Submitted by National Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Bulls improved to 3-1 at home after defeating the Atlanta Hawks 118-113 on Tuesday night at the United Center.
Here are 10 notes:
— Before the game, coach Billy Donovan said Nikola Vucevic would be out at least briefly with a left groin strain. This means that Andre Drummond drew his first start as a Bull. Drummond had 630 career starts before Tuesday night, most of them from his All-Star days with the Detroit Pistons. But Tuesday was the first time Drummond heard public address announcer Tim Sinclair's familiar “man in the middle” call for the starting position.
— Drummond counted his first turnover. He scored six points, including an alley-oop dunk from DeMar DeRozan and two offensive rebounds. Drummond also flatly blocked Clint Capela's hook.
— Donovan also said he will use small-ball lineups to try to overcome Vucevic's absence. Donovan often favored such lineups, due to his habit of playing since the departure of Derrick Jones Jr. at center. Against the Hawks, Donovan played the rarely used 6-foot-5-inch Terry Taylor as a small-ball center. Patrick Williams could also spend time at the backup center.
—For the third straight game, the Bulls started slowly from 3-point range, missing their first six attempts. But Jevon Carter scored twice and Ayo Dosunmu dropped one on a flurry during the final minute, 27 seconds of the first quarter. Carter has struggled from range lately but that hasn't stopped his preferred tactic of shooting open three-pointers in transition. His second work fits this description. However, the Bulls finished just 7-for-25 from beyond the arc.
— DeRozan recorded four assists before scoring his first points, which came on two free throws with 3:04 left in the first half. DeRozan missed his first four field goals before scoring his first at the 1:14 mark of the second quarter. DeRozan has talked about wanting to get others involved early and then get more aggressive late if the game calls for it. But with Zach LaVine and Vucevic out, the Bulls could have used more offense from DeRozan early, even if he got high praise for how he played from Donovan. Case in point: He scored 10 points in the third period to get the Bulls back into the game. DeRozan then scored 11 points in the fourth period, finishing the game in style.
The Bulls put six scorers in double figures.
“It makes my job easier going into the fourth quarter,” DeRozan said. “These guys look to me to finish the game. Sometimes that's not necessarily scoring but making plays and trying to make the right decisions. It's fun. There's not a game where I feel like I have to make a certain number of shots or anything. I trust these guys.” “Guys. I know that when they look at me, it's the right time for me to do my part.”
— Alex Caruso published his 200thy Theft in his country 134y Game like a bull, according to the team's public relations staff. Only Michael Jordan (311), Wilbur Holland (282), Kris Dunne (245), Ron Artest (230) and Scottie Pippen (201) have recorded more steals in their first 134 games with the franchise.
— Trae Young entered after tying Oscar Robertson's NBA record with seven straight games with at least 30 points and 10 assists. Young, guarded by Caruso Blunts, finished with 21 points and 13 assists. His plan is over.
— Drummond posted his second 20-point game as a Bull and first 20-point/20-rebound game since Jan. 31, 2021 as a member of the Cavaliers. It's 45y 20-20 games in Drummond's career, tied with Bob Lanier for 15y-The most in NBA history. He finished a monster night with 24 points, 25 rebounds, three steals and two blocks and shared a hug with his mother in the crowd after the game. Drummond shot 11-for-13.
— After shooting 0-for-8 from 3-point range on Saturday against the Cavaliers, Coby White missed all seven of his 3-point attempts on Tuesday. White has been playing with a sore wrist in his shooting hand, but refuses to use that issue as an excuse. And never fear: White finished with a career-high 19 points and five assists, proving once again how he can make an impact when he's not shooting well. Ayo Dosunmu led the way in his scoring absence with 19 points and a big offensive rebound late.
“I love the shots he takes,” Donovan said of White. “His triple digits are not going away, but he impacts the game with the other things he does.”
— Caruso and DeRozan made crucial plays down the stretch. Caruso hit a big 3-pointer and took over Dejounte Murray. DeRozan used elite footwork to move up and down for a huge hoop late. DeRozan doesn't always show a lot of emotion, but he did after that basket.
Donovan walked off the court with DeRozan after the win. When Donovan was asked about that moment, he launched into an impassioned speech about DeRozan's professionalism and likability.
“I appreciate him. He's a consummate professional,” Donovan said. “The thing I like about him is that he will do whatever he has to do to help the team. In conversations with him about having to play faster and having to get up, he would do what you asked him to do.
“He's closer to elite. He's been that way his whole career. When the game slows down, you try to put him in areas of the floor where he does what he does. But being unselfish and sacrificing for him for 36 minutes of trying to get rid of the ball, get the ball going, help us play fast.” , getting those other players involved, making shots for those guys while keeping his head in the game, that speaks to his greatness.
“I just told him I appreciate everything he does. Not only does he finish the game at the end, but he also gets everyone involved and plays my style in a way that's better for these guys. As great as he is, he can play a lot of things.” In different ways. Throughout my training, you come across truly unique and special people. And he's really special because he's not just about being an elite talent and maybe a first ballot Hall of Famer, but he just wants to win. He can see the big picture of what we need to do.
When asked what that moment meant to him, DeRozan was equally eloquent.
“I never take anything for granted. I've had great coaches throughout my career who allowed me and trusted me to be me,” DeRozan said. “Everything that's asked of me, I try to do it to the best of my ability. To have a coach like that trust you, it's definitely a good feeling. You just want to give back to him while having the game respect him.” “
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