Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Bulls rallied from a 12-point third quarter deficit to record a 114-106 road win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Here are 10 observations:
—The Bulls increased their league-leading number of final minutes played, improving to 18-14 in such games, distinguished by being within five points with five minutes or less to play. They made several key plays late, including great defense from Alex Caruso against Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, and DeMar DeRozan sinking a huge 3-pointer with 30.7 seconds left to take a five-point lead. DeRozan finished the game with 24 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
—The undermanned Bulls got a break when the Pelicans found themselves shorthanded due to league suspensions for Naji Marshall and Jose Alvarado and an ankle injury for CJ McCollum. Dyson Daniels missed his sixth straight game.
—Still, the Bulls' losses at power forward are gaping, and with Patrick Williams out for the season, it will be a while before Torrey Craig can return from his knee injury. Caruso joked about how he's gotten used to playing power forward over the last few seasons. But his original assignment was no joke – Williamsson.
—In a nod to Williamson's unique combination of speed and power, Terry Taylor was the sixth man. This was Taylor's first minute without cleanup since Jan. 31 in Charlotte. Williamson finished the game with 19 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, but the Bulls limited him down the stretch.
—Ayo Dosunmu burst out of the gate with 14 points in the first quarter, repeatedly outscoring the Pelicans in transition and making his first five shots. Dosunmu also extended his career streak of making at least two 3-pointers in six games. He finished the game with 21 points, eight assists and three 3-pointers. It is the second straight game in which Dosunmu has recorded a season-high eight assists.
—Billy Donovan called a timeout just 66 seconds into the second half, which the Pelicans opened with easy scoring on two possessions. Donovan has two long-standing coaching habits: he calls short timeouts when his teams don't stick to the game plan points repeated at halftime, and he also takes timeouts between opposing players' free throws.
—Donovan put the double-big lineup of Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond on ice for the first time in several games. He had already hinted at this in his pregame remarks, in which he said that the five-man unit with those two players did not perform well in Thursday's loss to Boston. Both players played well individually. Drummond saved his biggest plays for the fourth quarter, finishing the game with seven points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes. Vucevic became the 33rd player in NBA history to reach 500 double-doubles, finishing with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
—Coby White sank a 29-foot 3-pointer just 15 seconds after tipoff on the game's first possession, but then missed nine straight balls before making his next field goal. Still, White finished the game with 16 points and seven rebounds and shook off a rolled ankle to hit a big 3-pointer late on a drive-and-dish from DeRozan. DeRozan drove and kicked White twice for late shots, even though White had shot 5 of 18, marking further development in White's late-game role.
—The Bulls recorded 29 assists, scored 15 second-chance points and sank 19 of 21 free throws. With the Bulls playing short-handed and without the 3-pointers of Zach LaVine, Williams and Torrey Craig, they must utilize ball movement and easy points from second chances or free throws to be successful offensively.
—Speaking of shooting, the Bulls signed Andrew Funk to a two-way contract on Sunday morning. The 6-foot-5-inch guard shot over 40 percent for the Denver Nuggets' G League affiliate.
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