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  • Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (8-10) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (7-11)

    Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (8-10) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (7-11)

    Bulls Thunder
    (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

    The Chicago Bulls will continue their west coast trip with a matchup against Oklahoma City. Chicago enters Friday night with a two-game win streak, with their most recent win against the Bucks on Wednesday, 118-113. Oklahoma City will try to get their first home win since November 11th. The Thunder are currently on a three-game losing streak.

    Last season, the Bulls won both matchups against the Thunder. But both games were close, with Chicago winning by one point in the first matchup on January 24th, 111-110. For the second matchup, the Bulls won by five in the second matchup on February 12th at the United Center, 116-111.

    Matchup to Watch

    Ayo Dosunmu vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

    If Ayo Dosunmu can lock down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Bulls will have no problems winning against the Thunder. The Thunder are 0-2 when Alexander scores less than 20 points. He has shot below 45% in the last two games. But the problem is entering Friday night; Alexander is averaging 31.1 points and 6.3 assists. The last time Oklahoma City won, Alexander scored 42 points on 63.6% shooting from the field in a 121-120 win over the Wizards. Forcing Alexander to give up the ball will be significant.

    After guarding Jaylen Brown on Monday and Jrue Holiday on Wednesday, Ayo Dosunmu will get another tough challenge. Dosunmu has done well on the defensive end but has cooled off after an excellent shooting start to the season. In the last six games, Dosunmu has shot 2-for-12 from three.

    Keys to the Game

    Avoiding play down to Oklahoma City’s level

    After two intense games against the top two Eastern Conference teams, Chicago can not let up and take any days off. The last time the Bulls played against a team below .500 was the Orlando Magic, and that game did not go to plan for the Bulls. Oklahoma City will enter this game with a 7-11 record and are without their rookie Chet Holmgren, who is out for the season with a foot injury. But have potential future pieces of their next good team with guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.

    So how can you avoid playing down to teams in tanking mode? Stay in attack mode and continue running up the score. Two players that must be in attack mode are Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic. For Lavine, he must attack the rime instead of resulting for threes. Vucevic must get post touches in the post. Last season, when these teams met in Oklahoma City, the Bulls had their most significant lead of the night cut from 28 points down to one. The Bulls can not allow the Thunder to have any momentum throughout the game and keep the crowd quiet.

    Stay Hot from Deep

    What sparked the Bulls against Boston and Milwaukee earlier this week? Three-point shooting. During the four-game losing streak, Chicago shot below 35 in all four games. That includes three out of the four games shooting below 30% from deep. But against Boston, Chicago shot 48.2% and 42.9% against Milwaukee from behind the arc. On the other side, the Thunder are fifth in the NBA with 116.9 points per game. They shot better than 51% from deep in their most recent two wins.

    If you want to win the championship, you must shoot well. The main three pointers shooters for the Bulls lately have been Nikola Vucevic and Coby White. Both players hit significant threes Wednesday night against the Bucks. White tied the game with a three and gave the Bulls a lead late with a three Wednesday night. He finished the game going 4-for-7 from deep. Vucevic went 4-for-10 from three.

    Injury Report

    Bulls

    PlayerInjuryStatus
    Lonzo BallKneeOut
    Goran DragicCervical StingerQuestionable
    Javonte GreenBackActive

    Thunder

    PlayerInjuryStatus
    Chet HolmgrenFootOut
    Mike MuscalaFingerOut

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  • DeMar DeRozan leads Bulls with 36 points in win over Bucks, 118-113

    DeMar DeRozan leads Bulls with 36 points in win over Bucks, 118-113

    Bulls Bucks
    (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

    The Chicago Bulls have found themselves a small two-game win streak with a 118-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. This win comes off a home win over the Boston Celtics, 121-107. Both teams went back and forth with 21 lead changes and a game that felt like a playoff game. The Bulls’ biggest lead of the game was ten, while the Bucks’ most significant lead of the night was 12 points during the first half.

    With 1:15 left in the game, Coby White hit a left corner three to tie the game at 109-109. About 30 seconds later, White gave Chicago the lead with another three, but this time in the right corner. Coby White finished the game with 14 points. Nikola Vucevic scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter. After a Jrue Holiday turnover, Vucevic sealed the game with a three-pointer.

