The Chicago Bulls ended the preseason with a 114-105 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, ending 1-4 in exhibition video games.
Nikola Vučević led the Bulls with 21 factors and 10 rebounds whereas Ayo Dosunmu scored 15 factors and added two steals in his second begin of the preseason.
The Bulls have 5 days to arrange for his or her season opener in opposition to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
Here are six takeaways from Thursday’s sport.
1. Patrick Williams and Coby White more likely to begin within the opener.
Coach Billy Donovan began Williams and White in all 5 preseason video games — and that can probably proceed into the common season.
Donovan didn’t decide to a beginning lineup for opening day after Thursday’s sport. But he mentioned it’s a “fair assessment” that White and Williams will proceed of their roles.
2. Zach LaVine and Andre Drummond sit out, Alex Caruso returns.
LaVine (sickness) and Drummond (private causes) didn’t attend Thursday’s sport. Donovan mentioned LaVine’s sickness was not a long-term concern. LaVine stayed dwelling and didn’t observe Thursday as a precaution to maintain the remainder of the workforce wholesome.
Caruso returned to the lineup after lacking Tuesday’s sport in opposition to the Toronto Raptors. Caruso had tweaked his ankle throughout observe and was held out as a precaution, however Donovan mentioned the guard doubtless would have performed if it had been a regular-season sport.
3. Patrick Williams responds to strain.
Just two days after he was yanked within the third minute of the Raptors sport, Williams responded with a decisive first half — crushing a dunk off a baseline minimize on the second play of the sport, pinballing by means of site visitors for layups and knocking down rebounds on the defensive finish.
“He had a look in his eye before the game,” White mentioned after the loss.
By the top of the primary quarter, Williams had surpassed his preseason excessive rebounding complete with 4.
It wasn’t an ideal evening for Williams. He completed 0-for-7 from 3-point vary, a rarity that’s unlikely to repeat typically for a participant who was the Bulls’ most correct 3-point shooter final season, and 3-for-12 total. More regarding was his continued sample of fading after intermission — Williams didn’t file a rebound or level within the second half.
But the advance glad Donovan, who praised the best way Williams affected the sport no matter his off-shooting evening.
“He shot the ball really poorly tonight. Really poorly,” Donovan mentioned. “And everybody felt his presence in the game.”
4. Anthony Edwards throws down the hammer.
The NBA is bracing for a breakout season from Anthony Edwards, who showcased why opponents are dreading going through him.
The star lit up spotlight reels within the second quarter when he launched from just under the free-throw line for a dunk, clicking his heels as he floated over the paint to hammer the ball by means of the rim with one hand. But his reference to Rudy Gobert — together with a lethal lob move over White later within the quarter — showcased the number of methods Edwards can decide aside a protection.
Edwards completed with 19 factors and 5 rebounds, sitting for a lot of the second half.
5. Extra perimeter passes assist 3-point quantity.
After three video games of returning to a low quantity of long-range pictures, the Bulls upped the ante from behind the 3-point arc.
Players whipped further passes to the wings in an effort to commerce 2-point makes an attempt for 3-pointers, at instances passing up open pictures below the rim to spray the ball out to the perimeter. The offense logged 30 pictures from behind the arc by the eight-minute mark of the fourth quarter, when deep rotational gamers Terry Taylor and Carlik Jones entered the sport.
The Bulls weren’t rewarded for his or her effort, ending 11-for-36 from 3-point vary — a statistic harm by Williams’ 0-for-7 outing. But the tempo and steadiness of the offense mirrored the perfect for an improved model of offense.
6. Julian Phillips exhibits out in rubbish time.
The closing minutes of a preseason sport should not a good estimation of a participant’s skill. Nevertheless, Julian Phillips made essentially the most of his six minutes on the courtroom closing out Thursday’s loss.
The rookie bounded in transition for an alley-oop fed by Dalen Terry and soared over opponents to smack away a block. Phillips completed with 5 factors, together with a 3-pointer from the nook.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com