Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Bulls overcame a 21-point first quarter deficit to beat the Miami Heat 102-97 at the United Center on Saturday night.
Here are 10 observations:
—Dennis Rodman presented the game ball and received a loud ovation. That was probably the highlight of the night leading up to the fourth quarter rally.
—Slow starts have plagued the Bulls lately. This time, however, they took things to a new level, missing their first 10 shots and committing three turnovers before Zach Lavine’s running bench reached the 4-minute, 48-second mark. They were down 22-1 at the time and were drawing boos from the undermanned crowd. Coach Billy Donovan called two timeouts during this period, one of which came for an offensive foul on DeMar DeRozan. Fittingly, the Bulls lost the challenge.
—Donovan talked about the slow starts before the game. “Either you leave the ring like Mike Tyson, or you just leave the ring up and down,” he said. “We have to look like (Tyson). And we have to be able to keep it up.” Instead, the Bulls got hit in the mouth again early on.
“The feeling we all have when we look up and see this is definitely frustrating,” DeRozan said.
—The full reserve unit of Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter, Torrey Craig, Patrick Williams and Andre Drummond brought some energy to the game. Dosunmu went full force on a layup attempt and drew a foul. Drummond exuded authority. Craig and Carter provided defensive stops and quick decisions. The Bulls went on an 11-0 run.
—Overall, the Bulls shot 5 of 20 with three turnovers in the first quarter. They scored 14 points, improving their league-worst first quarter scoring average of 25.3 points. But the reserve unit continued its deployment, with some starters returning. A little more than halfway through the second quarter, the Bulls actually pulled within two points. But a poor finish in the first half caused the deficit to fall back to 10 points at the break.
—Carter attempted six 3-pointers in eight minutes of the first half. With his quick decision-making, his ability to fly off the ball (especially in transition) and his defensive energy, Carter makes a case for playing more. But that’s a problem with the squad: it’s loaded, so at whose expense is Carter playing more? Coby White has had some issues lately, but he’s played well to start with. Dosunmu remains fearless in attack. And of course, LaVine and Caruso will log important minutes.
“Just coming in and trying to provide energy, keep the game simple,” Carter said. “I’m just trying to stay warm and be ready when my name is called. Just try to make a difference.”
—It took until the final minute of the third quarter for either DeRozan or LaVine to score in double figures. DeRozan made free throws. And although he had attempted nine free throws and LaVine had four assists through three quarters, none of them had made more than eight shots. Overall, DeRozan shot 6 of 12 and scored 23 points, while LaVine shot 5 of 10 and scored 13 points. To his credit, LaVine took advantage of what the defense gave him and ended up with eight rebounds and six assists while playing competitive defense.
“I just try to do everything else,” LaVine said. “They basically took away pick-and-rolls, blitzed and rotated. The game was also slow. I was able to create my chances in the third and fourth quarters, rebound and try to take advantage of my chances, which I did. “But just try to do everything I can to help us win.”
—The Bulls shot 44.4 percent overall. The Heat played a lot of zone and challenged the Bulls to beat them from the outside. The Bulls attempted a season-high 45 3-pointers and made 16. And their commitment to doing so ultimately fueled their comeback. In fact, they tied the game for the first time with a DeRozan 3-pointer with 1:39 left. And they took their first lead of the night on a Caruso 3-pointer with 51.8 left.
“We rejected candid shots, especially when we watch film,” DeRozan said. “We trust that the other person will make the right play. If someone has a free hand, just take it.”
—DeRozan scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth period, including the go-ahead mid-range jumper with 21.9 seconds left. Like LaVine, he let the game come to him. But in the last quarter he showed his will.
“It was a tough game,” LaVine said. “We played hard but came from behind in the last three or four games. It was good to finally get a result.”
—In the current state of the Bulls, even a win caused a stir. A video broke out on social media showing LaVine flying past a team public relations representative who was scheduled to introduce him in the postgame walkoff interview that would be broadcast throughout the arena. Instead, DeRozan took over as LaVine quickly headed to the locker room.
“It was just a miscommunication between us and our PR team. We’re all fine. I’m not upset at all. I’m glad we won,” LaVine said. “We’re playing these guys in a few days. You don’t want to just sit around and party. I’d rather celebrate in the locker room.”
The move was out of character for LaVine, who is usually extremely forthcoming with the media and is a professional representative of the franchise. And given his recent openness to a move, it’s another example of how his every move is being scrutinized, especially since the move hasn’t been well received by some key figures within the organization.
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