    Another 30+ Performance for DeRozan

    DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with team-high 36 points and got his teammates involved with eight assists. DeRozan scored 18 of his 36 points in the third quarter. Once the fourth quarter occurred, Milwaukee forced him to give up the ball and have someone win the game. DeRozan has scored 30+ points in seven games so far this season.

    Zach Lavine got 18 points, five rebounds, and five assists. After a hot Monday night against Boston, he calmed a little bit, shooting 6-for-17 from the field. Nikola Vucevic surprisedly did not get a double-double against the Bucks, finished the game with 18 points and five rebounds. Patrick Williams scored in double-digits for the third straight game with 11 points and had the tough assignment of guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo.

    Giannis takes over fourth quarter but not enough

    Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks again with another superstar performance of 36 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. He scored eight points in the first half but got hot in the second half with 28 points. Brook Lopez scored 20 points and got hot early with 11 points, going 4-for-5 from the field in the first quarter. The good news for Milwaukee is they won the rebound battle 48-35 and got 16 second-chance points to help stay in the game, but it was not enough.

    But the turnovers were the problem all night. Giannis finished the game with eight turnovers. Milwaukee finished the game with 20 turnovers, leading to Chicago’s 19 fast-break points. A key turnover was from Jrue Holiday throwing a bad pass to Giannis in the post, which cost them a chance of tying the game with 41 seconds left.

    Chicago has won their first regular season in Milwaukee since December 26th, 2017. Before this game, Milwaukee won 16 out of their last 17 against Chicago. Remember, the Bucks ended the Bulls’ season last year in the first round of the 2022 Playoffs. The Bulls lose the series 4-1. The only game Chicago won during the series was game two, 114-110; the game was played in Milwaukee.

    Final Thoughts

    Unexpected Hero for Chicago

    The expected hero for Chicago was Coby White, who helped the Bulls win their first clutch win of the season. White was involved on both sides of the ball, fighting for loose balls, resulting in three steals. That led to Billy Donavon deciding to put White back, replacing Ayo Dosunmu with 3:55 left in the game. Dosunmu has been struggling with shooting lately, which was a factor for Billy to put White in the final four minutes. With Goran Dragic out, White had to play a more significant role and delivered in a big way late in the game. The hustle on defense will land him more minutes in the rotation.

    Turnovers cost Milwaukee

    The Bucks were sloppy all night and let the Bulls get back in the game during the second quarter. Don’t forget that Milwaukee held a 12-point lead, but turnovers were the reason Chicago got back in the game quickly. Milwaukee falls to 8-2 in their home area but still has a top-three record in the Eastern Conference at 12-5. The Bucks will face tough opponents with the Cavaliers on Friday and Mavericks on Sunday.

    Up Next

    Chicago will continue road trip on Friday against Oklahoma City.

    Milwaukee will stay home to face Cleveland on Friday.

    Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

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  • Smart move by the Bulls to assign Dalen Terry to the Windy City Bulls?

    Smart move by the Bulls to assign Dalen Terry to the Windy City Bulls?

    Dalen Terry
    (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images)

    The Chicago Bulls 2022 First-Round pick, Dalen Terry, has been assigned to play with the Windy City Bulls, the G League team of the Chicago Bulls. Terry will become the second Bulls player to have the assignment to play with the Windy City Bulls. The other player is the big man Marko Simonovic.

    With the injuries to Zach Lavine, Andre Drummond, and Coby White, Dalen Terry got to play more minutes than expected on the road against the Toronto Raptors on November 6th. Before the November 6th game in Toronto, he played 12 minutes in six games. Terry scored his first NBA bucket within the first minute and helped bring energy for the Bulls to extend their lead late in the first quarter. He finished the game with four points, one steal, and one block in ten minutes in a 113-104 loss to the Raptors.

    Smart Move?

    The Chicago Bulls will play twice in the next six days and will not play until Sunday night when they face the Denver Nuggets. Unlike the Windy City Bulls, who will play back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday against the Iowa Wolves. Chicago made a smart move to send him down to play with the Windy City Bulls. The reason for Terry being sent to the Windy City Bulls is unknown. But the reason should be loud and clear; Terry will get the chance to develop with the Windy City Bulls instead of sitting on the bench and waiting for an injury to happen. Don’t forget, Dalen Terry is only 20 years old.

    The rookie should be expected to start on Saturday against the Wolves and will likely join Kostas Antetokounmpo, Marko Simonovic, Carlik Jones, and Ethan Thompson in the starting lineup. Remember, Terry played with Simonovic, Jones, and Thompson during the 2022 Summer League.

