The Chicago Bulls dropped their first clutch sport lack of the season to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, falling 114-105 regardless of being tied within the closing seven minutes of play.
The Mavericks (4-0) ended on a 20-9 run to lastly pull forward in a tightly contested sport that featured 22 lead adjustments. Zach LaVine led the Bulls (2-3) in scoring with 22 factors, however solely scored 5 factors within the second half.
Here are six takeaways from the loss:
1. Offensive rebounds
The Bulls had been haunted by missed alternatives for second possibilities in Dallas. They scored 11 factors on 12 offensive rebounds. The Mavericks scored 24 factors on 13 offensive rebounds. That disparity was painfully carved out within the first and closing quarters.
Four of the Bulls’ offensive boards got here on the identical play within the first quarter as Alex Caruso and Nikola Vučević leaped to seize ricocheting photographs, just for the following try to end in one other miss. The Bulls got here up empty-handed from the extended possession in a irritating instance of their incapability to transform second-chance makes an attempt.
In the fourth quarter, it was the Mavericks who seized their second probability alternatives. The Mavericks grabbed back-to-back rebounds within the closing 90 seconds of the sport, organising Josh Green to knock down a 3-pointer to ship Dallas up by 9 factors with 56 seconds remaining.
The Mavericks had 4 offensive rebounds within the closing 5 minutes. The Bulls had zero. That capability to create further possessions was the make-or-break issue within the loss.
2. DeMar DeRozan passes Larry Bird in NBA all-time scoring
When DeMar DeRozan hit a second free throw with 10:05 remaining in Wednesday’s sport, he made one other mark in historical past — passing Larry Bird on the NBA all-time scoring checklist.
DeRozan reached 21,794 profession factors along with his 16 factors in opposition to the Mavericks. He is now thirty eighth in league historical past in all-time scoring. DeRozan additionally joined a listing of 4 Bulls who’ve scored greater than 21,700 factors of their profession: Michael Jordan, Robert Parish and Dwyane Wade.
“It’s hard to believe,” DeRozan stated. “Respecting the game, respecting all the players that started the league and to be sitting anywhere, passing any type of legend, is an honor.”
3. Defense on Luka Dončić
Mavericks guard Luka Dončić entered Wednesday’s sport in midseason kind, averaging 39 factors and 9.7 assists via the primary three video games of the 12 months. But the Bulls had been capable of dampen the star’s scoring — particularly via the primary three quarters of play.
This was the primary time the Bulls executed a entice defensive plan to isolate and deter a single scorer, throwing a number of our bodies on the guard every time he neared the 3-point arc. The Bulls held Dončić to eight factors within the first half, limiting him to 0-for-4 capturing from 3-point vary.
Dončić completed with 18 factors, however he shot solely 5-for-16 from the sphere and went 1-for-8 from 3-point vary.
4. Kyrie Irving sidelined
Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving missed Wednesday’s sport with a strained left foot. Irving performed the primary two video games of the season earlier than incurring the damage, averaging 19.5 factors and 6 assists to start out the season.
Without Irving, the Mavericks relied extra closely on Grant Williams, who scored a team-high 25 factors fueled by 7-for-9 capturing from behind the arc.
5. Derrick Jones Jr. reveals out in opposition to his former group.
After declining his participant choice with the Bulls and signing with the Mavericks for much less cash within the offseason, Derrick Jones Jr. confirmed off in his first sport in opposition to his former group. Jones went 3-for-9 from 3-point vary and assisted the Grant Williams 3-pointer that iced the sport for the Mavericks with 27 seconds remaining.
Midway via the third quarter, Jones noticed LaVine watching a rebound and pounced on the chance, bounding over his former teammate’s again to throw down a vicious dunk.
Jones completed with 17 factors and 5 rebounds.
6. Another scoreless evening for Patrick Williams
Patrick Williams completed a second consecutive sport with out scoring a degree. He went 0-for-6 from the sphere and took 5 of his makes an attempt from 3-point vary. Williams is now 2-for-16 (12.5%) from 3-point vary via the primary 5 video games after ending final season as essentially the most correct (41.5%) 3-point shooter on the roster.
Although he’s nonetheless within the beginning lineup, Williams has fallen out of the closing rotation. He performed solely 8:32 of the second half, exiting with 5:32 remaining within the fourth quarter.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com