End of the series for the Brooklyn players, who remained on five straight wins. Beaten (118-95) on the Chicago floor, after overcoming Toronto the day before, Kevin Durant’s teammates (38 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists) paid there their horrible last quarter, lost on the score from 42 to 17!
For DeMar DeRozan (28 points), Zach LaVine (24 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and the rest of the Bulls collective (four other players over 10 points), this precious success against a team of the Nets in a good pass does them a lot of good, since he comes to revive them after their two consecutive losses against the Sixers.
In addition to demonstrating that the bench of Billy Donovan, led by the always very surprising rookie Ayo Dosunmu (15 points, 7 rebounds), could be able to weigh in the big meetings.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
— The Chicago bench changed everything. Dominated for three quarters of time by their Nets counterparts, including LaMarcus Aldridge, the Bulls substitutes had saved the best for last. Associated with DeMar DeRozan in charge of scoring, the quartet Alex Caruso – Ayo Dosunmu – Derrick Jones Jr – Tony Bradley thus completely reversed the course of the match with their physical intensity, their fighting spirit and their defensive activity. Making the score go from 80-76, in favor of Brooklyn, to 89-80, in favor of Chicago, in 2 minutes 20. While igniting the United Center…
— Kevin Durant, alone against all. With his 38 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, at 13/24 on shots, “KD” once again scored offensively, disgusting each of his defenders with his countless successes at mid-distance, in addition to shining at 3-points and in painting. Problem, even if the 2014 MVP plays at such a level, he can do nothing if his teammates do not support him a minimum. And that’s what happened last night, back from the locker room, as he scored 23 of Brooklyn’s 38 points after the break. Unsurprisingly, it was when he was resting at the start of the last quarter that the Bulls succeeded in this decisive “run” …
— DeRozan / LaVine, Chicago’s Two-Headed Monster. In the Top 5 of the best scorers of the NBA, DeMar DeRozan (28 points) and Zach LaVine (24 points) as often carried their team last night, reinforcing more their complicity on the ground. In the first quarter, it was first LaVine who guided the Bulls at mid-distance and in the paint, while DeRozan was satisfied with the crumbs. Back from the locker room, the DeRozan / LaVine duo then united to resist Kevin Durant. Before DeRozan made the difference in the last quarter, surrounded by his bench, to take the measure of the Nets. A new fiery performance, therefore, for the two best players in Chicago.
LES TOPS/FLOPS
✅ LaMarcus Aldridge. In vintage mode, “LMA” played the professors tonight, teaching the art of mid-range play to its defenders. Royal in this area of the field, against the franchise who drafted him in 2006, the 36-year-old interior finally compiled 19 points and 7 rebounds, in 23 minutes off the bench, 8/13 on shots. And it is mainly in the first half, in the second quarter, that the seven-time All-Star weighed on this match. Perfectly taking over from Kevin Durant and James Harden, with this 13-2 run he was behind, when Brooklyn needed a boost in scoring.
⛔ Blake Griffin. Unlike his replacement, LaMarcus Aldridge, the former leader of the Clippers is far from having had a good night, finishing with only 2 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists on the clock, 1/5 on shots. A performance far too insufficient for this team of the Nets, which was once again made move in the racket, cashing the trifle of 54 points in the paint and conceding 15 offensive rebounds to the Bulls. And the six-fold All-Star, exclusively used at station 5 in the New York “small ball”, is no stranger to Brooklyn’s failure on the inside …
WHEN JAMES HARDEN SAVES A WHISTLE
Frustrated by the refereeing since the start of the season, James Harden is no longer as spoiled as before, in terms of the whistle. This was still the case last night, especially in the first quarter, the referees granting him almost nothing despite his protests, except two free throws.
And when the referee (finally) decided to go in the direction of James Harden on one of his penetrations, he did not fail to ironize the situation, raising his arms to the sky, as if a miracle had happened. What did not fail to make smile the bench of the Nets.
Without the MVP 2018 and his team knowing, at this moment, that the leader of Brooklyn would not then get the slightest whistle from the referees.
THE FOLLOWING
Chicago (7-3) : Dallas reception, Wednesday through Thursday night (2:00 am).
Brooklyn (7-4) : moving to Orlando, overnight from Wednesday to Thursday (1:00 am).
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