    The Windy City Bulls will play against the Iowa Wolves at the NOW Area on Saturday at 5:00 PM. Expect Dalen Terry to play for at least 30 minutes.

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  • Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (6-6) vs New Orleans Pelicans (5-5)

    Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (6-6) vs New Orleans Pelicans (5-5)

    Bulls Pelicans
    New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson drives on Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic in the first half of a preseason game at the United Center on Oct. 4, 2022, in Chicago. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

    The Chicago Bulls will look to earn their second consecutive win against the New Orleans Pelicans tonight. Both teams will play this game with a .500 record, the Bulls at 6-6 and the Pelicans at 5-5. These teams have been going in the wrong direction lately, with the Bulls losing two out of their last three games. The Pelicans have lost three out of their previous four games. Last season, both teams won on their home courts against each other.

    Matchup to Watch

    Zion Williamson vs Patrick Williams

    The matchup that will be interesting tonight is how well Patrick Williams can defend Pelicans star Zion Williamson. After being out for the entire 2021-22 season due to a broken foot. Many twists and turns occurred, but now he has back with a team that has the potential to scare the top half of the Western Conference.

    Williamson has returned to his regular self, averaging 23.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 8 games this season. During the preseason, he scored 13 points in 15 minutes against the Bulls on October 4th. Patrick Williams will have the most challenging assignment of the night because he will deal with Zion’s strength. Williams has scored in double-digits in six out of his last eight games and has gotten one block in his previous seven games.

    Keys to the Game

    Chicago better get hot early

    Entering tonight, the New Orleans Pelicans average the most points per game at 118.5. Not only are they in the top half of the NBA for scoring, but they also want to get out and run. New Orleans is second in the NBA in field goal percentage (48.9%) and fifth in Three Point Percentage (38.8%). The Pelicans are averaging 16.9 fastbreak points per game, which is fifth in the NBA.

    With the recent first-quarter struggles for the Bulls, they must get hot shooting. Remember, during the preseason, the Pelicans started the game on a 13-4 run against the Bulls. Eventually, the Pelicans took a 20-point lead in the first half. But Chicago can not afford to play from behind once again. It can not become a habit of being down early and depending on the Bulls’ bench to get them back in the game.

    Clean up the Turnovers

    The latest issue that the Bulls have been dealing with is turnovers. Chicago has given up 18.7 turnovers per game in their last three games. That includes 22 turnovers in their most recent win over the Raptors, 111-97. Chicago was giving up sloppy turnovers and was careless with the ball. It does not help when the Bulls face a New Orleans Pelicans team that ranks fourth in the NBA with 8.7 steals per game.

    Two players to keep an eye out for are Nikola Vucevic and Zach Lavine. Nikola Vucevic has had at least four turnovers committed in three of his last four games. On Monday against the Raptors, Lavine committed five turnovers.

    Injury Report

    Bulls

    PlayerInjuryStatus
    Lonzo BallKneeOut
    Coby WhiteQuadOut
    Andre DrummondShoulderLikely to Play

    Pelicans

    PlayerInjuryStatus
    Garrett TemplePersonalOut
    Larry Nance JrKneeQuestionable
    Kira Lewis JrKneeOut

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  • Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (5-6) vs Toronto Raptors (6-4)

    Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (5-6) vs Toronto Raptors (6-4)

    Bulls Raptors
    (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

    The Chicago Bulls will look to get revenge tonight against the Toronto Raptors after losing in a close game against the Raptors, 113-104. After playing in Toronto yesterday, Chicago will travel back home to play in front of their home fans. The good news for the Bulls is they have won six out of the last eight matchups against the Raptors.

    Matchup to Watch

    Nikola Vucevic vs Christian Koloko

    The battle of the big men is the unexpected matchup to know about heading into the second straight matchup in two nights. Christian Koloko won the first battle last night by being dominant in the paint with six blocks and got easy buckets on offensive rebounds against Vucevic. He finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds. Koloko, the rookie out of Arizona University and former teammate of Bulls rookie, Dalen Terry, has started five out of ten games. Last night marked the first game in Koloko’s career; he played more than 30 minutes (31).

    At the United Center, Nikola Vucevic has averaged 17.0 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 5 games. Last night, Vucevic dropped 18 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Vucevic must be aggressive on the boards and guarding Koloko. Koloko might be a rookie, but he has become one of the best rookie shot blockers in the NBA.

