The Chicago Bulls fought again from double-digit deficits to create one other nail-biter end however couldn’t overcome the lack of DeMar DeRozan in a 107-99 street defeat to the Boston Celtics on Monday evening.
The Bulls pulled inside two factors coming into the ultimate two minutes, however a 3-pointer from Celtics veteran Al Horford and a breakaway dunk from Jayson Tatum sealed it.
The loss snapped a the Bulls’ three-game profitable streak. They are 8-14 in clutch video games — any contest ending with a margin of 5 or fewer factors within the ultimate 5 minutes.
The lows
- Tatum dominated the evening, wriggling free from a Bulls protection that struggled to include him on the perimeter. Tatum scored 9 factors in a row within the third quarter because the Celtics pulled forward by 13, their largest lead of the evening. Tatum completed with 32 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists.
- Despite struggling to include Tatum, the Bulls managed to commerce punches evenly with the Celtics — till the ultimate 5 minutes of the primary half. The Celtics ended the opening half with a 13-5 run because the Bulls fully cooled off. The Bulls went 2-for-9 over the last 5 minutes of the half.
- DeRozan exited the sport within the third quarter with a proper quadriceps pressure after tripping over Horford’s foot. DeRozan tried to play for a number of minutes earlier than leaving for the locker room to be handled by the coaching workers. He completed with 13 factors, three assists and three rebounds. DeRozan has not missed a recreation this season and sat out solely six video games in 2021-22 regardless of two bouts with COVID-19.
The highs
- Zach LaVine took over after DeRozan’s exit, shouldering the duty of the man star’s fourth-quarter heroics. LaVine sank a 3-pointer to chop the result in 99-97 with 2 minutes, 17 seconds left, scoring 15 factors within the fourth quarter. He completed with 27 factors on 10-for-24 capturing. Nikola Vučević assisted in stepping up in DeRozan’s absence, ending with 21 factors and 13 rebounds.
- Guard Alex Caruso returned after lacking two video games with a proper ankle sprain. He completed with six factors, 4 assists and two rebounds in 20 minutes.
- The Bulls received the battle of 3-pointers, capturing 12-for-35 (34.3%) in contrast with the Celtics’ 11-for-41 (26.8%). LaVine made 4 3-pointers and Vučević and Patrick Williams made three apiece.
Stat of the sport
The Celtics outmuscled the Bulls on the glass at each ends of the courtroom, stretching two offensive performs to final for 45 seconds or longer. The Bulls have been outrebounded 54-48, permitting 4 offensive rebounds on a single play earlier than the Celtics lastly scored a basket.
Despite the disparity, nevertheless, the Bulls outscored the Celtics 10-4 in second-chance factors.
Quote of notice
It’s unclear whether or not DeRozan will probably be able to return for the Bulls in opposition to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
Coach Billy Donovan spoke with DeRozan after the sport and stated he hadn’t obtained a full analysis of the ahead’s damage.
“(DeRozan just said to me that he felt like he strained it when he went down,” Donovan stated. “They went back there and looked at him. … He didn’t tell me, ‘This is really bad.’ Or ‘I think I’ll play tomorrow.’ … I don’t think he felt right moving.”
Injury report
- Javonte Green missed his fifth straight recreation with a bone bruise in his proper knee. Green’s timeline for return stays unsure after assembly with a specialist final week.
- The Celtics have been lacking star guard Marcus Smart due to a bruised left knee.
Where they stand
The Bulls (19-22) dropped to tenth within the Eastern Conference.
Up subsequent
The Bulls will journey to Washington to face the Wizards on Wednesday, then return residence to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday on the United Center.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com