The Chicago Bulls suffered their first lack of the younger season Friday evening, falling to the Washington Wizards 102-100 at Capital One Arena.
DeMar DeRozan missed the potential game-winner from the highest of the arc within the remaining seconds, ending the Bulls’ comeback try from a 17-point deficit.
The Bulls (1-1) performed with out Zach LaVine for the second straight sport because the All-Star guard manages a lingering left knee damage.
Here are seven takeaways from the sport.
1. DeMar DeRozan and Bradley Beal traded big-time photographs.
When DeRozan reentered the sport with seven minutes remaining Friday, it felt harking back to a fond reminiscence for the Bulls — New Year’s Day, when he dropped a 3-pointer for the second evening in a row to win a tightly contested matchup on the identical courtroom.
DeRozan delivered his commonplace magic, scoring 12 factors in seven minutes, stealing the ball for a fast-break dunk and hitting tying free throws and jumpers. But the Wizards had a solution in Beal, who scored 11 of his 19 factors within the fourth quarter to fend off the Bulls’ rally.
Beal and DeRozan traded tying and go-ahead baskets within the remaining two minutes, with Beal’s financial institution shot with 7.4 seconds left placing the Wizards forward. DeRozan’s remaining try — an open 3-pointer from the highest of the arc — rimmed out, permitting the Wizards to flee.
“Obviously he made those shots his entire career,” coach Billy Donovan stated. “It didn’t go in. But to me this was a game where we struggled to shoot the ball. … And I thought (Nikola Vučević) and DeMar carried us in that first half offensively. It just wasn’t a great offensive night for shooting, but we hung in there.”
2. The Bulls deflated within the second and third quarters.
Despite a assured begin from the Bulls, the Wizards grabbed management of the sport within the second quarter with a 14-0 run. The scoreless stretch largely befell whereas DeRozan was on the bench, highlighting the significance of the All-Star.
Nikola Vučević lastly snapped the run with a 3-pointer, and DeRozan helped to jump-start the offense with a vicious dunk on the next play. But the Wizards put collectively one other 9-0 run to begin the third quarter, forcing the Bulls to spend the remainder of the sport chasing the deficit.
“We’ve got to understand that a team is going to go on runs but we can’t let it bleed over to 17 points,” DeRozan stated. “That’s just a tough deficit to come back from on the road. Once we realize that it’s a six-point run, we’ve got to eliminate it from there.”
3. Nikola Vučević excelled from the free-throw line.
The first half was a blueprint of learn how to use the middle most successfully — holding Vučević energetic off the ball, organising mismatches by screens after which exploiting to both rating close to the rim or draw fouls. But the Bulls didn’t maintain that type of play by the second half.
Vučević scored 15 factors within the first half however solely 9 within the second, six of which got here off free throws. Drawing fouls off mismatches was a key to Vučević’s manufacturing — he went 12-for-12 from the road, a profession excessive.
4. Zach LaVine’s absence was felt.
LaVine missed his second straight sport as he manages a lingering left knee damage after present process arthroscopic surgical procedure within the offseason. LaVine is predicted to begin Saturday within the residence opener towards the Cleveland Cavaliers however will proceed to take a seat out a sport in any back-to-back within the subsequent month.
Alex Caruso crammed in once more within the beginning lineup, however the guard can’t match LaVine’s offensive manufacturing. Caruso scored three factors and added an help and three rebounds, a far cry from LaVine’s 20-plus factors per sport.
5. Another stable sport from Coby White.
White offered double-digit scoring off the bench for the second sport in a row, supporting a stagnant Bulls offense with 10 factors. On an evening when not one of the Bulls starters completed with a optimistic plus-minus, White was one of the crucial constant gamers on the courtroom, ending the sport with a plus-17 score.
Although White made two 3-pointers, he wasn’t reliant on his presence from behind the arc to make a distinction. This is strictly who the Bulls want White to be — an energizing presence off the bench who can kick-start the secondary rotation.
6. Bulls toed the road
The Bulls went to the road 33 instances whereas the Wizards had solely 11 free-throw makes an attempt. The 27 factors the Bulls earned off free throws helped them hold tempo regardless of an in any other case off-kilter evening of ending.
The Bulls shot solely 41.8% from the sphere and 25.9% on 3-pointers, struggling to complete for lengthy stretches that allowed the Wizards to make runs.
7. Patrick Williams was nonetheless hesitant.
Williams continued a sample of hesitancy on each ends of the courtroom.
The third-year ahead scored seven factors, which was an enchancment from his 4 factors within the opener towards the Miami Heat.
Williams struggled to deal with the defensive project towards Kyle Kuzma, permitting the ahead an excessive amount of house and at one level falling to the courtroom as he tried and didn’t sustain with him across the perimeter. Kuzma scored 26 factors to steer the Wizards.
Most regarding for the Bulls was the shortage of presence from Williams across the rim — he had solely two rebounds, grabbing a lone offensive board within the third quarter.
The Bulls want Williams to attain extra. But if his photographs aren’t falling, Williams must at the very least constantly present spine across the rim. If he can’t shore up that a part of his sport, his place within the beginning lineup could possibly be in jeopardy.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com