    Keys to the Game

    Limit Raptors Second Chance Opportunities

    On paper, the Bulls did not do well, grabbing 46 rebounds. When Nikola Vucevic was either not aggressive on the boards and or when he got to rest on the bench, the Bulls could not get significant rebounds. Vucevic got 12, and Caruso with 11 rebounds. But the stat that is a concern heading into Monday’s matchup against the Raptors is second-chance points. Toronto finished the game with 27-second points, 11 coming in the fourth quarter.

    There were particular possessions that you must limit your opportunities to one shot per possession. All five guys on the court for the Bulls must help out on the boards. Vucevic, at times, was the only Bulls player on the court getting any boards late in the game. With Andre Drummond unlikely to play tonight, the two Bulls players to be more active on the boards are Patrick Williams and Derrick Jones Jr. Jones has been the center in the Bulls’ small ball lineup when Vucevic goes to the bench, with Drummond out due to a shoulder injury.

    Coaching Adjustments

    Coaches must make the correct coaching adjustments if they want any chances of getting to the postseason and winning a championship. Last night, Billy Donavon did not make any coaching adjustments when the Raptors decided to double-team Bulls star DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan ended the game with five turnovers Sunday night.

    With no Zach Lavine, Toronto forced someone else besides DeRozan to score. At times, players needed to know to respond when double teams occurred. DeRozan tried to dribble out of the double-team or dribble the ball backwards toward the corner. No adjustments got made at halftime, but Alex Caruso got in the middle of the court at the free-throw line a few times and broke the double-team. It did not help Caruso shoot 1-for-11, and Vucevic got four turnovers. Billy Donavon must change up his plan to respond to the Raptors tonight.

    More minutes for Dalen Terry

    The 22nd pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Dalen Terry, should receive more minutes tonight against the Raptors. With all of the injuries Chicago has been dealing with and is playing the second half of back-to-back games. This game is an excellent opportunity for Terry to play a significant amount of minutes.

    Last night, Terry scored four points and got one steal and one block. Terry played 12 minutes and helped the Bulls take a nine-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 30-21. He finished the game with a plus/minus of +1. He was one of three Bulls players to finish the game with a positive plus/minus. The plus/minus stat means how much their team outscored their opponent with that specific player on the court.

    Injury Report

    Bulls

    PlayerInjuryStatus
    Lonzo BallKneeOut
    Coby WhiteQuadOut
    Andre DrummondShoulderDoubtful
    Zach LavineKnee ManagementQuestionable
    Derrick Jones JrThumbProbable

    Raptors

    PlayerInjuryStatus
    Pascal SiakamGroinOut
    Khem BirchKneeOut

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  • 4 Takeaways from Bulls loss against Raptors, 113-104

    4 Takeaways from Bulls loss against Raptors, 113-104

    Bulls Raptors
    (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

    The Chicago Bulls fall back to under .500 with a 113-104 loss to the Toronto Raptors. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with team-high 20 points but had five turnovers. Nikola Vucevic had another double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. Alex Caruso with a surprise stat line of four points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds. Caruso did struggle from the field, going 1-for-11.

    Fred VanVleet led the Raptors with 30 points, including five made threes and 11 assists. Scottie Barnes added 19 points and ten rebounds. Rookie big man Christian Koloko had 11 points, seven rebounds, and six blocks. Toronto played without their star Pascal Siakam due to a groin injury.

    4 Takeaways from Bulls loss

    1. Dalen Terry provides spark

    Let’s start with the positives before the negatives; Bulls rookie Dalen Terry got more playing time than usual, with Drummond, White, and Lavine being out against the Raptors. Before the matchup against Toronto, Terry got 12 minutes of action in the first ten games of the season, and against the Raptors, he finished the game with ten minutes of playing time. Within the first 30 seconds of playing, he scored his first NBA bucket. Terry finished the game with four points on 2-for-2 shooting, got one steal, and one block.

    Dalen Terry might get the chance to have double-digit minutes with Coby White and Andre Drummond possibly out for the next couple of games. Once the Bulls get healthy, Terry will likely be out of the rotation. But he has proved why you can trust him on the court, and Bulls fans know now you can always count on Terry to bring hustle and energy. Terry was one of three players with a positive plus/minus stat. The other two players were Goran Dragic (+1) and Alex Caruso (+15).

