At this point, I’ll take what I can get.
The Chicago Bulls took care of business against the Washington Wizards tonight, winning in pretty convincing fashion (115-106). Much like the first game, the Wizards showed some positive signs, but couldn’t hold on when it mattered most (which is typically the Bulls problem).
Zach LaVine made some clutch baskets in the 4th quarter to help the Bulls pull away, and he finished the night with 30 points, 7 rebound, and 7 assists. He’s now scored 25+ points in five-straight games, which marks the longest such streak in his career. Not to mention, he continued doing it tonight in flashy-fashion.
OMG ZACH LAVINE. @nbcschicago | #RunWithUs@AngryBirds Eye View cam: pic.twitter.com/8beWcHMyVD
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 16, 2020
Zach LaVine is so cold pic.twitter.com/KPe8adpF7n
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) January 16, 2020
What truly helped seal tonight’s victory though was the help he got from his teammates. Tomas Satoransky had 18 points and the Bulls bench had four players in double-digits (Young, Kornet, Hutchison, and White). For a night, the Bulls actually had themselves a nice team effort. More, please?
Unfortunately, the Bulls can’t have a normal game, and this win didn’t come without its sacrifices. Daniel Gafford exited the game early in the first quarter with a dislocated thumb that will sideline him for at least 2-4 weeks. Meanwhile, Chandler Hutchison also left the game in the second half after suffering an apparent shoulder injury (according to Boylen during the postgame, it’s the same shoulder that forced him to miss 17 games earlier this season). That’s just bad luck.
A win is a win, but it’s hard to be very optimistic about the rest of this season with the continuous injuries and inconsistent play. Unless the schedule magically changes to 39 games against the Wizards, Hawks, and Pistons … the Bulls have a tough finish to the season ahead of them.