NEWSLETTER
Zach LaVine looked determined to keep his streak alive on Friday night at the United Center. Entering the evening with four straight 30-point games – and averaging the second-most points in the NBA since the calendar flipped – he wasn’t going to let the NBA’s 29th-ranked defense slow him down.
The two-time All-Star was in full attack mode from the moment the ball tipped. He recorded 8 of his 13 first-quarter points in his first 4 minutes of action, spamming the paint and torching the Wizards in transition. His downhill determination set the tone for the rest of the team, who started the night by scoring 16 of their first 19 points in the paint.
Big man Jalen Smith made sure the second unit maintained the early momentum. He added 12 points to the board in his first 4 minutes of action, using his elasticity to give the more lumbering Jonas Valanciunas some fits. Nevertheless, the Wizards managed to keep the game from slipping too far out of reach with some hot shooting from Jordan Poole. They would enter the halftime locker room down a manageable 68-58.
Unfortunately for Washington, the third quarter is the Bulls’ bread and butter. Chicago entered the night leading the NBA in third-quarter points per game They have come out of the locker room hot all season long, and they continue that trend in front of their home crowd. The Bulls outscored the Wizards 41-24 in the frame behind 56 percent shooting from the field.
Everything looked easier and easier for the Bulls as this game went on. The ball was moving with ease and the threes were dropping at an increasing rate. They passed the 30-assist threshold before the third quarter even came to an end, eventually ending the night with 38 assists, which was a new season-high. They also fell only two threes shy of tying their season high with a 23-49 effort from long range. At the end of the day, very much unlike when they met in December, the Bulls handled the Wizards in the way they should.
Player Grades
Zach LaVine – A+
Stats: 33 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST
Zach LaVine wasn’t messing around tonight. He knew who was on the other side of the ball and how to embarrass them. That’s what stars are supposed to do. He now has a new career-long streak of 30-point games!
Jalen Smith – A-
Stats: 15 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST
The backup big man looked locked in from the moment he stepped on the floor. He is quietly putting together a very good season, and Bulls fans should feel encouraged about his future in Chicago.
Lonzo Ball – B+
Stats: 12 PTS, 6 AST, 2 STL, +14
Lonzo Ball continues to look better and better. After a two-year hiatus, he is finally finding his rhythm again behind the arc, sinking four triples for the first time this season.
Nikola Vucevic – B+
Stats: 23 PTS, 13 REB, 6 AST, +29
After a disappointing outing in the Bulls’ last meeting with the Wizards (and after shooting only nine times against the Pacers), Nikola Vucevic looked more like his 2024-25 self. Generated great ball movement, drained his trailing threes (4-6 3PT), and overpowered Washington in the paint.
Matas Buzelis – C+
Stats: 8 PTS, 3 REB, 2 BLK
Recording the majority of his minutes in garbage time, Matas Buzelis looked like he had a chip on his shoulder. He threw down an extra hard dunk and pulled up with confidence from downtown. He is hungry for more real minutes, and he let Billy Donovan know it tonight. We wrote more about him today here.
Patrick Williams – D+
Stats: 2 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL
Despite some botched shots, Patrick Williams’ active start was a big reason why the Bulls gained an early lead. He forced several turnovers and crashed the glass hard. As the game went on, though, he disappeared in all-too-familiar fashion. Only 2 points in a night where your team managed 138 points? And only 2 points for the second game in a row? Woof.
Box Score
Check out the full box score here.