    2. Patrick Williams Aggressiveness

    Over time, Patrick Williams has felt more comfortable in the game, and now in the past four games, he has become aggressive. That includes this matchup against the Raptors; he did struggle early on, getting blocked multiple times by Christian Koloko early in the game. Patrick Williams, in the first quarter, shot 1-for-8. But Williams did not stop being aggressive throughout the game.

    Williams got a couple of vicious dunks in the second half and shot 3-for-6 from deep. He would finish the game by scoring 13 points and seven rebounds. Five of his seven rebounds were offensive rebounds. But he did shoot 5-for-16 from the field. With more playing time, Williams will learn and develop, but seeing Williams attack instead of passing is a great sign to see.

    3. Bulls miss Andre Drummond

    Without their backup big man, Andre Drummond, Chicago has allowed teams to score in the paint easily. When Vucevic left the game for rest, the Bulls went small with Derrick Jones Jr as the five. Jones at the five will work for some games, but not this game against the Raptors. Against the Raptors, the Bulls allowed 62 points in the paint and got outrebounded 52-46.

    Late in the game, Toronto got clutch offensive rebounds to take command of the game. The Raptors finished the game with 27 second-chance points, with 11 coming during the fourth quarter. Chicago got stops, but poor rebounding execution led to the Raptors expanding their lead. The Bulls finished the game with 13 second-chance points. They could be a chance Billy Donavon will give Tony Bradley minutes instead of Derrick Jones Jr to give the Raptors a different look later today. Andre Drummond could have been the X Factor in this game, but he was probably back home on the couch watching this game.

    4. Double-team Issues for DeMar DeRozan

    With no Zach Lavine in the lineup, the Raptors chose to double-team DeMar DeRozan every possession he got the ball, which worked. DeRozan finished the game with five turnovers but one turnover late in the game, which led to an easy O.G. Onunoby. Whenever DeRozan got double-teamed, the Bulls did not respond quickly on some possessions. That also led to others needing to score.

    Toronto forced other starters to shoot the ball, especially Alex Caruso, who went 1-for-11 from the field. Other starters scored in double-digits, but the double-teams were a huge factor in the Raptors forcing 17 turnovers. Those 17 turnovers led to 23 points for the Raptors. DeRozan and Vucevic combined for nine turnovers in the game.

    Up Next

    Both teams will play later tonight at the United Center in Chicago.

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  • Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (5-5) at Toronto Raptors (5-4)

    Game Preview: Chicago Bulls (5-5) at Toronto Raptors (5-4)

    Bulls Raptors
    (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images)

    DeMar DeRozan will face the Raptors for the 11th time since he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs before the 2018-19 season. Both are coming off tough losses to watch. The Chicago Bulls lost on Friday against the Boston Celtics, 123-119; DeRozan dropped 46 points and led a comeback that came up short. Like the Bulls, the Raptors tried making a late comeback but came up short against the Dallas Mavericks, 111-110.

    Matchup to Watch

    O. G. Anunoby vs DeMar DeRozan

    The matchup to look out for later today will be the battle of a former Raptors star DeMar DeRozan vs. a potential Raptors star O. G. Anunoby. Both players led their teams in their last games, and this matchup is a battle of who will help their team more. You can make a case for each player, but DeRozan might be asked to put up at least 30 points with Zach Lavine questionable. In ten games against his former team, he has averaged 23.8 points, 7.0 assists, and 6.4 rebounds. Last season, DeRozan shot below 42% in the two games in Toronto.

    In ten games against his former team, he has averaged 23.8 points, 7.0 assists, and 6.4 rebounds. Last season, DeRozan shot below 42% in the two games in Toronto. O. G. Anunoby led the Raptors with 27 points on 11-for-21 shooting, with Pascal Siakam missing the fourth quarter due to a groin injury. With Siakam likely out against the Bulls, the Raptors will depend on Anunoby to be the leading scoring option. O. G. Anunoby has averaged 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 steals in 9 games this season.

    Keys to the Game

    Compete for 48 Minutes

    Friday night against Boston, Chicago competed and gave it their all on every play. But that only happened for part of the game. If the Bulls played the well they fought back in the game against the Celtics for 48 minutes, they could win on the road against the Raptors. That competed spirit must start on the defensive end by limiting the Raptors to one shot and no second chance opportunities and rotating.

    There were times on Friday Chicago became lazy and allowed Boston to take a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. Chicago must take every game seriously with the stacked Eastern Conference this season.

