The fight for the first places in the East promises to be exciting until the end. Only a small victory from the leader of the conference, the Heat, the Bulls responded to the Cavs, also winners this night, by winning against the Wolves. A victory with the way ended with their best offensive performance of the year.
This meeting was marked by more than fifteen equal scores. The two teams did not manage to decide after either a quarter (27-27), or two (60-59), or three (92-91). The slightest “run” passed by one of the two formations risked being fatal to the other. That’s what happened to Wolves, who have never led by more than five points.
The visitors paid a start to the fourth quarter where DeMar DeRozan and his troupe widened the first significant gap, by more than ten points. And Wolves, conceding a total of 42 points in that period alone, were unable to come back.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The fatal 15-2. The start of the fourth quarter was marked by a very big long distance address on both sides. Taurean Prince offered a short lead to his team (97-100) before a big collective slump from Wolves substitutes. Carried by a DeMar DeRozan still unleashed at mid-distance, out of the dribble, the Bulls stuck a solid 15-2 in the minutes that followed (112-102).
– Full throttle attack. The 134 points scored are a new record in the Bulls season as well as the… 63% shooting success! Almost impossible mission for the Wolves, who shot them with 50% skill, to win by letting the opponent shoot at such a percentage. No less than four Chicago players finished with 22 or more points but, surprisingly, Zach LaVine did not.
– The Battle Within Towns – vucevic. The two pivots did in “mimicry” with a very good line of statistics each, just failing for the triple-double, with respectively 38 and 37 of evaluation. If Nikola Vucevic was even more effective in shooting than his vis-à-vis, neither had a big impact in the final period when the backs ruled.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ DeMar DeRozan. Fifth game in a row with 30 points or more for the back who equals his best career series in this area. The All-Star was impressive in the fourth quarter as he took control of the game, scoring 16 points in that period alone.
✅ The triplet Green – Dosunmu –White. Excellent all three! Best career performance equaled for the first, frequently forgotten by the opposing defense, fourth double-double of the year for the second, with incredible accuracy and still very strong in defense, and a great evening of skill for the third, as a perfect offensive joker. Decisive all three in the last quarter.
✅ Anthony Edwards. His sixth outing of the year at 30 or more points. Like its “KAT” fulcrum, the rear end delivered full production. After a big first period, however, he slowed down after the break and settled for three shot attempts in the final period.
⛔ Zach LaVine. With his third-lowest points total of the season, the full-back hasn’t contributed much to his team’s attacking explosion. Waste to shots and lost balls but the All-Star still finished with a positive ratio of +10 when he was in play.
⛔ Chris Finch. Chicago started their 15-2 with their tandem of All-Stars on the floor, and this against all Wolves substitutes. The coach of the latter took a first time-out after which he revived D’Angelo Russell. But he only brought Towns, Edwards and the other holders into play after a second time-out, late, when the match had just tipped in favor of the Bulls.
THE FOLLOWING
Chicago (35-21) : reception of the Thunder, the next night.
Wolves (29-27) : end of “road trip” in Indiana, Sunday.
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