond or Vucevic must help out their bigs by limiting opponents to one shot per possession. Vucevic finished the game with 14 rebounds, but surprisedly, Andre Drummond got one rebound in 13 minutes of playing time. During the playoffs, limiting the best teams to one shot is significant. Cleveland finished the game shooting 45.9% from the field, but those 25-second chance points helped them snap their three-game losing streak.

3. Cold streaks allow Cavs Lead to Build

The Bulls’ big three couldn’t get going shooting the ball, with Lavine scoring 15 points and Vucevic adding 11 points. Chicago did finish shooting 48.1% from the field, better than Cleveland. But there were stretches during the game; Chicago needed help to score a field goal. During the second quarter, the Bulls scored two points from 10:00 to 6:16. Cleveland built a 12-point, 50-38 during that period. The Bulls managed to cut the lead to five at halftime, 60-55.

To start the second half, Chicago got the lead back at 64-63 with 9:41 left in the game. The problem for the Bulls was they scored only one shot in the next six minutes. Nikola Vucevic made a two-point, but Cleveland was up 77-68. One minute later, that lead got up to 14, 82-68. Chicago kept fighting until the end and only lost by one point, 103-102.

4. Ayo continues to play well

Even though the Bulls’ big three of DeRozan, Lavine, and Vucevic couldn’t get their offense going. There has been improvement by the second-year guard, Ayo Dosunmu. Dosunmu finished the game with 19 points and five steals. The five steals help the Bulls get back in the game, three of his steals coming during the fourth quarter. Since Dosunmu got hurt in Atlanta earlier in December, Ayo Dosunmu has been averaging 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in his last six games. Expect Dosunmu to continue to start in place of Lonzo Ball.

Up Next

Both teams will face each other on Monday in Cleveland.

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Zach Lavine’s 43 points help Bulls get past Pistons, 132-118

December 31, 2022

Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls continue to roll with their 128-116 win over the Detroit Pistons led by Zach Lavine. Lavine scored a season-high 43 points and went 15-for-20 from the field, 5-for-9 from deep. He got teammates involved with six assists and finished the game with the best plus/minus on the Bulls with +19. Chicago has won five out of their last six games, while Detroit has won once in their previous eight games.

DeMar DeRozan had a quiet night of 22 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Nikola Vucevic got almost a double-double of 19 points and nine rebounds. Vucevic helped the Bulls win the rebound battle, 38-35, which has been a problem of late. Ayo Dosunmu had some flashy scoring moments, helping him get 11 points.

Another Upset?

With no Hamidou Diallo, Killian Hayes being out due to suspensions, and Cade Cunningham out for the season. Detroit entered this game looking to compete and upset their central rival. Chicago has struggled lately against teams with bad records, with their recent loss coming against the Houston Rockets.

Zach Lavine scored 18 of his season-high 43 points during the first quarter to get a 33-25 lead at the end of the first. But the Pistons kept the game close by rookie Jaden Ivy and Alex Burks. Ivy finished the game with 22 points, missing four out of ten shot attempts. Burks added 19 on 4-4 shooting from three. Bojan Bogdanovic contributed 20 points. By the end of the third quarter, there were 17 lead changes; both teams couldn’t get a double-digit lead. Chicago found themselves up by three, 95-92.

Pistons go cold

Though the first seven and half minutes of the fourth quarter, both teams continued to get back and forth. Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan combined for 21 points during the fourth quarter. Chicago made Detroit earn every point in the fourth. After a Sadie Bey three-pointer, tying the game at 115, Chicago finished the game on a 17-3 run, forcing the Pistons to make one shot in the final 4:22. That includes a couple of threes made by Alex Caruso and Nikola Vucevic to get their first double-lead of the night.

The Pistons finished the fourth shooting 30% from the field, while the Bulls went 63.6%. One key stat that can describe this game is the points in the paint. The Bulls outscored the Pistons 66-38 in the paint and kept attacking all night long.

Phrase of the night

Is He finally 100%

Entering the 2022-2023 season, people knew Zach Lavine would start the season not 100% healthy. He missed the first two games of the season and struggled to prove early in the season that he deserved to be a max player. After his 43-point performance against the Pistons, it has become clear he has his swag back.

After the blowouts targeting Zach Lavine in the locker room in Minnesota, Lavine has responded by averaging 27.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in his last six games. The Bulls are 5-1 in their last six games and find themselves back in the playoff picture. But Lavine must stay consistent for the Bulls to get a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference.

Up Next

Chicago will host Cleveland later today (Saturday).

Detroit will travel to play Minnesota later today (Saturday).

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Ayo Dosunmu played hero ball, helping gain confidence for the Bulls

December 23, 2022

(Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

After dropping four straight games, the Chicago Bulls find themselves in good spirits, winning two consecutive road games for the first time this season. The latest win came off of a game-winner by Ayo Dosunmu to beat Atlanta 110-108. With that win over the Hawks, Chicago becomes 13-18 after the win and is 0.5 games behind Toronto for the last play-in spot.

3 Takeaways from the recent Bulls spark

Ayo Dosunmu gets confidence back by game-winner

Second-year guard Chicago’s very own, Ayo Dosunmu, has yet to get off to the start many Bulls fans were looking for. After a November 30th loss against the Phoenix Suns, the Bulls coaching staff made the change of starting Alex Caruso and sending Ayo to the bench. Dosunmu didn’t back down to the challenge but has scored in double-digits once since the lineup change (17 vs. Mavs).

Hitting his first game-winner boosted everything about his game. He finished the game with nine points. With Alex Caruso being out due to a concussion tonight against New York, Dosunmu gets the chance to get back in the starting lineup and help Chicago get back in the playoff picture. As a starter, Dosunmu is averaging 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 21 games.

Playing through Vucevic

The Chicago Bulls’ offense has been fine lately, but are times when Chicago does not move the ball, which results in contested threes. That leads to easy buckets for opponents on the other end. So how have the Bulls gone away from contested jump shots? Playing through the big man of Nikola Vucevic. Getting Vucevic the ball in the post has led to teammates being out and moving the ball for good-quality shots.

During the small two-game winning streak, Vucevic is averaging 24.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. He shot 17 times, but against Miami on Tuesday, he only missed four out of 17 shot attempts. The good offense for Vucevic means a more motivated defender on the other end.

Defensive Rotations (Zach Lavine)

The most significant reason for the four-game losing streak is the lack of defensive rotations being on point. Zach Lavine was at fault, especially during the Timberwolves game, where Chicago allowed season-high 150 points. That led to a blowout during halftime and after the game, with teammates holding Zach Lavine accountable for not rotating to the correct spots.

After the blowouts, Zach Lavine has responded by averaging 21.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.5 rebounds. He has started rotating to the correct spots and forcing tough shots and turnovers. Also, one steal in each of the last two games and has shot at least 50% from the field. Lavine has become more of a catch-and-shoot type of player instead of creating his own three-point shot. That has helped his three-point percentage lately. Keep in mind Chicago is 6-1 when Lavine scores more than 20 points and shoots at least 50% from three.

Chicago will look to extend their winning streak in the Garden tonight against the Knicks at 6:30 CT. Note, the Bulls has not won on a Friday yet this season.

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