    Ball Movement

    When DeMar DeRozan exited the game to get some rest on Friday, Chicago could not get the ball moving, and that helped the Celtics get significant stops to build their lead. The Bulls finished the game with 21 assists as a team but became dependent on DeRozan’s isolations late in the game. During the second half of the 2021-22 season, Chicago became a very isolation type of team, which resulted in the Bulls falling in the standings.

    With the key contributors off the bench, the ball has been moving, and everybody is getting touches. But the most important player to feed the ball to Nikola Vucevic. On Friday, Vucevic had a good game with 21 points but received fewer post touches than he usually does. The Bulls did not take advantage of mismatches and instead took threes, which they are known for. The inside-outside game with Vucevic has created opportunities in the past, and it will help the Bulls later today against the Raptors.

    Injury Report

    Bulls

    PlayerInjuryStatus
    Lonzo BallKneeOut
    Andre DrummondShoulderOut
    Coby WhiteQuadOut
    Zach LavineKnee ManagementQuestionable
    Derrick Jones JrThumbProbable

    Raptors

    PlayerInjuryStatus
    Pascal SiakamGroinDoubtful
    Fred VanVleetBackQuestionable
    Khem BirchKneeQuestionable

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  • Bulls comeback falls short against Celtics, 123-119

    Bulls comeback falls short against Celtics, 123-119

    Bulls Celtics
    Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

    The Boston Celtics even up the season series at 1-1 with a 123-119 win over the Chicago Bulls. DeMar DeRozan kept the Bulls in the game with 46 points and got his teammates at times with five assists. But Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 39 points and 12 rebounds. Tatum and DeRozan combined to go 37-for-42 from the throw line. Refs made questionable calls throughout the game.

    Besides DeMar DeRozan, the scoring production came mainly from Nikola Vucevic, Zach Lavine, and Ayo Dosunmu. Vucevic hit a couple of threes late to keep Chicago in the game. He finished the game with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Ayo Dosunmu continues to play well against the Celtics, scoring 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Zach Lavine had another off night but got 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Lavine went 2-for-6 from deep.

    On the other side, off the bench, new Celtics addition Malcolm Brogdon scored 25 points and missed one out of ten shots. Brogdon has now scored at least 20+ points in the last two games. Jaylen Brown added 16 points and five rebounds. Marcus Smart, who injured his shoulder late in the game, scored 12 points in 24 minutes.

    Bulls come back from 14-point deficit in fourth quarter

    Entering the third quarter, the Celtics held a 93-87 lead over the Bulls. Boston began the fourth quarter with a 12-4 run to get their biggest lead of the night at 14 points, 105-91. Turnovers and Lavine not being unable to score allowed Boston to take their 14-point lead. But slowly, Chicago climbed back into the game because of star DeMar DeRozan and former All-Star Nikola Vucevic. DeRozan and Vucevic combined for 22 fourth-quarter points.

    Chicago went on a 12-4 run to cut down the 14-point deficit. With 1:55 left in the game, Vucevic hit a three to get the lead down to four, 114-110. After a missed three-pointer by Al Horford, DeMar DeRozan made two free throws, 114-112. During the next possession, Derrick White hit his only three-pointer of the game to make the game a two-possession game, 117-112. White finished the game with five points. Vucevic responded with another clutch three.

    After Tatum made one out of two free throws, Chicago got a shot to tie the game, but Patrick Williams missed a game-tying three. Williams finished the game scoring seven points on 3-for-9 shooting. Many would question who shot the ball in that situation, but it may have been the best shot available. “Celtics defense is so elite; it may have been the best shot they got,” said by Bill Donavon, postgame. Chicago did not hold a lead during the second half.

    Final Thoughts

    Tough Loss for Chicago

    The Bulls were once again playing from behind against a contender. Chicago missed their big man Andre Drummond against Boston because they got outscored 52-34 in the paint. Key rebounds needed to be grabbed late in the game, but that didn’t happen. Chicago will start another set of back-to-back games on Sunday against the Raptors.

    Boston on the right side of a close game

    On Wednesday, the Celtics lost a close OT game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston knew how to respond after a loss, especially with playing in their home area. Once the Bulls got back in the game against the Celtics, Jayson Tatum knew his assignment and was aggressive. Tatum’s aggressiveness helped him get to the free throw line 20 times in their 123-119 win over the Bulls.

    Up Next

    Chicago will travel to face Toronto on Sunday.

    Boston will travel to face New York later today, Saturday.

    Teams will meet again on November 21st.

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  • Andre Drummond (Shoulder) and Coby White (Quad) ruled out against Celtics

    Andre Drummond (Shoulder) and Coby White (Quad) ruled out against Celtics

    Andre Drummond out
    (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

    According to Chicago Sports insider Daniel Greenberg, the Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond and guard Coby White have gotten ruled out for Friday night’s matchup against the Boston Celtics.

    https://twitter.com/ChiSportUpdates/status/1588603363754639360?s=20&t=yRYm2Is5Tu4CVqGZlPzM4Q

    Long term issues for Drummond and White?

    Andre Drummond will miss his fourth straight game, which has raised some eyebrows about whether this issue is a long-term injury. According to K.C. Johnson, Drummond is still “struggling to raise his arm above his head and not close to returning.” The good news is no torn labrum or dislocation; it’s a shoulder sprain. Drummond has averaged 10.2 rebounds, 9.0 points, and 1.0 steal in 6 games this season. Chicago will miss Drummond’s being that backup center. Expect Derrick Jones Jr to continue to play as the center in the Bulls’ small ball lineup against Boston tonight.

    Coby White will miss his third straight game with a left quad injury and suffered “a significant deep thigh contusion and still experiencing quite a bit of pain.” So far this season, White is averaging 8.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 7 games. That includes three games of having double-digit point performances. His best performance came against the Spurs when he scored 19 points and shot 7-for-14 from the field.

    These injuries to Drummond and White are not long-term but don’t expect these guys to play on Sunday. Both players will probably be out for another week.

    Zach Lavine Knee Management gone?

    Zach Lavine dropped 10 points on 4-for-16 shooting Wednesday night against Charlotte but will look to bounce back tonight against the Boston Celtics on ESPN, 6:30 CT. Note Lavine played his first set of two games in two nights. Zach Lavine will play three games in four nights for the first time this season. To begin the season, Lavine got held out by doctors for the first two games due to knee management. So far this season, Lavine is averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 6 games.

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  • Game Preview: Windy City Bulls at Wisconsin Herd

    Game Preview: Windy City Bulls at Wisconsin Herd

    Windy City Bulls Wisconsin Herd
    (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images)

    The Chicago Bulls G League team, Windy City Bulls, will start their 2022-23 season on the road against the Wisconsin Herd. Both teams will meet again tomorrow night but at the NOW Area, located one hour outside of Chicago.

    Matchup to Watch

    Alex Antetokounmpo vs Kostas Antetokounmpo

    A couple of Antetokounmpo brothers will battle tonight, with Alex representing Herd and Kostas playing for the Bulls. While Alex did not play over the summer, Kostas played with the Greece international team. In preparation games for EuroBasket, he had a couple of double-digit point performances of, 19 points against Turkey and ten points against Georgia. But he sat on the bench for most of the EuroBasket tournament; he played only 13 minutes in two games.

    Last season, Alex Antetokounmpo played in the G League with the Toronto Raptors G League, Raptors 905. He was a part of the Raptors 905 squad for 23 games but averaged 1.2 points. It’s unknown how many minutes both Alex and Kostas will play tonight. Not forget the other Antetokounmpo brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo, will also be playing tonight.

    Keys to the Game

    Feed Simonovic Early

    It’s been obvious that Marko Simonovic will be the best player on the court tonight. Even though the Chicago Bulls assigned him to the G League, he can prove the doubters wrong and make it back to the NBA. Last season, he averaged a near-double-double of 16.9 points and 9.6 rebounds in 32 games with the Windy City Bulls. After this season, Simonovic will be a free agent.

    During the summer, he gained muscle and went from 215 to 240 pounds. He has said he wants to become a physically big man and will show Bulls fans tonight in Wisconsin.

    Remember your mission

    Even though only a few fans attend G League, there is so much talent in the G League, and it needs to get more attention. All of these players on the court tonight will look to put on a show and help their team become 1-0. But these players are on a mission starting tonight to make it to the NBA and get big money, which is possible.

    Bulls fans should consider paying attention to the Windy City Bulls because you never know what can happen to the roster. Remember, Alex Caruso started in the G League and got promoted to the NBA level. That can happen quickly with Marko Simonovic, Kostas Antetokounmpo, and many more. Simonovic and Kostas Antetokounmpo will lead the scoring production tonight.

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